OUT OF TIME
Tim Atlas Lyrics
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And I can feel its cry, crying out for more
At the side of my bed, hope it never leaves
Keep the light on, the light, til I fall asleep
Cause I can't, no I can't let it drag my feet
Cause it drags and it drags and it drags
Can't wait for too long cause I
Well now I'm running out of time
It creeps right down my neck
Struck me to my feet
Said don't you ever forget
Or you're never gonna leave
The lyrics of Tim Atlas's song Out of Time suggest recurring themes of anxiety, urgency and mortality. The phrase "under the bed it hides, hides beneath my floor" suggests the lurking presence of an unseen force that could be symbolic of anxiety or stress. The singer acknowledges that he can feel its cry, crying out for more, which could be interpreted as the singer's acknowledgement of his growing worries and unease. The continuation of the lyrics hints that the singer fears letting this force drag him down by indicating that he keeps the light on, the light, until he falls asleep. He fears that without this light, he will remain under the influence of this ominous force.
Further, the singer pleads with himself not to let this force drag his feet- the repetition of "it drags and it drags and it drags" emphasizes the inescapable feeling of this ever-present shadow that is relentlessly urging his anxiety. The chorus "time, it goes by, I laugh, and you cry," presents a contrast of emotions where the singer seemingly maintains a happy facade, while his insides are crumbling. He further sings that he cannot wait for too long because he feels that now he is running out of time, which could be a sign of his growing anxiety about his mortality. The lyrics that follow go on to describe the overwhelming feeling creeping down his neck, striking him to his feet and warning him not to forget, or he will never leave, metaphorically hinting that this shadow is always with him.
Line by Line Meaning
Under the bed it hides, hides beneath my floor
My fear is lurking, always present but hidden
And I can feel its cry, crying out for more
I hear a voice in my head begging for my fear to control me
At the side of my bed, hope it never leaves
I want to keep my fear close, even though it terrifies me
Keep the light on, the light, til I fall asleep
I want to guard against the darkness that accompanies my fear
Cause I can't, no I can't let it drag my feet
I cannot allow my fear to immobilize me, to hold me back from living
Cause it drags and it drags and it drags
The fear feels heavy, never-ending, and draining
Time, it goes by // I laugh and you cry
Time moves quickly while emotions fluctuate
Can't wait for too long cause I
I cannot let fear control my actions, time is precious
Well now I'm running out of time
I feel the urgency to overcome my fear before it's too late
It creeps right down my neck
The fear is slowly and insidiously taking over
Struck me to my feet
The fear is so strong that it causes me to react instinctively
Said don't you ever forget
The fear warns me not to forget its power over me
Or you're never gonna leave
If I do not overcome my fear, it will trap me forever
Contributed by Blake Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.