Only Human
Utopia Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's only human to despise the weak
It's only human to despise yourself when you're weak
I don't know why
But that's the way that it's always been
And I play by the rules I don't understand at all

It's only human to be lazy and vain
It's only human to expect a world that's just as vain
I don't know why
I want to believe that it's not that way
But I'm johnny come lately, it's not my place to say

There's no escape, tell me why do they try so hard?
And I pretend that I'm invincible, that I can go it all alone
But I'm only human, trying to get by
And praying to heaven I might find out why am I human
Mere flesh and blood
Afraid to go on without someone to hold me up

It's just a human thing to fear the unknown
But isn't it a tragic thing to live and die alone
Oh lord look at the world,
Have you ever seen so much misery?
Like a ghost ship of fools, lost and floating out to sea

And they climb and they fall
Yet they struggle on the same fault
But they're only human, trying to get by
And praying to heaven they might find out
Why are we human




Mere flesh and blood
We're afraid to go on without someone to hold us up

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in Utopia's song Only Human delve into the contradictions and flaws that come with being human. The first verse talks about how it's natural for humans to look down on those who are weaker than them, but also to despise themselves when they are in a state of weakness. The artist admits that they don't understand why humanity operates this way, and that they feel like they're playing a game with rules that don't make any sense.


The second verse touches on humanity's lazy and vain tendencies. Humans often expect the world to be as self-centered as they are. The artist wants to believe that humans don't have to be this way, but admits that they're a bit of a novice to this world, and that it's not really their place to say. The chorus speaks to the struggle of being human, trying to overcome life's challenges while feeling vulnerable and alone. The artist feels like they have to pretend to be invincible, but in reality, they're just trying to get by like everyone else.


The third verse continues this exploration of humanity's weaknesses, acknowledging that it's natural to fear the unknown. But the artist also questions the tragedy of living and dying alone. They express frustration and sadness at the world around them, seeing so much pain and misery. The bridge acknowledges the struggle of life, and how humans are just trying to make it through, hoping to find some meaning and purpose along the way. Ultimately, the song acknowledges the fragility of life and the importance of human connection.


Line by Line Meaning

It's only human to despise the weak
It's natural to dislike those who appear vulnerable and it's also natural to dislike oneself when feeling vulnerable.


I don't know why But that's the way that it's always been And I play by the rules I don't understand at all
I don't understand why things are the way they are, but I still follow societal standards even though they don't make sense to me


It's only human to be lazy and vain It's only human to expect a world that's just as vain I don't know why I want to believe that it's not that way But I'm johnny come lately, it's not my place to say
It's typical of people to be self-centered and to expect the world to reflect their own level of self-importance. I wish it wasn't that way, but I'm not experienced enough to have a say in it.


There's no escape, tell me why do they try so hard? And I pretend that I'm invincible, that I can go it all alone But I'm only human, trying to get by And praying to heaven I might find out why am I human Mere flesh and blood Afraid to go on without someone to hold me up
People strive to escape their struggles, but it's impossible. Even though I pretend to be unbreakable and independent, I know deep down that I'm just a person trying to survive, hoping to find the reason for existence, and too scared to do it alone.


It's just a human thing to fear the unknown But isn't it a tragic thing to live and die alone Oh lord look at the world, Have you ever seen so much misery? Like a ghost ship of fools, lost and floating out to sea
It's instinctive to be afraid of what we don't know, but it's heartbreaking to perish alone. The world is full of sorrow, akin to a ship of forlorn voyagers, adrift and aimless.


And they climb and they fall Yet they struggle on the same fault But they're only human, trying to get by And praying to heaven they might find out Why are we human Mere flesh and blood We're afraid to go on without someone to hold us up
People are constantly trying to make progress but often fall back into the same traps. They're just trying to manage their daily lives and seeking an answer as to why they exist as people with physical bodies. They're too anxious to keep going on their own.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN WILCOX, KASIM SULTON, ROGER POWELL, TODD RUNDGREN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions