The early Waterboys sound was dubbed "The Big Music" after a song on their second album, A Pagan Place. This musical style was described by Scott as "a metaphor for seeing God's signature in the world."[4] It either influenced or was used to describe a number of other bands, including Simple Minds, The Alarm, In Tua Nua, Big Country, the Hothouse Flowers[5] and World Party, the last of which was made up of former Waterboys members.[6] In the late 1980s the band became significantly more folk influenced. The Waterboys eventually returned to rock and roll, and have released both rock and folk albums since reforming. Their songs, largely written by Scott, often contain literary references and are frequently concerned with spirituality. Both the group and its members' solo careers have received much praise from both rock and folk music critics, but The Waterboys as a band has never received the commercial success that some of its members have had independently. Aside from World Party, The Waterboys have also influenced musicians such as Eddie Vedder, Johnny Goudie, Colin Meloy of The Decemberists,[7] Grant Nicholas of Feeder,[8] James Marshall Owen,[9] and Miles Hunt of The Wonder Stuff.[10] Both Bono[11] and The Edge[12] from U2 ,Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead are fans of the band.Jonny Greenwood tweets on the waterboys "what a great band. something special about how he plays piano too - see them if you can."
Spirit
Waterboys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spirit don't
Man surrenders
Spirit won't
Man crawls
Spirit flies
Spirit lives when man dies
Man seems
Man dreams
The spirit lives
Man is tethered
Spirit is free
What spirit is man can be
The Waterboys’ “Spirit” is a song that beautifully depicts the juxtaposition between the physical and transcendental planes of existence. It presents the contrast between the human and spiritual states in the simplest yet most evocative manner. The song’s opening lines “Man gets tired, Spirit don't; Man surrenders, Spirit won't,” show how the physical self of man gets tired, while the spiritual self remains robust and unwavering. The lines “Man crawls, Spirit flies, Spirit lives when man dies” illustrates how man, in his physicality, can only crawl, while the spirit takes flight before and after his death. The refrain, “Man seems, Spirit is, Man dreams, The spirit lives,” reinforces the notion that the physical self is only temporary, while the spirit, being more profound, goes beyond man’s tangible reality.
The song depicts how the physical self, though essential, is limited, and how the spiritual plane goes beyond what man can ever effectively encompass. It describes the ultimate freedom that comes with the transcendental state, where one is not tethered to the restrictions of a human existence. The song, therefore, urges us to detach ourselves from our material identity and seek to connect with the spiritual realm, where we can find true meaning and purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Man gets tired
The physical body of a man exhausts itself over time
Spirit don't
However, the inner spirit is not affected by the same limitations
Man surrenders
A man might give up in defeat
Spirit won't
Yet, the spirit remains unbroken and unyielding to external forces
Man crawls
A man might struggle to make progress
Spirit flies
But the spirit has the ability to soar beyond the challenges and restrictions
Spirit lives when man dies
The spirit is eternal and continues beyond the physical death of the body
Man seems
A person's physical presence is temporary and fleeting
Spirit is
However, the spirit endures and remains constant
Man dreams
A man may have aspirations and desires
The spirit lives
But it is the spirit that gives true life and meaning to those dreams
Man is tethered
A man may feel constrained and limited by their environment and circumstances
Spirit is free
The spirit itself is unbound and unconstrained, capable of great liberation and limitless potential
What spirit is man can be
Ultimately, a person can tap into the limitless potential of their spirit, transcending the limitations of the physical body to achieve greatness
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL SCOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind