Clouds
Will Connolly Lyrics
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A crash without sound
The hardware is invisible
Yet felt all around
I′m as high as the clouds
My whole life in the clouds
I'm as high as the clouds
One time I thought that peace
Was a wide open door
I swam in an endless sea
Till I saw phantom shores
Now I'm high as the clouds
My whole life in the clouds
I'm as high as the clouds
And i can′t ever come down
I live half awake
I fall half asleep
I feel half the pain
And half the relief
I have to "share"
Pretend to care
I lose half my will
Half my curiosity
Half my reputation
Half my privacy
I′m everywhere
And nowhere
I'm as high as the clouds
My whole life in the clouds
I′m as high as the clouds
And I'm never coming down
I′m never coming down
I'm never coming down
I′m never coming down
I'm never coming down
I'm never coming down
I′m never coming down
Will Connolly's "Clouds" is a contemplative song that speaks of feeling disconnected from reality and living in a state of constant detachment. The opening lines of the song, "Dropped in a memory/A crash without sound/The hardware is invisible/Yet felt all around," paint an image of being lost in one's own thoughts and memories without being able to make sense of them. The following lines say "I'm as high as the clouds/My whole life in the clouds/I'm as high as the clouds/ And I'm never coming down," reaffirming a sense of disconnection from the world and living in a constant state of daydreaming.
The next verse talks of our quest to find peace and meaning in life, but ultimately coming up short, as the singer sings "One time I thought that peace/Was a wide open door/I swam in an endless sea/Till I saw phantom shores". This is followed again by the chorus that emphasizes the singer's detachment from reality: "I'm as high as the clouds/My whole life in the clouds/ I'm as high as the clouds/And I can't ever come down". The final verse shifts to a more personal focus on the singer's own emotions and how living in this detached state affects their life. The lines "I live half awake/I fall half asleep/I feel half the pain/And half the relief" portray a sense of numbness that comes from not fully engaging with one's own emotions. The song ends with a repeat of the chorus, one last time emphasizing the singer's detachment from the world and ultimately confirming that they will never "come down" from this state.
Line by Line Meaning
Dropped in a memory
Remembering a moment from the past
A crash without sound
An impactful moment that didn't make a noise
The hardware is invisible
Something intangible yet real
Yet felt all around
Affecting everything despite being unseen
I'm as high as the clouds
Feeling like life is soaring
My whole life in the clouds
Living life in a carefree manner
And I'm never coming down
Choosing to always stay in the state of bliss
One time I thought that peace
A moment of thinking everything is okay
Was a wide open door
Peace was easily attainable
I swam in an endless sea
Life was full of options and opportunities
Till I saw phantom shores
Realizing that not everything is what it seems
I live half awake
Being awake and aware only halfway
I fall half asleep
Being tired and asleep half the time
I feel half the pain
Only feeling the pain halfway
And half the relief
Only feeling relieved partially
I have to "share"
Pretend to care about things you don't really care about
Pretend to care
Faking emotions for the sake of pleasing others
I lose half my will
Not feeling as motivated as before
Half my curiosity
Losing interest in things that once fascinated you
Half my reputation
Being judged and having your reputation suffer
Half my privacy
Not having as much privacy as desired
I'm everywhere
Feeling like you're in all places at once
And nowhere
Feeling like you don't belong anywhere
I'm never coming down
Choosing to stay in a state of being carefree and happy
Writer(s): William Patrick Connolly
Contributed by Audrey O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.