He
Wilson-McKinley Lyrics
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Shot the man, who hurt his son
And packed his bag so he could run
And save us all
There's an anchor and a rope
Wrapped around faith and hope
That he got tattooed on his chest in Istanbul
If you feel running in your blood
And the dream's not big enough
And ya' just can't give it up
Once it's found
If your feet can't stand still
Between the thunder and the thrill
Let 'em fly
Never touch the ground
I tell you this
Inside your chest
Beats the heart he handed down
Alex sure put up a fight
He stood helpless in the night
Lost his baby and his wife
At the same time
So he just started moving
Through the jails of country's left in ruin
Shoveled coal, on a boat
Scared his dreams would go up in smoke
If you feel running in your blood
And the dream's not big enoughAnd ya' just can't give it up
Once it's found
If your feet can't stand still
Between the thunder and the thrill
Let 'em fly
Never touch the ground
I tell you this
Inside your chest
Beats the heart he handed down
Every time you take a breath
Oh it's like he never left
No matter how far that you run
The leaving's just a part of being home
If you feel running in your blood
And the dream's not big enough
And you just can't give it up
Once it's found
If your feet can't stand still
Between the thunder and the thrill
Let 'em fly
Never touch the ground
I tell you this
Inside your chest
Beats the heart he handed down
I tell you this
Inside your chest
Beats the heart he handed down
The song "He" by Wilson-McKinley is about a man named Alex who experienced a traumatic event in which he lost his child and wife. His father then found the man who caused harm to Alex's son and shot him before fleeing with the intention of saving everyone else. The song goes on to suggest that if you have running in your blood, then pursuing your dreams is essential, and that it should be an endeavor that you never give up on, no matter how challenging it may seem.
In the second verse, we learn that Alex moves through troubled countries, working in jails and on boats, all the while, fearing that his dreams will go up in smoke. The pre-chorus and chorus repeat the message of pursuing your dreams, with lines like "If the dream's not big enough, and ya just can't give it up, once it's found" and "Let 'em fly, never touch the ground." The song's final lines remind us that even when we lose someone close to us, their presence remains with us through the passions we pursue in life.
Line by Line Meaning
His father found a gun
Alex's father found a gun
Shot the man, who hurt his son
And shot the man who hurt his son
And packed his bag so he could run
Then packed his bag to escape
And save us all
And protect his family and loved ones
There's an anchor and a rope
There's an anchor and rope tattoo on his chest
Wrapped around faith and hope
The tattoo is a symbol for faith and hope
That he got tattooed on his chest in Istanbul
It was a tattoo he got in Istanbul
If you feel running in your blood
If you have an unyielding urge to pursue your dreams
And the dream's not big enough
And if you feel like your dreams aren't big enough for you
And ya' just can't give it up
And you can't give up on them
Once it's found
When you have found your purpose
If your feet can't stand still
When you can't stop moving forward
Between the thunder and the thrill
Between the chaos and excitement
Let 'em fly
Just let them take over
Never touch the ground
And let them guide you to new heights
I tell you this
Let me tell you something
Inside your chest
Inside your heart
Beats the heart he handed down
Is the same heart that his father had instilled within him
Alex sure put up a fight
Alex fought hard to keep his family safe
He stood helpless in the night
But he felt helpless in the face of danger
Lost his baby and his wife
And lost both his wife and child in the process
At the same time
In a tragic series of events
So he just started moving
So he didn't stop moving forward
Through the jails of country's left in ruin
Traveling through war-torn nations
Shoveled coal, on a boat
Working hard and doing what it takes to survive and provide
Scared his dreams would go up in smoke
Afraid that his dreams would never become a reality
Every time you take a breath
With every breath you take
Oh it's like he never left
It feels like his father is still with him
No matter how far that you run
No matter how far you go
The leaving's just a part of being home
Leaving is just a part of returning home
I tell you this
Let me tell you something again
Inside your chest
Inside your heart
Beats the heart he handed down
Is the same heart that his father had instilled within him
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Kristian Bush, Rita Wilson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind