Switchfoot’s “Meant to Live” vibrates with a message of existential longing and hopeful resilience. It’s a song that brings to light the struggle of the human condition, grappling with our inherent desire to lead a life imbued with meaning and purpose. The lyrics paint a story of a man questioning his existence, hoping for more than mundane conflicts and unfulfilled dreams. The recurrent question “Have we lost ourselves?” resonates as a battle cry for awakening and self-realization, urging listeners to seek beyond what the tangible world offers, and to aspire for a “second life,” a life of profound substance and fulfillment.
The whole tune, with its powerful chords and raw lyrics, serves as a wake-up call, nudging us to open our eyes fully and mend our broken spirits.
Caught your interest? Keep reading to discover more layers to this profound piece by Switchfoot, and learn how it resonates with the universal pursuit of meaning and self-discovery!
“Meant to Live” Lyrics Meaning
The song begins with a portrayal of a man, “fumbling his confidence,” possibly representing every individual who has faced self-doubt and questioned their place in the world. The world seems to have left him behind, hinting at the isolation one feels when grappling with existential thoughts.
The repetitive notion of being “meant to live for so much more” serves as the song’s central theme, resonating a universal cry for meaning and purpose. It raises a mirror to society, reflecting our collective numbness, our “eyes half open” approach to life. We are “bent and broken,” encapsulated in a state of mere existence rather than truly living, desiring a “second life” to rectify our life’s trajectory.
The lyrics are laced with subtle despair, urging the listeners to awaken and realize their loss of self, their deviation from the essence of life. The statement “Maybe we’ve been living with our eyes half open” seems to hit the core of our daily compromises, our acceptance of less than what our spirits yearn for.
The echoes of “Have we lost ourselves? Somewhere we live inside” point to a profound internal conflict, a battle between our authentic selves and the self we present to the world. The song doesn’t just stay with the revelation of this internal turmoil but moves forward to spark a flame of hope and rejuvenation. It amplifies the desire to have more than what “this world’s got to offer,” more than “the wars of our fathers.”
It’s not just about individual awakening; it’s also a collective call to action, inspiring us to break the chains of mundane existence and societal constructs and to strive for a life of depth and fulfillment.
The continual mention of “We were meant to live for so much more” sounds almost like a mantra, a reminder, emphasizing the limitless potential and the boundless beauty that life can hold if we dare to open our eyes and embrace it fully.
The Story Behind “Meant to Live”
The inception of “Meant to Live” is deeply entrenched in Jon Foreman’s, the lead vocalist and primary songwriter for Switchfoot, reflection on existence and his place in the universe. The song emerges as an embodiment of the internal and external conflicts that Jon experienced, reflecting his contemplation on life’s transient and ephemeral nature.
Foreman’s thoughts were likely influenced by his observations of the world around him, the perpetual wars, the struggles of his predecessors, and his desire for a world different from the one presented to him. He seems to question the complacency that pervades society, the acceptance of a life less lived, and a yearning for a reality beyond the materialistic world.
His mental state at that time was likely a concoction of despair and hope, the despair from witnessing the collective loss of self, and hope from the belief in the potential for rejuvenation and awakening. Through this song, Foreman extends an invitation for everyone to join in this philosophical journey to re-evaluate their existence, discover and embrace their true selves, and live a life that is so much more than the apparent mundane reality.
The song becomes a musical manifesto, urging listeners to break away from the societal norms and the restrictions placed by previous generations and to pursue a life imbued with genuine meaning and profound substance. It’s a powerful representation of the universal quest for self-discovery and a life of significance, urging us to rekindle our lost selves and realize our true potential.