Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Sometimes I can't move my feet it seems
As if I'm stuck in the ground somehow like a tree
As if I can't even breathe
And my screams come whispering out
As if nobody can even see me
Like a ghost
I can't see myself sometimes
Then again if I were a king
If I had everything
If I had you
And I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Tell me what in the world would I sing for
If I had it
Sometimes I feel lost
As I pull you out like strings of memories
Wish I could weave them into you
And I could figure the whole damn puzzle out
But then again if I were a king
If I had everything
If I had you
And I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Tell me then what I would sing for
If I had it all
Oh
I could take anything
If I had no greed to big
Just poison tainting the green
Remembering time
Much younger than me now
When my breath was light
When the world raised me kind
Here the mother comforts child
Every moment was waking up
But now I have grown tired
If I had it all
Oh I'd fuck it up sure
If I were a king
If I had everything
If I had you
And I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Tell me what in the world would I sing for
If I were a king
If I had everything
Piece by piece
If had you
If I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Then why in the world would I sing
If I had it all
As if I'm stuck in the ground somehow like a tree
As if I can't even breathe
And my screams come whispering out
As if nobody can even see me
Like a ghost
I can't see myself sometimes
Then again if I were a king
If I had everything
If I had you
And I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Tell me what in the world would I sing for
If I had it
Sometimes I feel lost
As I pull you out like strings of memories
Wish I could weave them into you
And I could figure the whole damn puzzle out
But then again if I were a king
If I had everything
If I had you
And I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Tell me then what I would sing for
If I had it all
Oh
I could take anything
If I had no greed to big
Just poison tainting the green
Remembering time
Much younger than me now
When my breath was light
When the world raised me kind
Here the mother comforts child
Every moment was waking up
But now I have grown tired
If I had it all
Oh I'd fuck it up sure
If I were a king
If I had everything
If I had you
And I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Tell me what in the world would I sing for
If I were a king
If I had everything
Piece by piece
If had you
If I could give you your dreams
If I were giant size
On top of it all
Then why in the world would I sing
If I had it all
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
If I Had It All Lyrics as written by David Matthews Glen Ballard
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Favorite line out of the whole song....
If I had it all, you know I'd fuck it up
It sounds like he wants it all but is glad he doesn't have it because he'd fuck it up and if he did have it all there would be nothing left to live for nothing left to obtain. I think it's a great song. His lyrics are amazing.
i love this song... dave is such a great song writer its crazy... i love every dmb song, especially this one among others... everyone wishes they had it all
I LOVE DAVE MATTHEWS BAND. This song is amazing. The lyrics are awesome.
The meaning is simple: happiness cannot be found through material possession alone.
The meaning of the song is very obvious in the lyrics; I think more interesting is the way it resonates with many of us. I think that Paulo Coelho said it best in his introduction to The Alchemist (pick it up if you haven't read it), that there is a certain fear in realizing the dream(s) which we have been working towards for our lives. To quote:
"Oscar Wilde said: 'Each man kills the thing he loves.' And it's true. The mere possibility of getting what we want fills the soul of the ordinary person with guilt. We look around at all those who have failed to get what they want and we feel that we do not deserve to get what we want either. We forget about all the obstacles we overcame, all the suffering we endured, all the things we had to give up in order to get this far. I have known a lot of people who, when their personal calling was within their grasp, went on to commit a series of mistakes and never reached their goal - when it was only a step away. [note: a lot of people really love the line.. if I had it all, i'd fuck it up]
This is the most dangerous of the obstacles because it has a kind of saintly aura about it: renouncing joy and conquest. But if you believe yourself worth of the thing you fought so hard to get, then you become an instrument of God, you help the Soul of the World, and you understand why you are here."
There is a certain kind of fear that surrounds truly "having it all". You think to yourself.. "what now? What is there left to strive for? I don't deserve this."
This song is also a commentary on how much easier it is to remain forever a dreamer. Dave mentions that when he thinks of having everything and the awkward guilt and feelings such thoughts bring about, he harkens back to the halycon days of youth when he wasn't troubled with these sorts of thoughts.
The truth is that there is nothing wrong with having it all, but first you must overcome the fear of the dreamer and firmly grasp reality.
This is a totally awesome song. Dave is so on the money with it. If we did have it all, most of us would fuck it up--I know I would.
This is a totally awesome song. Dave is so on the money with it. If we did have it all, most of us would fuck it up--I know I would.
if he had it all, he'd stuff it up. and his desire for life, want for life, and chasing what he doesn't, but could have, is as important as actually havinbg the things.
whats the quote 'the chase is better than the goal' ? something like that. 2c
wonderful song
"...then what in the world would i go on for" i love that.
another amazing DMB song.