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What Goes Up Lyrics

What goes up, must come down
What must rise, must fall
And what goes on in your life
Is writing on the wall
If all things must fall
Why build a miracle at all
If all things must pass
Even a miracle won't last
What goes up, must come down
What must stand alone?
And what goes on, in your mind
Is turning into stone
If all things must fall
Why build a miracle at all
If all things must pass
Even a pyramid won't last

How can you be so sure?
How do you know what the earth will endure?
How can you be so sure?
That the wonders you've made in you life
Will be seen
By the millions who'll follow to visit the site
Of your dream?

What goes up, must come down
What goes round, must come round
What's been lost, must be found
Song Info
Submitted by
ice On Jun 02, 2001
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Cover art for What Goes Up lyrics by Alan Parsons Project, The

Probably one of my favorite APP songs. The song starts lyrically as a parabolic question - "What goes up, must come down". Everything that shines must fade. Nothing can with stand the constant dynamic nature of our planet and the universe. Eventually everything ends. The song is referring to the many weaknesses mankind has His arrogance that his monuments will withstand anything thrown at them, war, disaster, weather and time. "How can you be so sure? How do you know what the earth will endure? " Questioning that man made arrogance that he will last forever. The reality is that all monuments and cities eventually are destroyed and either rebuilt or forgotten about. Societies melt away eventually along with their wonders, roads, cities and ethics.

@theorganiz Yes, but isn't it also saying that even though nothing lasts for ever it's not a reason to do good things... "If all things must all. Why build a miracle at all?" seems like a rhetorical question.

Cover art for What Goes Up lyrics by Alan Parsons Project, The

This, combined with the "Voyager" intro, makes for a very eerie yet cool song. For some reason, the whole "Pyramid" seems very eerie to me.

Cover art for What Goes Up lyrics by Alan Parsons Project, The

Sounds like someone is trying to stave off an existential depression.