The Fall Lyrics
Maybe I’m wrong
I could’ve spoken sooner than I should've
Only the good die old
That’s what they told me
But I don’t know
Maybe I’m thinking I should just keep to the things that I’ve been told
Wait for the colors to turn to gold
Do you know?
You’re all I know
You’re all I know
When everything
Comes crashing down
You’re all I know
You’re all I know
I’m ready for everything that I believed in to drift away
Ready for the leaves
Ready for the colors to burn to gold and crumble away
Always a reason
Breaking me down to my knees in the dead of night
I keep on praying to see the light
Maybe I’m breaking up with myself
Maybe I’m thinking I should just keep to the things that I’ve been told
Wait for the colors to turn to gold
Do you know?
You’re all I know
You’re all I know
When everything
Comes crashing down
You’re all I know
You’re all I know
Do you know?
You’re all I know
You’re all I know
When everything
Comes crashing down
You’re all I know
You’re all I know
I’m ready for everything that I believed in to drift away
Ready for the leaves
Ready for the colors to burn to gold and crumble away
You were the one
You were the one
Who helped me see
You were the one
Oh you gave it all to me
You were the one
You were the one
Who helped me see
You were the one
Oh you gave it all to me
You were the one
You were the one
Who helped me see
You were the one
Oh you gave it all to me
You were the one
You were the one
Who helped me see
You were the one
Oh you gave it all to me
You were the one
You were the one
Who helped me see
You were the one
Oh you gave it all to me
You were the one
You were the one
Who helped me see
You were the one
Oh you gave it all to me
Ready for the leaves
To me this song is about breaking up with someone who you're still very much in love with but both of you know that the relationship can't continue because its not working for various reasons. I don't think the two people in the relationship are bitter at each other or angry I don't get that feeling listening to the lyrics.
I think the line "I'm waiting for the fall" refers to the season rather than a physical fall. The colour of the leaves changing and crumbling like the relationship. Maybe the summer was the best part of their relationship and they know once Fall is done there will be winter which will be the end.
It sounds like to me that by the last few lines in the song he's resigning himself to the inevitable end.
I really like this song. At the same time it just makes me feel so sad because some relationships whilst they're amazing and you both work so well together just aren't meant to last once you get to a certain point. I think its probably the saddest on the album.
@Imiodjus Not sure if this is accurate to the original intent, but I'd bet the band would be supportive of listeners having this interpretation. Thanks for sharing :)
@Imiodjus Not sure if this is accurate to the original intent, but I'd bet the band would be supportive of listeners having this interpretation. Thanks for sharing :)
He wants to change but is frighten to open new doors. So instead, he waits and hopes for something will change for him.
So I actually had a much different feel with this song that the other interpretations. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and this is mine, this is why I believe Dan wrote this song
I believe this song is about trials in life and when you can't go any further on your own, you give yourself up to God so you can ultimately become a better person after the trail.
First we must understand that God gives us trials so he can break us down in order to build us up in a better way.
Maybe I'm broken maybe I'm wrong: [going through trials and trying to understand why makes you ask questions like that, similar to, why me? What did I do to deserve this? Etc.]
I could've spoken sooner than I shouldve only the good die old That's what they told me but I don't know [once again wondering what they could've done wrong that would give them this trial, then wondering if he's "good" and will make it through this life, or die old]
Maybe I'm breaking up with myself [once again questioning why he is going through these times]
Maybe I'm think I should just keep to the things that I've been told [realizing what is happening and realizing he must do what he does when faced with a trial and...wait for the colors to turn to gold]
Wait for the colors to turn to gold [trust in God and let "the fall" happen(I'll give my interpretation of what "the fall" means later]
Do you know? Do you know? You're all I know your all I know When everything, comes crashing down Your all I know, your all I know [whenever faced with a trial all he's known to do is to trust in God, that is all he knows, he does not know why he's going through his trial but he knows that God knows why, and has a purpose.
I'm ready for the fall [He's ready for "the fall" the changing of seasons, falling as in giving it up, the fall has many metaphors in this song]
I'm ready for everything that I believe in to drift away [he's giving up everything he thought he knew to a greater being that knows what is best for him]
Im ready for the leaves I'm ready for the colors to burn to gold and crumble away [once again many metaphors with "the fall" in this instance having to do with the seasons, leaves and colors changing, like himself changing after this trail, but we must understand in this line that he's putting emphasis in the fact that he's letting "the fall" happen, that he's understanding that he needs this trial to become a better person]
Maybe I'm destined to be distraught [thinking that maybe this trial is his fault and his is "destined" to be this way]
Always a reason breaking my down to my knees in the dead of night [there is always something making him pray to God for help]
I keep on praying to see the light [realizing he must let "the fall" happen he now prays to "see the light" or understand what God is trying to teach him.]
Maybe I'm thinking I should Just keep tot the things that I've been told, Wait for the colors to burn to gold [refer to the first time this line was said in verse one]
Pre chorus and chorus plays again, restating what is said and meant in the first time through.
Now in the bridge I feel that he has let the fall happen and is giving thanks to God and Jesus, and also realizing the purpose of the trial. In which we we can be greatful for after we've gone through them.
You were the one, you were the one You were the one who helped me see [telling God he is the one who helped him change, realize, be humbled etc. And he helped him through these hard times]
You were the one you were the one, Oh you gave it all to me [once again giving God thanks, God gave it all to him or helped him realize the answer to all his questions stated in the verses of the song. Which are that trials make us better and build us up] [also thanks to Jesus, he gave up his life and suffered for all of us, he literally gave it ALL to us]
Keeps going through repeating those lines putting emphasis on them.
I'm ready for the leaves I'm ready for the colors to burn to gold and crumble away. [he now knows why trials happen and states again that he's ready for "the fall"]
In this song, "the fall" has many different meanings, some I thought of were the changing season, leaves "falling", leaves changing, leaves crumbling and falling so more can grow back next spring that are better, actually "falling" as in giving yourself up. They are many meaning and I think we call all agree that this is a very great song and Dan puts some real thought into his lyrics and some real emotion in his songs. This was my interpretation of the meaning. Good job making it to the end, you are a true ID fan.
It is interesting reading other people\'s thoughts on the meaning behind this song but I feel like people are ignoring a key part of this song. When he states he is ready for the leaves to turn to gold and burn away, he is making a comment on death. It is often said something is the most beautiful during that last burst of life at the end. When leaves turn gold it is because the leaf is dying. It has one last beautiful farewell before it falls off and crumbles away.\n\nWhat this song is getting at is that feeling once you accomplish something great and then you are ready for the fall that comes afterward. The band has experienced such great success and in so much of their music you can hear commentary about the impact that success has had on them, for good and bad. It’s a mediation on if they can keep this going, when will the end come and being ready for it. The song is about appreciating the greatness and success they have obtained but also expecting and accepting fall from grace that all celebrity eventually face.\n\nThe song also has a rather dark alternate feeling to it though. This song plays heavily with the feelings of a person in the grips of the death instinct, someone wishing and needing their own destruction. This is not a feeling that is often expressed openly in song or even in conversation. The imagery of the song paints the destruction in a beautiful light. In our society these things are taboo to discuss but are a familiar thing for those who have experience with depression. Dan himself has been known to deal with depression. It is very clear that he stating that he is ready for a death of some sort and there is even a sense of joy with the way the lyrics are sung at the end. There is a freeing sense of joy when one accepts and even welcomes their own destruction. It comes from letting go of all of the things we cling to and knowing there is an end to the pain.
I’ve listened to this song a thousand times by now and I quite love this song. I find that a lot of people are interpreting it to have something to do with religion, but I don’t at all think that is the case, as it never mentions anything about religion at all or really even hint at it, yes it says “I keep on praying to see the light” but in the present day, the word pray is used without connecting to religion quite a bit.\n\nThe lyrics: \n\n“Maybe I’m broken, maybe in wrong”\nClearly, they’ve reached a rough patch in life, and they’re beginning to question their life \n\n“I could’ve spoken sooner then I should’ve”\nThey’re looking back at an event in their life where they spoke too late, but now they are wondering what would’ve happened if they said something sooner\n\n“Only the good die old, that’s what they told me but I don’t know”\nThey want to do good, they want to live a long life, but they are uncertain about what others have told them, and they are beginning to doubt their loved ones\n\n“Maybe I’m breaking up with myself, maybe I’m thinking I should just keep to the things that I’ve been told, wait for the colors to turn to gold”\nThey’re lost, and they are beginning to change as a person, but they’re scared of what that could mean. To confront their situation, they’re beginning to think about just doing what their loved ones told them to, and just abandoning their thoughts, just to wait for better days\n\n“Do you know? You’re all I know, everything comes crashing down, you’re all I know.”\nThey look back to en extremely close person they lost one way or another, or a close friend they’re trying to talk to, trying to tell them that said person that they’re their last hope, but they’re struggling in some way. At the same time, knowing that in the end, said person will always be their last source of comfort\n\n“I’m ready for the fall, I’m ready for everything that I believed in to drift away, I’m ready for the leaves, I’m ready for the colors to burn to gold and crumble away”\nSaid person doesn’t respond, and so they’re lost again. So now they just accept it, preparing for the end. Ready to just lose everything they have, and probably ready to end their own life as well\n\n“Maybe I’m destined to be distraught, always a reason breaking me down to my knees in the dead of night, I keep on praying to see the light”\nThey think back on their life, which has been nothing but pain and loss for years, and the nights they’ve spent thinking, crying, hoping, and slowly watching their good life fade away. \n\n“You were the one, you were the one, you were the one who helped me see. You were the one, you were the one, oh you gave it all to me”\nTheir close loved one is likely gone permanently at this point, and they’re trying desperately to reach out to them for help, and to say thank you, but they can’t. \n\nWith their final failure in reaching for hope, they just stop “I’m ready for the fall” they give up “I’m ready for the leaves” and they likely take their own life “I’m ready for the colors to burn to gold and crumble away” \n\nA long silence, as if to show that the person is now gone, that they went silently, and that nobody noticed a thing…
I could written this about my therapist. Perhaps it about learning a new way to think, believe, live. My thought is you can meet someone that changes your way of thinking that is healing to your soul. The fall represents giving up the old words you heard and understand that your instincts about who you really are is a gift to be shared and not hidden. What a relief to have someone love you for who you truly are and a gift to have them show you who you truly are.
Just as Adam and Eve experienced \'The Fall\' from the garden of ignorance to knowledge, so does the singer experience a Fall from his previous innocent faith or belief, lead by his Eve or wife, who ultimately helped him see that it was not true.\n\n(1) Maybe I\'m broken\nQuestioning and losing your belief or faith in a church or religion can cause you to feel broken, even crazy at times.\n\n(2) Maybe I\'m wrong\nHe is trying to doubt his doubts and just believe.\n\n(3) I could\'ve spoken sooner than I should have\nHe knew at an earlier time that something was wrong with his belief or church, but didn’t say anything. Like in 2008 when the LDS church used its money to fight against gay rights. Considering his involvement with The Love Loud Festival, I imagine this is at least one of his major concerns with the church.\n\n(4) That\'s what they told me\nHe was told by his church leaders that those who obeyed the commandments of God would be blessed and live a long life. This is in contrast to BIlly Joel’s song, “Only the Good Die Young”.\n\n(5) Maybe I\'m breaking up with myself\nLosing faith in your belief system or religion feels like separating from your previous self.\n\n(6) Maybe I\'m thinking I should just keep To the things that I\'ve been told\nIt\'s scary to leave the church and everything you’ve ever been told. He’s doubting himself.\n\n(7) Wait for the colors to turn to gold\nWhen Adam and Eve left the garden, the world went from an eternal perfect paradise to the world we know now, with change, death, and by the sweat of our brow.\n\n(8) You\'re all I know\nHe’s calling out to his Eve, letting her know that she is all he knows to be real and true. \n\n(9) Comes crashing down\nWhen he leaves the church or his previous belief, everything\'s supposed to come crashing down, but at least he will have her.\n\n(10) I\'m ready for everything that I believed in to drift away\nHe’s ready to leave his current "innocent" state or of his current belief and enter a world away from his belief.\n\n(11) Breaking me down to my knees in the dead of night\nThis process is very painful for him, causing him to fall to his knees in prayer, begging for help from God to get through this.\n\n(12) I keep on praying to see the light\nHe’s praying for God to help him not leave the church or lose his belief. \n\n(13) Who helped me see\nHis Eve or wife helped him see the real truth about his previous beliefs. \n\n(13) You were the one\nHe’s speaking again to his Eve, admitting that it was her who helped him gain this knowledge or new truth or belief.
Guys this song is about the Fall of Adam. They're Mormon.
My interpretation of this song is that it reflects on life as an atheist who has a religious family. He thinks that his family would hate him for not believing in God, while in the chorus he argues with god saying..."Do you know, Do you know?" And "what do you know?" These are either arguments with the relatives or god.
It shows that the singer has lost something precious in his life, making him turn into an atheist, as most people do when the lose a loved one.
He then comes to the realization that he is left alone in this situation because his family rejects him, (because of his atheist beliefs) and says..."When everything Comes crashing down You're all I know, You're all I know" stating that when everything goes to shit, he's only got god.
Now, the final part of the chorus says.."I'm ready for the fall Ready for the leaves Ready for the colors to Burn to gold and crumble away" in this case the leaves are his loved ones, and the tree they fall off is his FAMILY tree. So when the leaves "Burn to gold and crumble away" is implying that when the crumble they die.
My favorite part of the song is..You were the one "You were the one (Do you know) You were the one (Do you know) Who helped me see You were the one (Do you know)You were the one (Do you know)"
This shows that the faith of the singer is changed in and out when his relatives pass away. Or it could mean that he pretends to believe in God when in actuality he doesn't.
Just my thoughts on it. If you read through all of this then you are a loyal soldier.