Lyrics
Like ghosts on open windows,
Metaphorically describes transient and elusive memories or experiences.
The curtains rise and fall.
Depicts the unfolding and closing of life's events, like a stage performance.
The past is a foreign country
Compares the past to a distant place, emphasizing its separation from the present.
At the dark end of the hall,
Implies a sense of mystery and uncertainty associated with the passage of time.
And the morning is an offering
Suggests the start of a new day as a symbolic offering or opportunity.
To the shelter of the day.
Contrasts the safety of daylight with the intrusion of violence and darkness.
But the violent come, and they bury it away.
Portrays the destructive nature of violence burying the innocence of the morning.
Time goes by at the speed of life,
Reflects on the inexorable and constant flow of time in life.
Slower than a slow dance on a hot summer night.
Compares the pace of life to a slow dance on a warm summer night.
Faster than the skin breaks on the edge of a knife,
Highlights the unpredictable and abrupt nature of life's challenges.
And we just go on at the speed of life.
Expresses the resilience and continuation of life despite its challenges.
Like questions begging answers,
Compares unanswered questions in life to a persistent inquiry.
The stars appear at night.
References the appearance of stars as symbolic of profound questions about love and existence.
What's it mean to love somebody?
Ponders the meaning and significance of loving someone.
What's it mean to be alive?
Questions the essence and purpose of being alive.
I heard a little girl laughing
Shares a simple, joyful moment of a child's laughter at the beauty of snow.
At her first sight of snow;
Contrasts the innocence of a child with the harsh reality of an elderly person's unfamiliar and disoriented death.
Saw an old man dying
Highlights the paradoxical nature of life's journey through time.
In a room he didn't know.
Emphasizes the peculiar and unpredictable nature of life's course.
While the world turns through the ages,
Conveys the interconnectedness of individuals as they navigate life together.
It's a most peculiar ride.
Describes life as a peculiar and unpredictable ride through time.
Holding on to one another,
Emphasizes the importance of mutual support and connection in facing life's challenges.
Moving at the speed of life.
Reiterates the ongoing journey of life, emphasizing its continuous movement.
We just go on at the speed of life.
Reaffirms the persistence and continuity of life's journey.
A family on the midway, in the carnival lights,
Depicts a family navigating life's ups and downs in the carnival of existence.
Moving in a circle through the sounds and the sights,
Describes the cyclical and repetitive nature of life's experiences.
And it all goes by at the speed of life.
Summarizes the fleeting nature of life as it passes through various sensations and events.
Time goes by at the speed of life,
Reiterates the theme of time passing, underscoring its constant flow.
Slower than a slow dance on a hot summer night.
Recalls the leisurely pace of a slow dance, emphasizing the unhurried nature of some moments.
Faster than the skin breaks, baby,
Compares the swiftness of life to the sudden and sharp break of skin on a knife's edge.
On the edge of a knife,
Underlines the persistent and continuous journey of life despite its challenges.
And we just go on, and on, at the speed of life.
Reiterates the idea of life persisting and advancing despite its difficulties.
Moving at the speed of life.
Emphasizes the ongoing movement and progression inherent in life.
Speed of life.
Repeats the title, reinforcing the concept of life's continuous and dynamic nature.
On and on, and on, and on.
Reflects on the perpetual and unending nature of life's journey.
On and on, and on, and on.
Concludes with the repetition of the idea that life goes on indefinitely.
Comment