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Every Teardrop is a Waterfall Meaning


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So I was thinking about it, and I now feel that this song is more than a sappy "i luv mah muzics zo im gonna dance" song. Some of the lyrics seem trite, but there seems to be a deeper meaning (to me).

 

I feel that this song has something to do with the joy of protesting something and finally being recognized, even in a negative way. Many people would gladly spend a night in jail if it means getting their beliefs across. This song brings to mind protests against racism/war/for educational reform in the 60's. People would get beaten up, humiliated, and degraded by authorities, but they wouldn't have it any other way. I think this song says that in the joy of that moment, everything seems larger than life. Every (police) siren is a symphony, and every teardrop (of physical pain, perhaps caused by a beating from security?) is a beautiful waterfall.

 

"You can hurt me bad, but still I'll raise the flag."

 

...

 

I don't know. My head is a messy place, make of this what you will.

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Guest howyousawtheworld
So I was thinking about it, and I now feel that this song is more than a sappy "i luv mah muzics zo im gonna dance" song. Some of the lyrics seem trite, but there seems to be a deeper meaning (to me).

 

I feel that this song has something to do with the joy of protesting something and finally being recognized, even in a negative way. Many people would gladly spend a night in jail if it means getting their beliefs across. This song brings to mind protests against racism/war/for educational reform in the 60's. People would get beaten up, humiliated, and degraded by authorities, but they wouldn't have it any other way. I think this song says that in the joy of that moment, everything seems larger than life. Every (police) siren is a symphony, and every teardrop (of physical pain, perhaps caused by a beating from security?) is a beautiful waterfall.

 

"You can hurt me bad, but still I'll raise the flag."

 

...

 

I don't know. My head is a messy place, make of this what you will.

 

The lyrics (the first half anyway) aren't as bad as people make out as it does seem to be about someone enjoying themselves amidst social trouble. I don't get the wa wa wa waterfall bit though and the 'you can hurt me bad' is just not good. The way the song is sung in this contemporary club beat though makes it sound a bit ridiculous though.

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I now have a full interpretation of the song (a story, based on the song and building on the other songs we've heard so far), but I won't be bothered to type it out. It's too darn long.

 

At least, in my head, the song is something more than I originally though. :3

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For me it is just a motivation to see the bright sides of life, no matter in which situation you are. You should always be optimistic because life is beautiful and every bad thing (a tear) is also a beautiful thing (a waterfall), every vale in your life is also a chance for something good.

 

Just my comment.

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I think the music, as a single, is commercial, so they tried to be as energetic and modern as they could sound without losing their Coldgrip (ha!). But I honestly REFUSE to believe that Coldplay would release a totally "let's make remixes of this, dude!" song without any content in the lyrics. If they did it, they'd lose one of the few things that make them this beautiful band I like so much.

 

Now, about the meaning, I haven't thought of that yet, but your theory, Hartroc, is very good. I'll give a thought about it and I'll come with something later.

 

PS: I'd like to know the story you imagined, btw :D

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The only parts of the lyrics that can have a deeper meaning are the following:

 

UNTIL MONDAY MORNING FEELS ANOTHER LIFE

 

DON'T WANT TO SEE ANOTHER GENERATION DROP

I'D RATHER BE A COMMA THAN A FULL STOP

 

AND WE SAW OH THIS LIGHT I SWEAR YOU, EMERGE BLINKING INTO

TO TELL ME IT'S ALRIGHT

AS WE SOAR WALLS, EVERY SIREN IS A SYMPHONY

AND EVERY TEAR'S A WATERFALL

 

SO YOU CAN HURT, HURT ME BAD

BUT STILL I'LL RAISE THE FLAG

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So I was thinking about it, and I now feel that this song is more than a sappy "i luv mah muzics zo im gonna dance" song. Some of the lyrics seem trite, but there seems to be a deeper meaning (to me).

 

I feel that this song has something to do with the joy of protesting something and finally being recognized, even in a negative way. Many people would gladly spend a night in jail if it means getting their beliefs across. This song brings to mind protests against racism/war/for educational reform in the 60's. People would get beaten up, humiliated, and degraded by authorities, but they wouldn't have it any other way. I think this song says that in the joy of that moment, everything seems larger than life. Every (police) siren is a symphony, and every teardrop (of physical pain, perhaps caused by a beating from security?) is a beautiful waterfall.

 

"You can hurt me bad, but still I'll raise the flag."

 

...

 

I don't know. My head is a messy place, make of this what you will.

 

 

I've been listening to the song over and over trying to figure out a meaning that seems plausible, and I think yours is the best so far! It makes sense and it fits the lyrics and the album theme. Maybe this is also the reason why the song is so upbeat--these people might be getting prosecuted/abused/what not but they're happy about it!

 

Some of these people that think the song is just a blind dance track need to come read your post and then listen to ETiaW again ;)

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The lyrics (the first half anyway) aren't as bad as people make out as it does seem to be about someone enjoying themselves amidst social trouble. I don't get the wa wa wa waterfall bit though and the 'you can hurt me bad' is just not good. The way the song is sung in this contemporary club beat though makes it sound a bit ridiculous though.

 

this!!!

 

ppl need to have a proper listen to (or understanding of) the lyrics before complaining that it's ridiculous. fairly sure there's a message in the song title too, tho that'll take a better understanding of the song's message to interpret.

 

& Calvin Harris-ish club beats (which is where Coldplay are the most guilty of trying too hard to be "in", imo) aside, what about Jonny's guitar riffs in that song, eh? :cool:

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I think its about turning negative things into something positive. Holding your head high.

Teardrop > Waterfall

Siren > Symphony

"You can hurt, hurt me bad / but I'll still raise the flag"

And I feel like the maybes is like saying "I don't care about it".

 

Does that make sense? :lol:

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I think its about turning negative things into something positive. Holding your head high.

Teardrop > Waterfall

Siren > Symphony

"You can hurt, hurt me bad / but I'll still raise the flag"

And I feel like the maybes is like saying "I don't care about it".

 

Does that make sense? :lol:

 

Yeah I thought exactly the same...and I posted something close to yours above. ;)

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threads like this reminds me of why I want to punch everyone at songmeanings.net in the face.

 

You dare insult me? :angry:

 

 

 

:rolleyes:

 

Actually, I now have a full novel-like story based on the new songs we have so far (when I hear that something is a concept album, I immediately and automatically build my own stories for it...even if I haven't heard the entire album! :P). Every Teardrop is the final chapter. I may someday type out my story/theory, but for now...I'm too lazy. :P I will tell you though, that in my ideal version of LP5, the songs (so far) would go in this order.

 

1. Cartoon Heart

2. Hurts Like Heaven

3. Us Against the World

4. Major Minus

5. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall

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My favourite part is

"So you can hurt, hurt me bad

But still I'll raise the flag".

I think it sums up the whole message, because without it you might think "why do they sing every teardrop is a waterfall to a happy and upbeat melody?"

To me the song is about having been hurt badly or gone through a rough thing where tears seemed endless, but now being able to see the beautiful things in life and celebrating and as ARushofLove said, seeing the tears as beautiful. That is even though what caused them might have been painful.

The song can really make me dance and jump around feeling "on a roll" while I with the lyrics remember the tears I've cried in the past, but think positively upon the present, where I enjoy my music, being alive and other values in the moment.

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The Song is Obviously about some "Riotmovement" like the Whiterose.

 

"From underneath the rubble sing a rebel song

Don’t want to see another generation drop

I’d rather be a comma than a full stop"

Means he better lets himself stop for a "second" than forever.

So even if they make him stop the Riot the next one will follow up.

 

"So you can hurt, hurt me bad

But still I’ll raise the flag"

Is kinda the same as the 1 above.

Even if they manage to harm him in any way he still raises the Flag and wins.

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this is basically my interpretation, something i posted in one of the other threads around here:

 

I LIKE THESE LYRICS.

 

there, i said it.

 

they might seem random and nonsensical at first, but to me there seems to be at least an underlying theme in there. maybe the lines don't flow as full sentences in a way that some people would like, but i can definitely see the graffiti/White Rose influence.

 

this song gives me the image of, like, this burned-down, desolate city that this group of young people scale during the night, graffiti-ing it up. it seems like this group takes great pleasure from defacing buildings or whatever, as that may be the only way they can safely rebel against... well, i guess the people who burned down the city. :P

 

to add more meaning to what i'm about to say, i'll quote one of my friends (jknc), who knows way more about history than i do. :p

 

Well the French Resistance during the War used poems and sections of poems to mean lots of different things. For example if they needed to get a message to another resistance group they would quote an obscure poem over the radio. This meant a specific thing to another group. So the songs themselves could be obscure messages. Or the graffiti symbols could mean something. Such as a spaceship means they have rescued a downed Allied pilot. Only other resistance groups would know what it meant.

 

with that in mind, maybe on one level the "music" mentioned in the song is literal, but for the purposes of this post i am going to write under the assumption that "music" and everything related to it is a metaphor for the graffiti.

 

so, by this logic, lyrics such as

 

I turn the music up, I got my records on

I shut the world outside until the lights come on

Maybe the streets alight, maybe the trees are gone

I feel my heart start beating to my favourite song

 

...

 

I turn the music up

I'm on a roll this time

And heaven is in sight

 

basically mean that this person is partaking in the spreading of resistance messages through graffiti during the night -- or "until the lights come on" -- an action which is thrilling, sneaking around at night and standing up against the enemy... despite the destruction, this person still has hope for the future, an urge to fight to make things better.

 

then there are these lines:

 

Don't want to see another generation drop

I'd rather be a comma than a full stop

 

Maybe I'm in the black, maybe I'm on my knees

Maybe I'm in the gap between the two trapezes

 

which i had talked about before in what was probably the original thread for ETIAW, but i think that my interpretation might have changed slightly since then. what i will say here is that "the gap between the two trapezes" seems to go along with the "heaven is in sight" line, meaning that things seem to be looking up for them.

 

there is definitely more that i could say about these lyrics, particularly the whole "every tear is a waterfall" thing, but right now i'm tired and my brain is refusing to put my thoughts into words that actually make sense. maybe i'll come back to this tomorrow. :P

 

so, the song may not be spectacularly written, but these lyrics tell quite a story in my eyes and something about that appeals to me.

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  • 2 weeks later...

To me is about 'shutting the world outside" and go enjoy a party a good weekend or something like that.

"Maybe im in the black maybe im on my knees, but my heart is beating and my pulses start"

"I Fell my heart start beating to my fav song"

 

Its about not letting your problems getting in the way of you having fun.

"So you can hurt, hurt me bad, but still ill raise the flag"

 

The title i read as something like the connection between something apparently small (a tear) and the actually size of it inside of us(waterfall)

 

i love this song :D

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