Fall Out Boy: Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part to Save The Scene and Stop Going to Shows) Meaning

Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part to Save The Scene and Stop Going to Shows) Lyrics

This has been said so many times that I'm not sure if it matters
But we never stood a chance
And I'm not sure if it matters
If you are the shores, I am the waves begging for big moons
I’m mailing letters to addresses in a ghost town
(your...

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   #1 top rated interpretation:
   djhouston

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   Nov 6th 2008 !⃝

   This has been said so many times that I'm not sure if it matters
   But we never stood a chance
   And I'm not sure if it matters
   If you are the shores, I am the waves begging for big moons
   I’m mailing letters to addresses in a ghost town
   (your secret's out)
   
   
   [i think this means that they have had so many arguments about how they werent gonna last. and how now its like nothin to hear any more(?) and the whole "if youu are the shores, I am the waves begging for big moons" I think is about him wanting to just, crush her, like he was. because at a beach, when there's a full moon, the waves rise. anyways. "im mailing letters to adresses in a ghost town" to me means that he's sending letters to adreses where no one lives. and they are most likely about how he found her out.]
   
   I know this hurts, it was meant to (it was meant to)
   Your secret's out and the best part is it isn't even a good one
   And it's mind over you don't, don't matter
   
   [just a little correction, I think its know, not matter that's what my interp. Is about]
   [the chorus, to me, means that he knows he's hurting her, and, obviously, he's trying to. Its what he was meaning to do. He exposed her, and the crazy part is that its either not a big deal to him or to anybody. and its his little secret she doesn't know.]
   
   [thats all I got so far, please email me at shadowbeasty@yahoo.com if you think I'm off or if you have anything to add on. Thanks]
   
   -dj
2. anonymous

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   May 10th 2024 !⃝

   “if you are the shores I am the waves begging for big moons” the moon controls the tides, bringing them away from the shore, so this basically means “I’m wishing to be pulled away from you” I kinda just wanted to add this because I don’t think anyone else said that. The song itself is pretty straightforward. I love Pete’s spoken word thing at the end…I have the whole thing memorized,,,
3. anonymous

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   Feb 9th 2015 !⃝

   "if you are the shores I am the waves begging
   for big moons."
   
   I think this line interprets that he has a very strong need to be with whomever
   this significant other may be. he's begging to be with her.
   
   "I'm mailing letters to addresses in a ghost
   town"
   he's trying to reach out to her but she isn't
   making any effort to reach out to him.
   "your secrets out"
   
   This is kind of obvious. I think she's ignoring him because she has a secret(lesbian¿ perhaps.) and he found out and he told people because he wants to get back at her for breaking his heart, because she chose another (woman) person rather than him.
   
   "I know this hurts, it was meant too.
   your secrets out and the best part is
   it isn't even a good one. and it's mind
   over you don't matter."
   he purposely meant to hurt her. he's mocking
   her in these lines.
   he's saying her secrect is a big deal to her
   but nobody really cares. she's a bit narcissistic.
   no one thinks she matters.
   
   Basically I think this song's meaning is not to live your life in fear don't be self-conscious. because, honestly, not one single person gives a fuck.
4. anonymous

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   Dec 25th 2012 !⃝

   It's about one of them being in love with a lesbian in the closet.
5. anonymous

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   Dec 29th 2010 !⃝

   THIS IS ONE OF M,Y FAVORITE SONGS BECAUSE OF THE LAST PART WHEN PETE TALKS
   I don't know if it's emo or whatev i dont like giving labels... the thing is it gets to me
6. tempest

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   Jul 23rd 2008 !⃝

   This is my favorite fall out boy song. and knowing fall out boy it could mean anything. I think it means that once you've let something slip there's always someone there who won't let it go, even though it's a dead issue.
7. anonymous

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   Mar 23rd 2008 !⃝

   The name is taken from The Shawshank Redemption
8. Wildwest814

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   Jan 28th 2008 !⃝

   I think it's about...life is what you make of it.
9. anonymous

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   Aug 10th 2007 !⃝

   Whoever said this was about Chris was wrong. Chris and Pete were still friends at this point. Get your facts straight
   
   Pete was hitting on Chris' girlfriend (Kate) and when Chris and Kate broke up, she told Chris. Chris then got angry at Pete (I would too) .
   
   As for the song, it's pretty straightforward.
10. peteinmypants

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    Jun 11th 2007 !⃝

    Yeah... I don't really have much of an interpretation so much as a comment. Love the end where Pete is talking. Yeah, it's a little emo, but then again, so am I. I just can't get over how cool that sounds. And Pete has a good point. Living IS just a waste of death. (Don't freak out, I'm not going to kill myself) and breathing is really what passes our time until death when you really think about it.
    
    Although, now that I think about it, it's like Pete is trying to say that life is boring if you don't do anything about it. Make the most of it or it will just be a meaningless wait until death.
11. anonymous

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    Apr 25th 2007 !⃝

    It could be about a girl, but this song sounds strangley suspiciously like Pete's ex-friend Chris.
    Apparently Chris was cheating on his girlfriend and Pete ended up telling her. They are now in a huge fight and its getting a bit ridiculous. Either that or it could be about Jeanae (like most of the songs are). Jeanae is Pete's ex-girlfriend. You have no idea how insane this guy is about her. Have a nice day :)
12. anonymous

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    Apr 15th 2007 !⃝

    I'm just kinda guessing so if sum one has another idea throw it our here: I think this song is talking about a some guy liking a girl who thinks she's to good for him even though she might like him a little. he knows she feels superior, but he is still trying to get her to admit that she has some conflicting feelings for him. the part of the song that says "tell me you'd like boys like me better, in the dark lying on top of you" sounds like he has a feeling she likes him, but doesn't want anyone to know.

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