Switchfoot: Meant to Live Meaning

Song Released: 2003

Meant to Live Lyrics

Fumbling his confidence
And wondering why the world has passed him by
Hoping that he’s bent for more than arguments
And failed attempts to fly, fly

We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live...

1. worldfest

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   Nov 25th 2007 !⃝

   Well most of you are right. Its a feeling of both regret and self realization that the world is not enough for us and nor with it ever be. Yes, it is about counting on a higher power than the words of our fathers, who created wars. So it sorta goes with Jeremiah 29:11.
   "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
   sorta what comes to mind anyways...
2. cjc95

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   Jul 12th 2007 !⃝

   It's about living our lives facing god not to live for the world or our selves but we were meant to live for something more... God
3. anonymous

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   Jun 10th 2007 !⃝

   If you look, you can find a lot of biblical references in Switchfoot songs. In Meant to Live, I think it may be talking about the fall of mankind according to Genesis, and how it has shaped the world today. This song acts as a reminder that we are all living very unnatural lives, because sin was never meant to be a part of us. "And everything inside screams for second life", if we look inside our own humanity we can feel that things aren't supposed to be this way.
   
   It's an interpretation of the most basic Christianity, designed to reach and impact an atheist world.
4. brokenenterprises

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   Oct 18th 2006 !⃝

   Okay so what I think they are trying to convey is that, where did we get off track, how did our focus change from god to what we are focusing on now. We were, meant to live for so much more than just day to day conundrom. We were, meant to love for so much more. Where did we lose ourselves?
5. anonymous

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   Sep 28th 2006 !⃝

   Haha gaining weight! Loved it man! Made me laugh out loud at work! Cheers
   
   but no good cs lewis quote there dude I agree with you whole-heartedly

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
6. McAtee08

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   Jul 12th 2006 !⃝

   It feels very clear to me that Switchfoot is, for the most part, saying that we, as people, expend too much of our lives trying to strive for earthly gains instead of living for what is truly important. We have "lost ourselves" in material things. And we were "meant to live for so much more" than what our materialistic society can offer us. And deep inside, we are also STRIVING for something more in our lives. Perhaps all humans simply desire spirituality? We want something deeper than this world can offer. For Switchfoot, (as well as myself and many others), I think that thing is God.
7. anonymous

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   Jul 12th 2006 !⃝

   It feels very clear to me that Switchfoot is, for the most part, saying that we, as people, expend too much of our lives trying to strive for earthly gains instead of living for what is truly important. We have "lost ourselves" in material things. And we were "meant to live for so much more" than what our materialistic society can offer us. And deep inside, we are also STRIVING for something more in our lives. Perhaps all humans simply desire spirituality? We want something deeper than this world can offer. For Switchfoot, (as well as myself and many others), I think that thing is God.
8. theduck

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   Jun 13th 2006 !⃝

   Switchfoot are christians just like me and this song is written for one purpose only! It is saying how life is nothing comppared to eternal life within heaven. And that we were meant to live for something with more meaning and purity than anything found on earth." We want more than this worlds got to offer". It's just nice to see christian songs being performed in a more modern and rockier way!
9. AceofSpades187

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   May 21st 2006 !⃝

   This song is an interesting song, because it does not convey one message, but rather two messages. The first message is about Abortion. "We were meant to live.." and "somewhere we live inside" and "and everything inside screams for second life" sounds a lot like a Pro-Life stance. The second message is an Anti-War message "maybe we have been living with our eyes half open" and "we want more than the wars of our fathers." gives an idea of possibly using diplomatic methods to come to a resoloution. And the band members are Christian, and Jesus taught to love your enemies.
   
   Ultimately, this is a very heavily influenced religious song. I'm not too religious, but I love this song because it makes a good point; We should be careful in the decisions we make in life, because ours is not the only life it may affect.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
10. anonymous

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    Feb 9th 2006 !⃝

    I really think this song is about popularity. It's about people putting on acts to impress someone else. "Have we lost ourselves?" really means, have I lost the person that's inside of me? Meant to Live is a message to everyone, saying we don't have to be someone we're not. Most people don't see that, they don't see the beauty in themselves. They're living with their eyes half open. But then again some people do relize they're pretending to be someone they're not. They want people to see them for who they really are. They dream of the day their true colors will reveal themselves to the world.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
11. african_a_albino3

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    Dec 5th 2005 !⃝

    I think that half the people above me are complete idiots. The song is about God and living for something more than just ourselves. If we are living for just ourselves we are missing the bigger picture and our life is not as full. But on the path of following God we sometimes lose our way, and have to return to our true meaning in life.
12. lumpgreenroom

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    Oct 21st 2005 !⃝

    This song was inspired by the movie Hollow Man.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
13. anonymous

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    Sep 10th 2005 !⃝

    This song is about gaining weight, The line where it says "have we lost ourselves" clearly shows that this song is about obesity.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
14. DaGitt

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    Aug 29th 2005 !⃝

    This song is for most of us who underestimate our purpose and value in this big big world. Yes, it is religious, and Jonathan Foreman's point is that God has an appointed time for each of us to reveal our talents to the world, and finally proclaim, "yes, we were meant to live"... we're actually ON this planet for a PURPOSE.
15. anonymous

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    Jun 26th 2005 !⃝

    It's about doing what God's purpose is for you. Most people these days aren't doing what God called them to do, so they say "Have we lost ourselves?" It's things along those lines. Thats how I interpretted it.

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