There’s Always Something

Song Meaning

The lyrics of "There's Always Something" paint a picture of a speaker adrift, grappling with an undefined sense of self. They feel ungrounded, declaring, "I haven't landed, I guess the sky's my home." This rootlessness is coupled with a performative awareness, like a "goldfish" observed by others. This initial uncertainty deepens into a struggle with memory and perception. The speaker questions past identities, admitting, "Memories lie sometimes," comparing them to the deceptive glow of the moon—"Nothing but a trick of the light." This internal fog leads to a search for external clarity, consulting a doctor for a "map" and "language of certainty," only to find an internal contradiction: "I know, but I don't." Yet, the recurring chorus offers a powerful counterpoint, a grounding in the imperfect reality of daily life. The simple imagery of "morning," "garden's calling," and "birds are bathing" introduces a world where "Nothing is perfect, There's always something." This "something" isn't just a flaw, but a duality—a "cat is hunting While Robin's sing"—and crucially, a source of connection: "A hand on my back, Someone who knows me." This presence, along with "Something to tend to," becomes the anchor, actively "Enrooting me." Ultimately, the lyrics capture the ongoing human quest for identity and meaning, acknowledging that answers aren't always clear-cut, and the past can be a "trick." The song suggests that true grounding isn't found in perfect certainty or external labels, but in the acceptance of life's inherent complexities, the quiet rituals of morning, and the steady presence of connection, even as questions about who we are continue to rattle.