As Long As We Get By

Song Meaning

The lyrics to "As Long As We Get By" immediately plunge into a stark contrast, introducing Maria who finds life "quite fair" despite a trauma she "can hardly bear." This opening sets a tone of quiet desperation, where surface-level acceptance clashes with profound, unaddressed pain. The initial verses sketch out lives defined by coping mechanisms. A central tension emerges from the repeated refrain, which captures a collective human tendency to numb or ignore deeper questions. The phrase "don't ask why" encapsulates this deliberate avoidance, whether through sheer endurance or by getting "high." However, this fragile peace is shattered in the second chorus, where the blunt admission that "pain kicks in" reveals the limits of such a strategy. Amidst these individual struggles, a recurring image of the sea offers a poignant counterpoint.