Things Will Matter

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of profound apathy and internal struggle, where the narrator was once "totally at ease with defeat" because "things didn't matter." This state of being seems to stem from a deep, almost primal, internal conflict, described as "searching the fires of the deep" and "locked horns with myself in my sleep." It's a bleak landscape where surrender felt like the only option, a passive acceptance of a meaningless existence. The arrival of another person acts as a stark turning point, a sudden illumination in a previously desolate emotional space. The narrator had "ran out of the places to run" and was "snowed up in the things I've done," signifying a feeling of being trapped and overwhelmed by past actions or circumstances. The simple appearance of "your face came along" fundamentally shifted this perspective, making "things turned out better." The repeated phrase "Let's stick round a little while" becomes an anthem of newfound hope and a desire to preserve this positive change. It's a plea to savor the present moment and the connection that has brought about this transformation. This refrain underscores the preciousness of the current state, a stark contrast to the previous indifference. The ultimate realization of significance arrives with the contemplation of mortality and shared history. The idea of reminiscing about youth and spending "last days in the sun" leads to the poignant understanding that "then things will matter." This implies that the impending loss, the inevitable separation, is what imbues life and shared experiences with their profound weight and meaning, transforming a previously indifferent existence into one charged with emotional consequence.