As It Is

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of an impending internal or external storm, a growing force that challenges the narrator's core beliefs. This storm is characterized by intense negative emotions: "Pain - and tears / Hate - and fears." The repetition of "And fears" amplifies this sense of overwhelming dread, suggesting a spiraling anxiety that's difficult to escape. It feels like a moment of crisis is building, threatening to consume everything. The central tension arises from a profound disconnect between perception and acceptance. The narrator observes a world where "Our sense of real is extinct," yet repeatedly questions, "Why don't we accept as it is?" This isn't a passive resignation but a frustrated plea for acknowledgment of reality, however harsh. The lyrics suggest a struggle against denial, a call to face the world as it presents itself, encompassing both the light and the darkness. A striking element is the juxtaposition of seemingly contradictory ideas that ultimately reinforce the theme of acceptance. The lines "When there's innocents - there is guilt / With a will - there's a way" present pairs of inherent dualities. These aren't meant to be resolved but understood as existing simultaneously, much like the "things we see" and "things we hear" that we are urged to accept. The latter half of the song shifts towards a more active, albeit still resigned, stance: "Take what there is accept as it is." This evolution from questioning to commanding acceptance highlights the inescapable nature of the present reality. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their stark, almost blunt, presentation of a difficult truth. The repeated refrain acts as a mantra, forcing the listener to confront the discomfort of accepting things as they are, especially when those things are painful or frightening. The final lines, "We can't escape as it is," deliver a powerful, unvarnished conclusion, leaving the listener with a sense of profound, unavoidable reality that demands acknowledgment.