Past Is Past

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of persistent, almost passive acceptance of life's flow, suggesting a quiet resilience rather than active struggle. The opening lines frame the present not as remarkable, but as a natural process, like "sand that turns to stone" or a river's current. This sets a tone of going with the tide, facing each moment as it arrives without demanding extraordinary circumstances. The initial chorus, "We fall down / All float on / Until we've found we belong," reinforces this idea of drifting until a sense of place is achieved, implying a journey defined by gentle movement rather than forceful direction. The core tension emerges from the lingering impact of past experiences, even as the present demands attention. Verse 2 acknowledges that while time might mend superficial damage, the evidence of hardship remains, like a visible "scar" or a "blacken blue" bruise. This suggests that healing doesn't erase the past but integrates it, with "blood will flow into and from the heart," a poignant image of life continuing despite past hurts. The second chorus introduces an element of external conflict or internal blame, noting that "all these lies, all this blame / Cannot fight an arrow's aim," hinting at the futility of dwelling on what cannot be changed. The most striking craft element is the repeated, almost mantra-like outro: "On and on and on and older." This phrase, coupled with the questioning parentheticals, captures the relentless march of time and the existential weight of aging. It contrasts sharply with the chorus's assertion that "all our lives are just today," creating a poignant dissonance between the ongoing passage of years and the present moment's perceived significance. The lyrics suggest that despite the accumulation of time and experience, the focus remains on navigating the immediate, a continuous, perhaps weary, progression forward. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their subtle portrayal of enduring life's inevitable currents and lingering pains. The imagery of natural processes and the acknowledgment of scars create a relatable sense of lived experience. The song doesn't offer grand pronouncements but rather a quiet observation of how one moves through time, accepting what comes and finding a way to "float on," even as the "past is past" and the years keep adding up.