Lyrics
I can move this world of mine
I have learned what's wrong and right
But in the light they'll see I've sealed my stance
What was once to be, well I've killed my chance
Chorus:
This is all we know
Our fathers told us so
Same road as before
A path we can't ignore
Anymore
I have friends who help me by
I am safe from threats and violence
But when mortality consumes my soul
Will I be holding on, or letting go?
Chorus
Bridge:
And so
So we go
And throw away our lives
And find there was nothing here for us
I have to shout
And let it out
Before it's too late
My dying day
Is ever on its way
And I will greet it with grace
I have learned what's wrong and right
But in the light they'll see I've sealed my stance
What was once to be, well I've killed my chance
Chorus:
This is all we know
Our fathers told us so
Same road as before
A path we can't ignore
Anymore
I have friends who help me by
I am safe from threats and violence
But when mortality consumes my soul
Will I be holding on, or letting go?
Chorus
Bridge:
And so
So we go
And throw away our lives
And find there was nothing here for us
I have to shout
And let it out
Before it's too late
My dying day
Is ever on its way
And I will greet it with grace
Story
<Will>
Although "Riff of Hope" might sound like the most serious and heavy song on the EP, it was written as an attempt to encourage people to focus on living life rather than simply preserving it.
In the first half of the song, before the breakdown, the lyrics describe the type of person who is both financially and socially secure, but isn’t happy. This is the kind of person who spends his or her life following paths set by others; what he or she actually wants to do is never questioned. Sometimes, following a tried-and-true path can be very helpful. Having an unquestioned plan can remove a great deal of stress associated with big life decisions. Other times, thoughtlessly coasting through life culminates in a “mid-life crisis” (or the ever-growing quarter-life crisis) type of moment - a moment when a person realizes they’ve spent years doing things they barely cared about.
I think these moments can be avoided by coming to terms with what one truly wants out of life, and the earlier the better. This is easier said than done, and I consider myself lucky to have had such a clear internal calling to be a musician before I even reached high school. Still, rather than getting caught up in an endless cycle of earning enough money to "make a living," I think people owe it to themselves to feel alive.
I don’t mean to completely ignore the merits of safety and predictability. That would be a little too reckless – even for a self-identified child in an adult’s body. What worries me is that people choose a secure lifestyle, not out of preference, but as a fallback plan without ever having tried the dream plan!
The lyrics after the breakdown are my own commitment to living life to its fullest. I mention mortality in the song because I think death can be a powerful motivator, especially when approached correctly. Seeing our time as limited can be paralyzing to many, but it can also drive us to get the most out of each moment. (Side note: as I read about Artificial Intelligence and projections for technology in my lifetime, I’m actually beginning to question whether human mortality will someday become a thing of the past, making this entire song pointless… Stay tuned for more on this topic with the next EP).
And of course, this is all written from the perspective of a “struggling artist chasing his dreams,” so there may be some bias.
Although "Riff of Hope" might sound like the most serious and heavy song on the EP, it was written as an attempt to encourage people to focus on living life rather than simply preserving it.
In the first half of the song, before the breakdown, the lyrics describe the type of person who is both financially and socially secure, but isn’t happy. This is the kind of person who spends his or her life following paths set by others; what he or she actually wants to do is never questioned. Sometimes, following a tried-and-true path can be very helpful. Having an unquestioned plan can remove a great deal of stress associated with big life decisions. Other times, thoughtlessly coasting through life culminates in a “mid-life crisis” (or the ever-growing quarter-life crisis) type of moment - a moment when a person realizes they’ve spent years doing things they barely cared about.
I think these moments can be avoided by coming to terms with what one truly wants out of life, and the earlier the better. This is easier said than done, and I consider myself lucky to have had such a clear internal calling to be a musician before I even reached high school. Still, rather than getting caught up in an endless cycle of earning enough money to "make a living," I think people owe it to themselves to feel alive.
I don’t mean to completely ignore the merits of safety and predictability. That would be a little too reckless – even for a self-identified child in an adult’s body. What worries me is that people choose a secure lifestyle, not out of preference, but as a fallback plan without ever having tried the dream plan!
The lyrics after the breakdown are my own commitment to living life to its fullest. I mention mortality in the song because I think death can be a powerful motivator, especially when approached correctly. Seeing our time as limited can be paralyzing to many, but it can also drive us to get the most out of each moment. (Side note: as I read about Artificial Intelligence and projections for technology in my lifetime, I’m actually beginning to question whether human mortality will someday become a thing of the past, making this entire song pointless… Stay tuned for more on this topic with the next EP).
And of course, this is all written from the perspective of a “struggling artist chasing his dreams,” so there may be some bias.