Rise Against: Heaven Knows Meaning

Song Released: 2003

Heaven Knows Lyrics

The day I learn to fly,
I'm never coming down!
On perfect wings I'll rise,
through the layers of the clouds!

(Right from here) I see the neon grid of cities,
(And six million) people that keep their fires lit!

And I threw a party in my...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   Ethan

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   Feb 21st 2011 !⃝

   I can't believe no one hasn't posted anything to a song so kickass, but here goes anyway.
   
   Heaven Knows is about a friend of Tim's who committed suicide because of how everyone ignored him and a certain someone who pushed him around so much that he killed himself. The song is written in two perspectives: Tim and his friend, who we'll call Jim (keep in mind this isn't his real name). Let's go over the lyrics.
   
   "The day I learn to fly, I'm never coming down.
   On perfect wings I'll rise through the layers of the clouds."
   
   When and if Jim ever learns how to fly, he's never coming down because of the way people treat him.
   
   "And from there I see the neon grid of cities,
   Six million people keep their fires lit."
   
   From the view in heaven he can see the cities down below. Then he goes on to the second line. Six million people were suffering from depression when Tim wrote the song. "Their fires" probably refer to light of life. Even though these people are depressed, they're still alive.
   
   "And I threw a party in my name,
   but the hours crawled by and no one came, so I bowed my head and prayed for wings,
   to take me from this place,
   from you!"
   
   This part should be pretty obvious, but if for some reason you can't figure it out, Jim throws a party in his name, and for hours not a single person came. He bows his head down and prays for wings to take him away from someone. This could be the person who's harming Jim in a way that he's giving him thoughts of suicide.
   
   "I see myself inside you,
   you dream the dreams that I do."
   
   Now Tim's speaking. He tells Jim that he's just like him and that he hopes for the same things he does, flying away and never coming back.
   
   "You're still searching for these answers,
   not inside your wrist!"
   
   Basically, Tim tells Jim he isn't going to find any answers by cutting his wrist.
   
   "And I close my eyes,
   as the curtains draw."
   
   In a play when curtains draw, it marks the ending of it. Here, it's marking the end of his life. Jim commits suicide, and closes his eyes as he's dying.
   
   "I thought I heard your voice,
   but I thought wrong.
   'cause you're not there anymore,
   No you're not there anymore..."
   
   Tim finds out about his death and still can't believe it. He reminds himself again and again that he's dead.
   
   "And so I lift my chin as the show goes on,
   the sky is listening the stars all sing along,
   you're not there anymore,
   I just can't care anymore..."
   
   Tim keeps his head high as his life goes on. The sky where his friend resides is probably listening to this song. The stars represent people who have died, maybe even by suicide, and they sing along to the song. Tim doesn't let his friend's death exaggerate on him, and he moves on.
2. anonymous

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   Apr 30th 2012 !⃝

   Its a good song and I have had friend commit suicide. SO I can relate to this song And Ethan's Interpretation hits it right on the money.

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