Introduction
“Tidal Wave” is a song about dealing with depression. It starts out with the narrator reflecting on his feelings of guilt and hopelessness, but the tone shifts in the final verse, and the song ends on a hopeful note.
Further Interpretation
As happy and peppy as this song sounds, I always found a bit of a darker part in these lyrics.
“Depression, please cut to the chase and cut a long story short
Oh, please be done how much longer can this drama afford to run?
Fate looks sharp severs all my ties
And breaks whatever doesn’t bend
But sadly then, all my heavy hopes just pull me back down again”
“Cut a long story short” sounds like suicide- cutting a naturally long life short
“How much longer can this drama afford to run?” hard times in life always seem to last a long time
“Fate looks sharp/whatever doesn’t bend” meaning that life sometimes dries us away from loved ones
“all my hopes just pull me back down again” meaning that hopes have been smashed several times
To me, this song is about being depressed and possibly as low as you can go- but with the potential that you could still expect a “light at the end of the tunnel”, meaning that soon you’ll be out of this tunnel of depression and thrown into the light of being okay.
It’s an “everything is going to be alright, in time” kind of song, and I’m glad he wrote something like this as this song has a lot of meaning for me personally.
Featuring
Matthew Thiessen
Produced by Matthew Thiessen & Adam Young
Release Date July 14, 2009
Lyrics
[Verse 1: Adam Young & Matthew Thiessen]
I wish I could cross my arms, and cross your mind
‘Cause I believe you’d unfold your paper heart and wear it on your sleeve
All my life I wish I broke mirrors, instead of promises
‘Cause all I see, is a shattered conscience staring right back at me
I wish I had covered all my tracks completely ’cause I’m so afraid
Is that the light at the far end of the tunnel or just the train?
Lift your arms only heaven knows, where the danger grows
And it’s safe to say there’s a bright light up ahead and
Help is on the way
Help is on the way
Help is on the way
Help is on the way
Help is on the way
[Chorus 1: Adam Young]
I forget the last time I felt brave, I just recall insecurity
‘Cause it came down like a tidal wave, and sorrow swept over me
[Verse 2: Adam Young & Matthew Thiessen]
Depression, please cut to the chase and cut a long story short
Oh please be done. How much longer can this drama afford to run?
Fate looks sharp, severs all my ties and breaks whatever doesn’t bend. But sadly then, all my heavy hopes just pull me back down again
Back down again, back down again, back down again, back down again, back down again, back down again, back down again
[Chorus 2: Adam Young]
I forget the last time I felt brave, I just recall insecurity
‘Cause it came down like a tidal wave, and sorrow swept over me
Then I was given grace and love, I was blind but now I can see
‘Cause I found a new hope from above, and courage swept over me
[Bridge: Adam Young]
It hurts just to wake up, whenever you’re wearing thin
Alone on the outside, so tired of looking in
The end is uncertain and I’ve never been so afraid
But I don’t need a telescope to see that there’s hope
And that makes me feel brave