Living The Dream
Sturgill Simpson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴Time and time again Lord I keep going through the motions
A means to an end but the ends don't seem to meet
Walking around living the dream anytime I take the notion
Til the truth comes bubbling up so bittersweet

Ain't no point getting outta bed if you ain't living the dream
It's like making a big old pot of coffee when you ain't got no cream
I don't need to change my strings

'Cause the dirt don't hurt the way I sing
Oh, I don't have to do a Goddamn thing except sit around and wait to die

Been waiting on an angel waitress to come and take my order
Tell me all about the special today
Staring at a puddle of mud in my spoon couldn't be much boarder
Hoping them circles on the paper don't call back telling me to start today

That old man upstairs, he wears a crooked smile
Staring down at the chaos he created
He said "son if you ain't having fun just wait a little while
Momma's gonna wash it all away
And she thinks Mercy's overrated"

Ain't no point getting outta bed if you ain't living the dream
It's like making a big old pot of coffee when you ain't got no cream
I don't need to change my strings
'Cause the dirt don't hurt the way I sing

Oh, I don't have to do a Goddamn thing except sit around and wait to die
Oh, I don't have to do a Goddamn thing except sit around and wait to die

Overall Meaning

The song “Living The Dream” by Sturgill Simpson is a commentary on the bleakness and dissatisfaction of life in contemporary America. The lyrics, “Time and time again Lord I keep going through the motions/A means to an end but the ends don't seem to meet,” express the feeling of ennui and hopelessness that comes from living a life without purpose or fulfillment. Despite this, the song also acknowledges the contradictions of this existence, with the singer noting that he is “Walking around living the dream anytime I take the notion” even as “the truth comes bubbling up so bittersweet.”

The song also references the hold that consumerism and materialism have on American society. The lines “Ain't no point getting outta bed if you ain't living the dream/It's like making a big old pot of coffee when you ain't got no cream” speak to the way that we have been sold the idea that buying things can bring us happiness or fulfillment, when in reality these things often only make us more unhappy and unfulfilled. The references to waiting on an “angel waitress” and staring at a “puddle of mud” also suggest a sense of boredom and disconnection from the world around us, a feeling that is only intensified by the constant barrage of advertising and media telling us how we should be living our lives.

Overall, “Living The Dream” is a poignant critique of the emptiness of modern American life, and a call to rediscover what really matters in life.

Line by Line Meaning

Time and time again Lord I keep going through the motions
I keep doing the same thing over and over again, without really getting anywhere.

A means to an end but the ends don't seem to meet
I have a goal, but I'm not making progress toward it.

Walking around living the dream anytime I take the notion
I try to convince myself that I'm living the good life, but it's not really true.

Til the truth comes bubbling up so bittersweet
Eventually, I have to face the reality of my situation, and it's not always pleasant.

Ain't no point getting outta bed if you ain't living the dream
Life is too short to waste time on things that don't matter.

It's like making a big old pot of coffee when you ain't got no cream
Something that seems like a good idea at first can turn out to be disappointing.

I don't need to change my strings
I don't need to do anything extra to improve my situation.

'Cause the dirt don't hurt the way I sing
Even though things may not be perfect, I can still find joy in what I do have.

Oh, I don't have to do a Goddamn thing except sit around and wait to die
I'm resigned to my fate and don't really see any point in trying to change it.

Been waiting on an angel waitress to come and take my order
I'm hoping for something good to come along and save me from my current situation.

Tell me all about the special today
I want something new and exciting to happen in my life.

Staring at a puddle of mud in my spoon couldn't be much boarder
I'm so bored that even looking at a dirty spoon is interesting.

Hoping them circles on the paper don't call back telling me to start today
I'm avoiding any responsibility or task that might force me to do something I don't want to do.

That old man upstairs, he wears a crooked smile
God, or some higher power, has a twisted sense of humor about the world.

Staring down at the chaos he created
The world is full of difficulties and problems, and it seems like they were all put there by a higher power.

He said 'son if you ain't having fun just wait a little while
Things will eventually change, for better or for worse.

Momma's gonna wash it all away
Some outside force will come and clean up the mess I've made of my life.

And she thinks Mercy's overrated'
There is no easy way out of my problems, and no one will come to save me.

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: John Sturgill Simpson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it