Old Souls
William Prince Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴You can sit by the ocean
But that won't make you into a shell
Be the first there on Sunday
That don't mean one day heaven's there
Faith without action is just spinning, no traction
What the hell?
Like a life with no dream is just wakin'
And sleepin' 'til you're dead
And we're all just old souls
First you crawl then you walk
Walk then you run
Crash into things now and then
All too close to the sun
Generation numb
Burning the tips of our wings
And we're all just old souls
In between the old souls

You can live for the moment
Or dwell for atonement in disguise
Author your fate or
Lay down and don't even try
But direction and hunger
Will one day uncover and align
Purpose and meaning
Restitution and healing for your time

It's just the push and the pull
The yell and the whisper
Hallucination of time
The concept of distance
And some old souls
In between the old souls

We're all just old souls
Old souls

Overall Meaning

The song Old Souls by William Prince is a reflection on life and the different stages one goes through before reaching the ultimate destination. The lyrics touch on the different perspectives people have on life and how they choose to live out their existence. The opening line, "You can sit by the ocean, but that won't make you into a shell," is a metaphor for life. One's environment doesn't define or change them into something they are not. The line "faith without action is just spinning, no traction," is a similar metaphor, describing how hope must be complemented with action to produce progress.

The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea that everyone is an old soul in the making since we all go through the different stages of life, whether crawling or running, and eventually die. It states, "First you crawl then you walk, walk then you run, crash into things now and then, all too close to the sun." This line emphasizes how everyone stumbles and falls in life as they try to find their footing or run too close to the sun but eventually, with time, they learn and grow.

The overall message of the song is that everyone is on their journey to self-discovery, and no one has everything figured out. Even those who seem to have it all may be struggling in silence. Despite this, we are all connected, and life is a continuous process of growth and change.

Line by Line Meaning

You can sit by the ocean
Sitting by the ocean alone won't change anything about you, but it's a great spot for reflection.

But that won't make you into a shell
Merely being at a place alone can't change you, it's your experience and memories that defines you.

Be the first there on Sunday
Being punctual to church won't guarantee you heaven.

That don't mean one day heaven's there
Punctuality is just a virtue and doesn't necessarily lead you to heaven.

Faith without action is just spinning, no traction
Faith without corresponding action is futile and doesn't take you anywhere.

What the hell?
Expressing confusion and frustration about the counter-effective outcome of merely having faith without action.

Like a life with no dream is just wakin'
Without a purpose or a specific goal, living is no different than simply going through the motions of staying alive.

And sleepin' 'til you're dead
Passing your time without any meaningful objective and simply waiting for the inevitable end.

And we're all just old souls
We're all born with experiences from past lives, whether we choose to believe or not.

First you crawl then you walk
We start at the beginning of life and gradually, through failure and persistence, work our way up to developing abilities, talents, and contributions.

Walk then you run
As we progress in life, we get better at what we do and eventually, the result can be exceptional.

Crash into things now and then
We all make mistakes, even the best of us, but that's how we learn and improve.

All too close to the sun
Sometimes we aim too high but fall short of our goal, but that experience can make us wiser and help us reach for something more attainable.

Generation numb
Sometimes we become so desensitized to significant issues that they lose their weight and urgency.

Burning the tips of our wings
Through our struggles, we may reach our limit and suffer the consequences, but we can also learn and become better for it.

In between the old souls
There are people who don't believe in reincarnation or past lives, but they are still part of this world and its complex history.

You can live for the moment
It can be tempting to live in the present and enjoy its fleeting pleasures, but life is more than just immediate gratification.

Or dwell for atonement in disguise
Alternatively, you can live with regret and try to make up for your past mistakes by taking on different identities or mannerisms.

Author your fate or
You have the power to shape your own destiny and future, but that requires intention and effort.

Lay down and don't even try
Giving up on oneself and hoping something or someone else will solve our problems is passive and ultimately unproductive.

But direction and hunger
Having a clear direction and drive towards it can help one overcome obstacles and achieve greatness.

Will one day uncover and align
Over time, one's life experiences and their outlook will find a cause to pursue and execute it by staying aligned with their principles.

Purpose and meaning
Having a sense of purpose and goal not only makes life worth living, but also helps one navigate its complexities.

Restitution and healing for your time
It's never too late to make amends and correct wrongs, and this process can be incredibly cathartic and healing.

It's just the push and the pull
Life is full of different forces that push and pull us in various directions, and it's up to us to steer our own course through it.

The yell and the whisper
Some issues worth fighting for require loud, persistent voices, while others can be resolved in quieter ways.

Hallucination of time
Time is a concept that we use to understand our progress through life, and sometimes it feels like it's moving too fast or too slow.

The concept of distance
Distance can be both physical and emotional, and navigating it can be difficult, but it's what makes connection all the more valuable.

And some old souls
Even if we don't outwardly subscribe to the idea of past lives, there is something timeless and eternal about human existence that connects us across generations.

Old souls
We carry with us the experiences, wisdom, and shared history of those who came before us.

Lyrics © Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Scott Walter Nolan, William Prince

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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