What does Waste mean?

Foster the People: Waste Meaning

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Waste Lyrics

I'll hold your hand when you are feeling mad at me
When the monsters they wont go
And the windows they wont close,
I'll pretend to see what you see

How long, I say how long, will you re-live the things that are gone?
The devil's on your...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    Oct 14th 2011 !⃝

    I Think this song is about someone who is loving someone and being there for someone who is going through a hard time and effected by something like depression, drugs, alcohol, abuse which is what "The Devil" would be. The Person who has written this song, from their point of view they are trying to see what the other person with the devil is going through. So they person in the POV of the song want to help the other person. and Then they sing the chorus, which lead to them saying Wast every day that you want, but its better to be "wakened" and get help with what you are going through, and change the next day ahead of you and"I" will help you because they really want to see them get better and live their life.. Then they go on to say, Once you reach the freedom of your problem, you will feel contained, and relaxed. And that "i" know that if you wished to you would "snap Both finger" and escape with me. But the Person is just content to wait out for the other one and listen to them no matter what state they are in.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    Jul 4th 2011 !⃝

    This song is about loving someone through a hard time I was at a concert when mark foster said what it was about.

  3. anonymous
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    Aug 7th 2019 !⃝

    Obviously about drug addiction and somebody caring enough to be there for them!

  4. anonymous
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    Mar 19th 2018 !⃝

    I always felt like this song was Jesus talking to me. I just came back from a weekend retreat and this sing touched me even mire than before. It may have different meanings, it may not be religous but that's how I personally took it and I respect everyone else's view :)

  5. anonymous
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    Jun 5th 2016 !⃝

    I think this song is about a young child who has been through a depressing state and the child is confused on what they are living for because there is no one for them.but he is trying to reach out to this child and trying to tell she/he that if you ever wanna waste your time talking and taking your anger out to do it with him. And telling this child if you ever wanna change your way come to him.. and that he will help she/he see what ever they want to do through because he really loves to see she/he happy. And I think the reason why he said, "I know if you could snap bother your fingers then you'd escape with me, but in the mean time I'll just wait here and listen to you speak or scram." Because he is not there in person with she/he they talk through thoughts they are having or she/he is talking to an imaginary friend and that friend is him...

  6. anonymous
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    Feb 2nd 2016 !⃝

    I think this song is about someone wanting to waste their life, and wanting to contain there life instead of living it to the fullest. and I think he is trying to help this person get out of their dark times. but he can't help them and only be there through it because he says "I just really want to be with you" which I think means he's waiting for this person to get out of their dark times because he loves them more than anyone.

  7. anonymous
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    Nov 11th 2015 !⃝

    It's about depression/bipolar depression (speak or scream - freedom can make you feel contained). Nothing is as horrible as freedom when you are depressed, as that freedom is just too much to deal with. I have a husband who has always "held my hand" when I have hit both states and this song is such a testament to those partners that realize it is an illness that can be overcome with love and support.

  8. anonymous
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    May 27th 2015 !⃝

    Honestly, these lyrics are incredibly versatile; while the song may have one intended meaning, the lyrics could apply to a very broad spectrum of circumstances. Since being there for someone through tough times is a pretty broad topic, the song is open to individual interpretation. it very well could apply to a love interest with a checkered past; it could also apply to helping someone through a drug addiction or alcohol abuse; it could also apply to a desire to understand someone else's mental illness, etc., etc. When I first heard this song (that is when I listened to after hearing it on The Three Stooges movie), I thought of the desire to work through a relationship to try to make it work, despite complications. But upon listening to it over and over again, I started to hear different meanings. One message I thought of was the human desire to tell yourself that everything will be fine, even when life is terrible, yet you refuse to do anything to fix what is wrong, or you may want to, but don't know how. Then when I started singing it today, I thought of a father being there for his baby daughter, who has been suffering from nightmares. Then I thought about someone in a coma, and a loved one staying by that person, hoping that he/she will soon wake up. Upon looking up the meaning to this song, I have found some very interesting and heartfelt interpretations of its lyrics. I found one comment that related the song to God's relationship with his children (humankind). So, I believe this song works on many different levels, which I think makes the lyrics even more meaningful than it already was to begin with. Any way you put it, these lyrics are always very deep and meaningful. That or we're all just being stupid, and thinking way too hard about it. Either way, it's thought provoking.

  9. anonymous
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    Aug 7th 2013 !⃝

    totally related to me.. a friend of mine told me this was us. im going thru PSTD and depression, one second im nice the next im reliving the past. and he's still here, well he was.. I gave him anxiety because he's in love with me (I've always been in love with him) but we cant be (I now have a family) but he was there through the hard times and the best. and would always try to understand what im going through. hes the one who told me to listen to this song.

  10. anonymous
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    Apr 11th 2013 !⃝

    I honestly think this song is about a guy helping a girl that he loves, through some PTSD problems or schitzophrania OR drugs/alcohol abuse.

  11. anonymous
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    Apr 6th 2013 !⃝

    I believe this song is probably about loving someone who might have a mental illness or may be doing drugs/alcohol/etc.. and that they want to help them and stay with them. Something like that. I love this song.

  12. cucumbersrockursocks
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    Aug 14th 2012 !⃝

    Okey dokey. The song is about a guy who loves this girl, but she's not so sure about him. Hes telling her that he'll hold her hand when she's mad at him, and he's telling her that every day she wants to waste, she can, every day she wants to sleep, she can, and every day she wants to change, he cant help her there, but he'll help her get through it. IMMA BOSS!!!!!!!

  13. anonymous
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    May 5th 2012 !⃝

    I think its about loving someone with schizophrenia, also

  14. anonymous
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    Nov 30th 2011 !⃝

    I think it could be applied to any difficult situation to be overcome between two people.
    However, I agree with others about the drug addiction interpretation, because it took me years to get out of heroin addiction, and I really identified with this song when I heard it years later, because it basically describes every relationship I have had since addiction.
    But once again, it could really apply to anyone who has lived through a major, traumatic experience and is having trouble moving on. Generally, people who have varying levels of PTSD constantly relive things that are no longer there and cant seem to escape those "monsters."
    It's a difficult situation, people close to you naturally want to help you, but they honestly could never relate, never see what you see or feel what you feel, and you don't want them to because frankly it was awful and you wouldn't wish those events, those feelings, or those experiences on your worst enemy.

  15. anonymous
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    Sep 5th 2011 !⃝

    about helping someone get through schizophrenia

  16. anonymous
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    Aug 31st 2011 !⃝

    Pretty sure it sounds like its about someone trying to overcome drug addiction .... and someone being there thru it all cause they love them that much :)


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