What does It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken mean?

The Tragically Hip: It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken Meaning

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Album cover for It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken album cover

It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken Lyrics

When the colour of the night
and all the smoke for one life
gives way to shaky movements,
improvisational skills,
a forest of whispering speakers
let's swear that we will
get with the times,
in a current health to stay
let's get friendship...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jun 8th 2021 !⃝

    Weaken and do something meaningful.

    To weaken in this context, to me, is about leaving behind, or challenging our pre-existing notions of success and instead, for a good life, consider "going somewhere we are needed" i.e. contributing and supporting a worthwhile cause in life.

    Improvisational skills, shaky movements represent our wearing of the false mask of (non)success

    And when things get tough (forget your skates dreams) you can still find a way. (to a good life)

    Let's swear that we will reconsider and get with the program of making the world a better place and in doing so, step off our false ladder to success. (and by others standards, weaken, but ultimately live a better life)

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jan 21st 2019 !⃝

    Putting effort into relationships as well as yourself. Having fun, but doing what needs to be done in order to grow and stay alive. Working together for a better love, friendship and life.

  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    May 22nd 2023 !⃝

    Don’t give up when life hands you lemons. Keep going. Life will be much better if you keep yourself strong and that life has its ups downs and that you will survive.

  4. anonymous
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    Mar 21st 2019 !⃝

    I only discovered this song on 'All Yer Faves'after Gord's passing. I had no idea it was from the 80's and released in 2002; I would have bet money it was written after his diagnosis. Just the first few lines, where one night he is fine, but discovers the next day that he has cancer ("All the smoke for one life, Gives way to shaky movements") and now has to pretend ("Improvisational skills") to be fine. The lyrics continue to talk about health and friendships; the more I listened to the song, the sadder it made me. And now knowing it wasn't written about his illness at all but so very well could have been is very haunting.

  5. anonymous
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    Aug 21st 2016 !⃝

    Gord downie of Kingston Ontario wrote this song in the late 1980's . The songs underlying meaning coincides with the bands use of alcohol and drugs and also the bands quick success and demand for several show dates.The song makes reference several time to needing to stay together during their quick rise to fame


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