'Meant to Live'
Single by Switchfoot
from the album The Beautiful LetdownandMusic from and Inspired by Spider-Man 2
Released	January 27, 2003
Recorded	2002
Genre
Length	3:27
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)	John Fields
Switchfoot singles chronology
'You Already Take Me There' (2000) 'Meant to Live' (2003) 'More Than Fine' (2003)
Audio sample
Music video
'Meant to Live' on YouTube

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Genre Pop Comment by forever decision. 2020-06-15T04:16:44Z Comment by Sinnist. 2019-11-28T02:53:17Z Comment by bryson41989. We were meant to live. Add 'Meant to Live' by Switchfoot to your Rock Band™ song library. For music credits, visit www.rockband.com. Music downloads not rated by the ESRB.

'Meant to Live' is a single by alternative rock band Switchfoot. 'Meant to Live' was released to radio on June 17, 2003.^[1] It peaked at number five on the US Modern Rock chart and U.S. Adult Top 40 chart, number six on U.S. Top 40 radio, and number 18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It is the first track on the group's 2003 major-label debut album The Beautiful Letdown, and was also featured in the UK version of the Spider-Man 2soundtrack. In April 2005, the song was certified gold in the United States.^[2] The single is generally regarded as the song that helped the band achieve mainstream success.

Background[edit]

Lyrically, 'Meant to Live' was inspired by T. S. Eliot's poem 'The Hollow Men'. Singer/writer Jon Foreman has said, 'Maybe the kid in the song is me, hoping that I'm meant for more than arguments and failed attempts to fly. Something deep inside of me yearns for the beautiful, the true. I want more than what I've been sold; I want to live life.'^[3] According to Foreman, this song was also inspired by U2's 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'.^[4]

This track refers to C.S. Lewis's novel Out of the Silent Planet with the lyric 'Maybe we're bent and broken.'

It also refers to John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men, in the lyric 'Dreaming about Providence and whether mice or men have second tries.'

Composition[edit]

'Meant to Live' is an alternative rock song that lasts for a duration of three minutes and twenty seconds.^[5] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Capitol CMG, it is written in the time signature of common time, with a heavy, moderately slow rock tempo of 76 beats per minute.^[5] 'Meant to Live' is composed in the key of B Minor, while Jon Foreman's vocal range spans one octave and three notes, from a low of D₄ to a high of G♯₅.^[5] The song has a basic sequence of B5-A5-E5-G5-A5-B5-A5-E5-D5-G5-E5-A5 during its introduction, changes to G5-F#5-D5-E5-D5-F#5-D5 in the verses, follows G5-A5-B5-E5-G5-E5 at the refrain, has Dsus2-G6-Dsus2-G6-Dsus2-Em7-Csus2-G5 during its bridge and concludes with Dsus2-G6-B5-A5-E5 in the outro as its chord progression.^[6]

The song has a lumbering, incensed post-grungeriff driven by heavy guitars. During its yearning bridge, the musical composition momentarily shifts to shimmery folk-rock.^[7] 'Meant to Live' features lead singer Jonathan Foreman intoning strong melodies which unite the song's different parts.^[7] His lyrical content has a uniquely melancholic yet hopeful tone.^[7] Foreman's vulnerable verses contain world-weary lines: 'Maybe we've been living with our eyes half open/Maybe we're bent and broken.'^[7] They express a subtly inspirational feeling as well as suggestion to delve deeper or look higher for fulfillment.^[7] 'Meant to Live' also harbors some political sentiments, containing the topical lines, 'we want more than the wars of our fathers.'^[7]

Critical reception[edit]

Comparing its guitar riff to that of Nirvana's In Utero while complimenting the timelessness of its sentiments, AllMusic's claims that the song 'has its cake and eats it too, musically and lyrically speaking.'^[7] She continued writing, 'Meant to Live's sympathetic, idealistic (not preachy) viewpoint, combined with its powerful guitars, make the song successful as both an alternative CCM and modern rock single.^[7]

Music videos[edit]

There were three music videos made for this song. The first video features live performance footage, the second is a concept video depicting the band playing inside a house while the walls and insides are slowly being torn down, showing a resemblance to Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' music video, which the 'Meant to Live' video has been compared to, and a third video is mixed into clips from Spider-Man 2, and was released exclusively in the UK.

The first two videos featured audio mixed a key higher than the album version.

Track listing[edit]

UK CD single

1. 'Meant to Live' (album version)
2. 'On Fire' (live)
3. 'The Beautiful Letdown' (live)
4. 'Meant to Live' (video)

Vinyl[edit]

This song was also released on a 7' vinyl record. On the B-side is the song 'Monday Comes Around', which was cut from The Beautiful Letdown and is otherwise an unreleased song.

Charts[edit]

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[8]	52
Canada CHR/Pop Top 30 (Radio & Records)[9]	20
Canada Rock Top 30 (Radio & Records)[10]	1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11]	92
Scotland (OCC)[12]	29
UK Singles (OCC)[13]	29
US Billboard Hot 100[14]	18
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[15]	5
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[16]	5
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[17]	37
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[18]	6

Awards[edit]

In 2005, the song was nominated for a Dove Awards for Song of the Year at the 36th GMA Dove Awards.^[19]

References[edit]

1. ^'FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock'. Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
2. ^RIAA Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - Switchfoot singles
3. ^Kim Jones. 'Switchfoot - Behind the Songs - The Beautiful Letdown'. About.com Entertainment.
4. ^Ken Phillips Publicity Group - SwitchfootArchived 2007-10-21 at the Wayback Machine
5. ^ ^abcForeman, Jonathan. 'Switchfoot 'Meant To Live' Sheet Music in B Minor - Download & Print'. Musicnotes.com. Capitol Christian Music Group.
6. ^Foreman, Jonathan. 'Switchfoot 'This Is Your Life' Guitar Tab in D Minor - Download & Print'. Musicnotes.com. Capitol Christian Music Group.
7. ^ ^abcdefghMaginnis, Heather (2003-02-25). 'Switchfoot Meant to Live – Song Review by Heather Phares'. AllMusic.
8. ^ 'Issue 760'ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
9. ^'R&R Canada CHR/Pop Top 30'(PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1565. July 23, 2004. p. 25. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
10. ^'RR Canada Rock Top 30'(PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1551. April 16, 2004. p. 59. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
11. ^'Dutchcharts.nl – Switchfoot – Meant to Live' (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
12. ^'Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100'. Official Charts Company.
13. ^'Official Singles Chart Top 100'. Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
14. ^'Switchfoot Chart History (Hot 100)'. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
15. ^'Switchfoot Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)'. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
16. ^'Switchfoot Chart History (Alternative Airplay)'. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
17. ^'Switchfoot Chart History (Mainstream Rock)'. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
18. ^'Switchfoot Chart History (Pop Songs)'. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
19. ^2005 Dove Awards - 36th Annual Dove Awards on About.com; Jones, Kim

External links[edit]

• 'Meant to Live' Music video on YouTube
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

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1. 'Bomb'
2. 'Chem 6A'
3. 'Underwater'
4. 'Edge of My Seat'
5. 'Home'
6. 'Might Have Ben Hur'
7. 'Concrete Girl'
8. 'Life and Love and Why'
9. 'You'
10. 'Ode to Chin'
11. 'Don't Be There'
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1999 - New Way To Be Human
1. 'New Way to Be Human'
2. 'Incomplete'
3. 'Sooner or Later (Soren's Song)'
4. 'Company Car'
5. 'Let That Be Enough'
6. 'Something More (Augustine's Confession)'
7. 'Only Hope'
8. 'Amy's Song'
9. 'I Turn Everything Over'
10. 'Under the Floor'
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2000 - Learning To Breathe
1. 'I Dare You to Move'
2. 'Learning to Breathe'
3. 'You Already Take Me There'
4. 'Love Is the Movement'
5. 'Poparazzi'
6. 'Innocence Again'
7. 'Playing for Keeps'
8. 'The Loser'
9. 'The Economy of Mercy'
10. 'Erosion'
11. 'Living Is Simple'
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2003 - The Beautiful Letdown (Melhor álbum na minha opinião)
1. 'Meant to Live'
2. 'This Is Your Life'
3. 'More Than Fine'
4. 'Ammunition'
5. 'Dare You to Move'
6. 'Redemption'
7. 'The Beautiful Letdown'
8. 'Gone'
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2003 - Live At BYX (Não é um release oficial)
1. 'Intro'
2. 'Meant To Live'
3. 'You Already Take Me There'
4. 'This Is Your Life'
5. 'Learning To Breathe'
6. 'The Loser'
7. 'Spirits In The Material World (The Police Cover)'
8. 'Company Car'
9. 'Gone'
10. 'More Than Fine'
11. 'Only Hope'
12. 'Twenty Four'
13. 'Dare You To Move'
14. 'Ammunition'
15. 'New Way To Be Human'
16. 'Encore Break'
17. 'The Beautiful Letdown'
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2004 - Live In San Diego
1. 'This Is Your Life'
2. 'Ammunition'
3. 'Gone'
4. 'Learning To Breathe'
5. 'More Than Fine'
6. 'Adding To The Noise'
7. 'Twenty Four'
8. 'On Fire'
9. 'The Beautiful Letdown'
10. 'Meant To Live'
11. 'Dare You To Move'
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2005 - Nothing Is Sound
1. 'Lonely Nation'
2. 'Stars'
3. 'Happy Is A Yuppie Word'
4. 'The Shadow Proves The Sunshine'
5. 'Easier Than Love'
6. 'The Blues'
7. 'The Setting Sun'
8. 'Politicians'
9. 'Golden'
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11. 'We Are One Tonight'
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2006 - Oh! Switchfoot EP
1. 'The Sound In My Mouth'
2. 'C'mon C'mon'
3. 'Oh! Gravity (Acoustic)'

SWITCHFOOT - An American Alternative Rock Band From San Diego ...

4. 'Revenge'
5. 'C'mon C'mon (Acoustic)'
6. 'C'mon C'mon (Remix)'
7. 'Daylight To Break'
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2006 - Oh! Gravity
1. 'Stars'
2. 'Politicians'
3. 'Oh! Gravity'
4. 'This Is Your Life'
5. 'Learning to Breathe'
6. 'Yesterdays'
7. 'Gone'
8. 'American Dream'
9. 'On Fire'
10. 'Faust, Midas, And Myself'
11. 'The Shadow Proves The Sunshine'
12. 'Awakening'
13. 'Meant to Live'
14. 'Only Hope'
15. 'Dare You to Move'
16. 'Company Car'
17. 'Burn Out Bright'
18. 'We Are One Tonight'
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2008 - The Best Yet
1. 'Dare You To Move'
2. 'Meant To Live'
3. 'Stars'
4. 'Oh! Gravity'
5. 'This Is Home'
6. 'Learning to Breathe'
7. 'Awakening'
8. 'This Is Your Life'
9. 'On Fire'
10. 'Only Hope'
11. 'Dirty Second Hands'
12. 'Love Is the Movement'
13. 'Company Car'
14. 'Lonely Nation'
15. 'The Shadow Proves The Sunshine'
16. 'Concrete Girl'
17. 'Twenty-Four'
18. 'The Beautiful Letdown'
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1. 'Needle and Haystack Life'
2. 'Mess Of Me'
3. 'Your Love Is A Song'
4. 'The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)'
5. 'Enough To Let Me Go'
6. 'Free'
7. 'Hello Hurricane'
8. 'Always'
9. 'Bullet Soul'
10. 'Yet
11. 'Sing It Out'
12. 'Red Eyes'
Obs: O CD 'Building A Hurricane' contém apenas demos, versões alternativas e sessões de gravação.
DOWNLOAD - Hello Hurricane
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2010 - iTunes Sessions

Switchfoot Meant To Live Lyrics

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