Collective Soul – The World I Know

I tend to go in and out of music phases depending on what’s going on in my life at the time. I’ve found myself recently consistently coming back to The World I Know by Collective Soul.

The song was originally released in 1995 on the band’s second studio album, the self titled “Collective Soul“. I didn’t realize this, but per Wikipedia this often referred to a ‘The Blue Album’ cause had ANOTHER self titled album.

Side note… I have no idea why bands and movie studios do this. Looking at you Halloween franchise. But I digress…

Lead singer Ed Roland explains the inspiration behind the song:

I wrote that when we had a day off in New York City. This was 25 years ago, when we were in Times Square, which is not what Times Square is now, which is like Disneyland. There was still some grit and dirt to New York City – especially around Times Square and Union Square back then. I literally walked out of the room, took a two-hour walk around New York, and just absorbed and observed from the highs and lows of what society was offering in the greatest city in the world.

The World I Know – Collective Soul

The World I Know SingleHas our conscience shown?
Has the sweet breeze blown?
Has all kindness gone?
Hope still lingers on

I drink myself of newfound pity
Sitting alone in New York City
And I don’t know why

Are we listening
To hymns of offering?
Have we eyes to see
That love is gathering?

All the words that I’ve been reading
Have now started the act of bleeding
Into one
Into one

So I walk up on high
And I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself
While the tears roll down
‘Cause it’s the world I know
Oh, it’s the world I know
 
I drink myself of newfound pity
Sitting alone in New York City
And I don’t know why
Don’t know why

So I walk up on high
And I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself
While the tears roll down
‘Cause it’s the world I know
Oh, it’s the world I know

Yeah, I walk up on high
And I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself
While the tears roll down
‘Cause it’s the world I know
Oh, it’s the world I know

If you know me, you know I absolutely love acoustic live music. As such, THIS version of the song is by far the fav that I’ve ran across. Talk about a moving rendition.

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