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Give Back All You've Been Given

from Equanimous by Michael Paul Stephens

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about

The bridge to to this song contains the line: “Don’t love life, just love living. One day you’ll give back all you’ve been given." And I think this encapsulates the purpose of this song.

I wrote "Give Back" to put into music the concept of an impermanent self and the inevitability of every possession in our lives being taken from us when we pass.

It is about using things to hold onto as a raft, but not clinging to them due to the suffering that is caused when they eventually must fall away.

lyrics

LYRICS

You say you're not afraid to die,
You're just afraid to try.
What will you become,
When your body's good and done?

Don't love life,
Just love living,
One day you'll give back all you've been given.

You say won't miss all your stuff,
But you never have enough.
Smash what you love most,
and you'll see right through the bluff.

Don't love life,
Just love living,
One day you'll give back all you've been given.

CHORUS
You can hold onto me,
But let me go,
Let me go.
You can hold onto me,
But let me go,
Let me go,
And give back all you've been given.

You say you know just what is what,
You've tied the truth into a knot,
A glass that overflows,
Is holding onto what it knows.

Don't love life,
Just love living,
One day you'll give back all you've been given.

CHORUS
You can hold onto me,
But let me go,
Yeah, let me go.
You can hold onto me,
But let me go,
Let me go,
And give back all you've been given.

Don't love life,
Just love living,
One day you'll give back all you've been given.

CHORUS
You can hold onto me,
But let me go,
Let me go.
You can hold onto me,
But let me go,
Let me go go go, go

Hold onto me
And let me go,
Let me go go go go

And hold onto me
But Let me go,
Let me go
Let me go
Let me go (to fade)

And give back all you've been given.

credits

from Equanimous, released June 1, 2011
Written, recorded and produced by Michael Paul Stephens

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Michael Paul Stephens Bangkok, Thailand

Michael Paul Stephens is a British author, singer-songwriter, spiritual guide and corporate coach.

Over the last 10 years his music, books, workshops, retreats and corporate consultations have guided thousands of people towards practices that free their minds and spirits to cope with the rigors of daily life.

His life's work has been to inspire personal development through creative innovation. ... more

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