Switchfoot: Stars

The most popular song on the new Switchfoot album is without a doubt, “Stars.” This is the song with an accompanying video, single, and acoustic version. I am assuming that this is the song most likely to be played on both Christian and secular radio stations.

The main message of “Stars” is that we are not the center of the Universe. There are bigger realities than our little problems. When life is lived with “me” at the center, everything is in disarray.

First Verse:
On Switchfoot’s website, they say this first verse is written from a Descartes (Rene’ Descartes was a 17th century philosopher) perspective, pinning the center of the universe on the individual. In other words, maybe it’s my fault that everything in this world is messed up.

Second Verse:
The second verse is written from the stars’ “higher” perspective. The stars see the problems and pain of the earth. One of the things the stars see is entropy. Entropy is defined as, “the tendency of an energy system to run down.” Another way to express entropy is to say that a system free of external influences becomes more and more disordered with time. Switchfoot (along with all Christians) do not believe the law of entropy is the problem on this system called the earth. If the law of entropy were true for our planet, we would have been gone a long time ago. There is something or Someone sustaining planet earth.

Chorus:
Something happens to humans when they look outside themselves and feel the wonder of the infinite. We were made to behold greatness and grandeur. We feel like ourselves when we look at the stars because the stars take our thoughts off of ourselves and put them on Someone else.

My Thoughts: At its core, “Stars” reminds me of another Switchfoot song, “Meant to Live.” I love the plea to step outside of myself and my little world to behold the beauty and wonder of God. I am assuming that the “someone else” in the chorus is referring to the God of the Bible. This is a deep song that I have enjoyed reviewing.

Also:
I like the 30 seconds of the acoustic version I heard on iTunes! I wish I could get the whole song but you have to download the whole album.
Does anyone know what is up with the “Stars” video? I cannot figure out the water. Does it have meaning or is it just “cool.”