In an interview with The Current, Poliça frontwoman Channy Leaneagh explained the origin of the song saying:
“‘Feel Life’ is just like that wake up, when I hit the ground and fell. I finally felt more awake than I had, you know, since maybe I gave birth to my child or something. Where you come into...
[Verse 1]
Pulled the columns, crumbling
Twisted up and shaking
Distance grows in the water
Wasn't I a good daughter?
Just let me go
[Pre-Chorus]
And there's never enough
When the sky is gold and all your friends are calling
And your children are hollering
"Come back home, come back home"
[Chorus]
To feel I've failed and I felt it
In the throbbing pain and the paralyzed lips
Screaming at death, "Why won't you stick?"
To feel I've failed and I felt it
With the loss of my legs, tried to run away
Strapped me down at my own wake
[Verse 2]
Every cloud is a passing thought
They weigh me down in what I'm not
Every bird is a crying dove
They sing a song of haven't got
To feel life, to feel life
[Chorus]
To feel I've failed and I felt it
In the throbbing pain and the paralyzed lips
Screaming at death, "Why won't you stick?"
[Bridge]
Know I am nothing
Strangled in misery to find my home
Knowing I am nothing
Build me up so I amount to something
Knowing I am nothing
Build me up so I amount to something
Knowing I am nothing
Build me up so I amount to something
Knowing I am nothing
Build me up so I amount to something
So I amount to something
[Chorus]
In the throbbing pain and the paralyzed lips
Screaming at death, "Why won't you stick?"
[Outro]
To feel life, to feel life
To feel life (Feel life), to feel life (Feel life)
To feel life (Feel life), to feel life (Feel life)
To feel life (Feel life), to feel life (Feel life)