"Spoiler warning - My interpretation of the song"
“Tumbling Stones” is a song about unlearning obedience and reclaiming the chaotic nature of becoming. It’s rooted in the belief that we are not shaped best by rigid systems, fixed paths, or the pressure to conform — but by the raw, unpredictable motion of living freely.
The metaphor of tumbling stones runs through the piece as both critique and celebration. Stones fall blindly, shaped by forces beyond their control. But what if we didn’t stay inert? What if we became aware of our bruises, our falls, our own capacity to carve meaning in motion?
This song speaks to an anarchic approach to learning and life itself. It embraces self-direction, mutual discovery, and the power of not knowing. The wind doesn’t give answers, but it does guide. The ground may bruise, but it also sculpts. And in every tumble, there’s potential.
The ideas behind Tumbling Stones are inspired by radical thinkers like Ivan Illich, who exposed the authoritarian nature of schooling and envisioned decentralized, convivial networks for learning; Paulo Freire, who championed dialogue, critical consciousness, and education as a practice of freedom; and Murray Bookchin, who grounded personal liberation in the communal and ecological, advocating for self-managed, non-hierarchical ways of living. These voices remind us that to truly learn is not to conform, but to transform — together, and from the ground up.
“Tumbling Stones” is a love letter to the untamed learner, the ungoverned heart, and the wild unknown. It’s about shedding the myth that we need permission to grow. We don’t. We’re already becoming — bruised, beautiful, and free.
Lyrics
[into]
More than stone, more than stone
More than stone, more than stone
[Verse]
Falling fast down a hill so steep
Gravity pulls like the weight we keep
Paths cross and tumble separate then unite
Life’s a journey in the dead of night
Dust clouds rise where stones collide
Each twist and turn a new chapter implied
In the chaos, something new begins
A shape emerges from the wind
[Pre-Chorus]
Tumbling stones, no chains, no guide
Let go of fear, let the heart decide
Through cracks and peaks, we carve our own
In this life, we’re more than stone
[Verse]
Bouncing wild with a reckless grin
Scars we cherish and bruises within
Lessons learned from each wild descent
Each fall becomes a testament
[Bridge]
Whispering winds call our name
Guiding us onwards through joy and pain
The horizon’s embrace so unclear
We live the questions without fear
[Chorus]
Tumbling stones, no chains, no guide
Let go of fear, let the heart decide
Through cracks and peaks, we carve our own
In this life, we’re more than stone
[Verse]
We start unshaped oh so rough
Love and loss will shape us tough
Not just tumbling, now we fly
Carved by earth, but kissed by sky
[Pre-Chorus]
Whispering winds call our name
Guiding us onwards through joy and pain
The horizon’s embrace so unclear
We live the questions without fear
[Chorus]
Tumbling stones, no chains, no guide
Let go of fear, let the heart decide
Through cracks and peaks, we carve our own
In this life, we’re more than stone
Tumbling stones, no chains, no guide
Let go of fear, let the heart decide
Through cracks and peaks, we carve our own
In this life, we’re more than stone
[Post-Chorus]
We were stones, now we are free
Not just falling, but learning to be
We were stones, now we are free
Not just falling, but learning to be
We were stones, now we are free
Not just falling, but learning to be
We were stones, now we are free
Not just falling, but learning to be
[Outro]
More than stone, more than stone…