In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
The city streets are empty now
(The lights don't shine no more)
And so the songs are way down low
A sound that flows into my mind
(The echoes of the daylight)
Of everything that is alive
(In my blue world)
I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
I turn to stone, when you comin' home
I can't go on
The dying embers of a night
(A fire that slowly fades 'till dawn)
Still glow upon the wall so bright (turning, turning)
The tired streets that hide away
(From here to everywhere they go)
Roll past my door into the day
In my blue world
I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
I turn to stone, when you comin' home
I can't go on
Turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
Yes, I'm turnin' to stone
'Cause you ain't coming home
Why ain't you comin' home
If I'm turnin' to stone
You've been gone for so long
And I can't carry on
Yes, I'm turnin', I'm turnin'
I'm turnin' to stone
The dancing shadows on the wall
(The two-step in the hall)
Are all I see since you've been gone (turning, turning)
Through all I sit here and I wait
(I turn to stone, I turn to stone)
You will return again some day
To my blue world
I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
I turn to stone, when you comin' home
I can't go on
I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
Turn to stone, when you comin' home
I can't go on
I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
(The lights don't shine no more)
And so the songs are way down low
A sound that flows into my mind
(The echoes of the daylight)
Of everything that is alive
(In my blue world)
I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
I turn to stone, when you comin' home
I can't go on
The dying embers of a night
(A fire that slowly fades 'till dawn)
Still glow upon the wall so bright (turning, turning)
The tired streets that hide away
(From here to everywhere they go)
Roll past my door into the day
In my blue world
I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
I turn to stone, when you comin' home
I can't go on
Turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
Yes, I'm turnin' to stone
'Cause you ain't coming home
Why ain't you comin' home
If I'm turnin' to stone
You've been gone for so long
And I can't carry on
Yes, I'm turnin', I'm turnin'
I'm turnin' to stone
The dancing shadows on the wall
(The two-step in the hall)
Are all I see since you've been gone (turning, turning)
Through all I sit here and I wait
(I turn to stone, I turn to stone)
You will return again some day
To my blue world
I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
I turn to stone, when you comin' home
I can't go on
I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
Turn to stone, when you comin' home
I can't go on
I turn to stone when you are gone
I turn to stone
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
this is a killer song, D&D aside. i love that verse near the end that's sung really fast and high by the chorus greatness