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.
Mobil station where I stand
This old gas pump in my hand
My boss don't like me, got a face like a weasel
Oil on my hands and the smell of diesel
Here comes a big shot from the city
V8 engine, she runs so pretty
'Fill her up son, unleaded
I need a full tank of gas where I'm headed'
Up in the front seat a pretty red head
'We're going to Vegas we're gonna get wed'
'So fill her up son, don't be staring
That's a real diamond she be wearing'
I'm gonna take my baby one day
I'm gonna fill her up and head west
I'm going find some money all right
See those tail lights heading west
I got no money to invest
Got no prospects, no education
I was lucky getting a job at this gas station
That old cash box on the top shelf
The boss is sleeping, I'll just help myself
Let's consider this as just a loan
I can sort it out later on the phone
I'm gonna pick my girl up tonight
I'm gonna fill her up and head west
I'm gonna show her all the bright lights
We're gonna say we lived 'for we come home
And as I head through the woods on the way back
The evening sun is slanting through the pine trees real pretty
It's like I walked into a glade of heaven
And there's music playing
This money is cold in my hand
And a voice somewhere is saying
'Why would you wanna take that stolen thing
And what real happiness can it bring?'
You're gonna fill her up with sadness
You're gonna fill her up with shame
You're gonna fill her up with sorrow
Before she even takes your name
You're gonna fill her up with madness
You're gonna fill her up with blame
You're gonna live with no tomorrow
You're gonna fill her up with pain
You're gonna fill her up with darkness
You're gonna fill her up with night
You gotta fill her up with Jesus
You gotta fill her up with light
You gotta fill her up with spirit
You gotta fill her up with grace
You gotta fill her up with heaven
You got the rest of life to face
You gotta fill her up the right way
You gotta fill her up with care
You gotta fill her up with babies
You gotta fill her up and swear
You're gonna love that girl forever
You're gonna fill her up for life
You're gonna be a loving husband
She's gonna be your loving wife
You gotta fill her up with gladness
You gotta fill her up with joy
You gotta fill her up with love
You gotta fill her up with love
This old gas pump in my hand
My boss don't like me, got a face like a weasel
Oil on my hands and the smell of diesel
Here comes a big shot from the city
V8 engine, she runs so pretty
'Fill her up son, unleaded
I need a full tank of gas where I'm headed'
Up in the front seat a pretty red head
'We're going to Vegas we're gonna get wed'
'So fill her up son, don't be staring
That's a real diamond she be wearing'
I'm gonna take my baby one day
I'm gonna fill her up and head west
I'm going find some money all right
See those tail lights heading west
I got no money to invest
Got no prospects, no education
I was lucky getting a job at this gas station
That old cash box on the top shelf
The boss is sleeping, I'll just help myself
Let's consider this as just a loan
I can sort it out later on the phone
I'm gonna pick my girl up tonight
I'm gonna fill her up and head west
I'm gonna show her all the bright lights
We're gonna say we lived 'for we come home
And as I head through the woods on the way back
The evening sun is slanting through the pine trees real pretty
It's like I walked into a glade of heaven
And there's music playing
This money is cold in my hand
And a voice somewhere is saying
'Why would you wanna take that stolen thing
And what real happiness can it bring?'
You're gonna fill her up with sadness
You're gonna fill her up with shame
You're gonna fill her up with sorrow
Before she even takes your name
You're gonna fill her up with madness
You're gonna fill her up with blame
You're gonna live with no tomorrow
You're gonna fill her up with pain
You're gonna fill her up with darkness
You're gonna fill her up with night
You gotta fill her up with Jesus
You gotta fill her up with light
You gotta fill her up with spirit
You gotta fill her up with grace
You gotta fill her up with heaven
You got the rest of life to face
You gotta fill her up the right way
You gotta fill her up with care
You gotta fill her up with babies
You gotta fill her up and swear
You're gonna love that girl forever
You're gonna fill her up for life
You're gonna be a loving husband
She's gonna be your loving wife
You gotta fill her up with gladness
You gotta fill her up with joy
You gotta fill her up with love
You gotta fill her up with love
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I'm a little surprised that no one has taken a crack at this one.
Typical story of a man that chooses wrong -- with this one ending in a choral response from the heavens... telling him to 'fill' his life up with good things and not material things...
Sting described the theme of the song and then said that he once worked at a gas station for a very short period of time. He joked that he couldn’t keep that job for too long because he liked the smell of gasoline too much.
I like how Sting chose to actually tell a simple story rather than a metephorical and complex message like usual.
Very straightforward message here. I first thought maybe he was shot in the back (by his boss) and dying during the vision, but then the admonition makes no sense.