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.
Small crimes
Smiles stretched on
old trees
Strike your match so
lightly
Watch the crooked
smoke rise
Empty prayers to
heaven
Just a mask of
blue sky
Look away to
Small crimes
Kick the dog for
eating
Leave you old self
hungry
Watch in coldest
pleasure
Tell the world what
Ever turns you on is fine
with me as long as
Matches don't get wet
Warm winds calling me a
coward make me smile
They can't convince
me now
Burned prayers turn me
on to nowhere sick
and empty
I don't feel so bad
Ever turns around again
says to me softly
Start the fire now
Small crimes sever
used-up old
considerations
Freedoms not so great
All fears burn up
They said hold on to the
stairway railing
Meaning everything
is meaning
Something makes it hard
to keep track
Hold on found me
tangled forest
Growing got my
dryest summer
Small crimes held my
match box tightly
Smiles stretched on
old trees
Strike your match so
lightly
Watch the crooked
smoke rise
Empty prayers to
heaven
Just a mask of
blue sky
Look away to
Small crimes
Kick the dog for
eating
Leave you old self
hungry
Watch in coldest
pleasure
Tell the world what
Ever turns you on is fine
with me as long as
Matches don't get wet
Warm winds calling me a
coward make me smile
They can't convince
me now
Burned prayers turn me
on to nowhere sick
and empty
I don't feel so bad
Ever turns around again
says to me softly
Start the fire now
Small crimes sever
used-up old
considerations
Freedoms not so great
All fears burn up
They said hold on to the
stairway railing
Meaning everything
is meaning
Something makes it hard
to keep track
Hold on found me
tangled forest
Growing got my
dryest summer
Small crimes held my
match box tightly
Lyrics submitted by ruben, edited by Sharpster7
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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
The guy happily burns the trees (smiles stretched on old trees, strike your match so lightly, watch the crooked smoke rise). The reason probably religious (empty prayers to heaven), maybe getting god's attention because it seems he's talking to god most of the time. The next part (burned prayers turn me on - to nowhere, sick and empty, I don't feel so bad) is I think saying he goes back and forth on how he feels about what he's doing. The entire last verse basically says he's thinking about Christianity and the 'stairway', but then remembers the forest and is ready to burn again. The whole forest thing is probably a huge metaphor to something, but I'm not sure what. The 'winds' that are calling him a coward might be people or something else telling him to stop, but that's about everything I can gather. I'm also curious as to if these lyrics are talking about the same thing as the original ones, when the song was titled Small Bird. The demo version is on Essentials, I'd like some further opinions on that. But that's all just my take on the lyrics.