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.
Well I woke up this morning
The place was such a wreck
I couldn't reach the bathroom
Thought I'd better clear the deck
I tried to call the lawyer
And ask him what to do
He referred me to his doctor
Who referred me back to you
And when you checked the manual
You kept inside the case
It said "put it in a cool dry place"
I drove around the city
Looking for a room
That was high above the water
Where my things could be in tune
There was no one to help me
Nobody even cared
I had to got through hell
To get those things up there
I paid my first subscription
Then I joined the idle race
And they said "store it in a cool dry place"
I got guitar, basses, amplifiers and drums
Accordions and mandolins and things that sometimes hum
Cymbals and harmonicas, capos by the score
And lots of things in boxes laying all around the floor
Some places they get mildew
And others get too hot
Some places are so damp that
Everything you got just rots
All kinds of condensation
A direct result of rain
They're not much compensation
When everything's been stained
Some have sentimental value
That cannot be erased
Go store it in a cool dry place
We got solids and acoustics
And some from plywood board
And some are trimmed in leather
And some are made with gourds
There's organs and trombones
And reverbs we can use
Lots of DX-7s
And old athletic shoes
I bought a great big building
That took up one whole block
I made an inventory
Of all the things in stock
The place was getting longer
I was up all night
I used up all my pencils
But I went onto despite
The blurrying of my vision
The sweat upon my face
I've got to put this stuff away
I mustn't leave a trace
The landlord's breathing down my neck
He say's it's a disgrace
So I said "put it in a cool, dry, place"
The place was such a wreck
I couldn't reach the bathroom
Thought I'd better clear the deck
I tried to call the lawyer
And ask him what to do
He referred me to his doctor
Who referred me back to you
And when you checked the manual
You kept inside the case
It said "put it in a cool dry place"
I drove around the city
Looking for a room
That was high above the water
Where my things could be in tune
There was no one to help me
Nobody even cared
I had to got through hell
To get those things up there
I paid my first subscription
Then I joined the idle race
And they said "store it in a cool dry place"
I got guitar, basses, amplifiers and drums
Accordions and mandolins and things that sometimes hum
Cymbals and harmonicas, capos by the score
And lots of things in boxes laying all around the floor
Some places they get mildew
And others get too hot
Some places are so damp that
Everything you got just rots
All kinds of condensation
A direct result of rain
They're not much compensation
When everything's been stained
Some have sentimental value
That cannot be erased
Go store it in a cool dry place
We got solids and acoustics
And some from plywood board
And some are trimmed in leather
And some are made with gourds
There's organs and trombones
And reverbs we can use
Lots of DX-7s
And old athletic shoes
I bought a great big building
That took up one whole block
I made an inventory
Of all the things in stock
The place was getting longer
I was up all night
I used up all my pencils
But I went onto despite
The blurrying of my vision
The sweat upon my face
I've got to put this stuff away
I mustn't leave a trace
The landlord's breathing down my neck
He say's it's a disgrace
So I said "put it in a cool, dry, place"
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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Certainly it's just a "story song", but I also think it may be referencing TOm Petty's house fire. Fairly certain it happened before this song came out, but if your home burns down, I could see having an experience something like the one told in the song. Just a guess.
It wouldn't be the first time that a fiery disaster has been made into a song eg. Smoke On The Water.
No idea on this one, really. Where the hell ARE they going with it?
I like it anyway.
is it about being on the road or trying to start there carrer and money is tight and crap so they have to live inderilict houses and the conditions suck and it makes them depressed? could the lawyer ,doctor part be about they got kicked out of the houses by landlords and they try to complain its unfair but the lawyer thinks they might have depression or mental issues that causes the landlords to get sick of them>? its a mystery but a great song :)
i always think of this song when im cleaning my room and theres just shit all over the place
for sure about petty's house fire. so sad. didn't he stay with dylan after this happened? man i wonder what they'r conversations must be like.... oh yeah back to the song-it rocks!! =)
"i had to go through hell to get those things up there" haha that's definitely a thought i would have after seeing my house burn down lol
Before I'd read about Tom Petty's housefire I thought this song was just about how to store and properly take care of things. My favorite verse is the "some places they get mildew..." verse, something about how the words sound when they are sung together in the song. Great stuff.
I think this song is just a joke on the listener. It sounds like there's some kind of elaborate metaphor being set up but as you listen closer you realize that it's really just about putting stuff in storage.