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.
We are traveling in the footsteps
Of those who've gone before
But we'll all be reunited (But if we stand reunited)
On a new and sunlit shore (Then a new world is in store)
Oh when the Saints go marching in
When the Saints go marching in
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
And when the sun refuse (begins) to shine
And when the sun refuse (begins) to shine
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When the moon turns red with blood
When the moon turns red with blood
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
On that hallelujah day
On that hallelujah day
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
Oh when the trumpet sounds the call
Oh when the trumpet sounds the call
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
Some say this world of trouble
Is the only one we need
But I'm waiting for that morning
When the new world is revealed
When the revelation (revolution) comes
When the revelation (revolution) comes
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When the rich go out and work
When the rich go out and work
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When the air is pure and clean
When the air is pure and clean
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When we all have food to eat
When we all have food to eat
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When our leaders learn to cry
When our leaders learn to cry
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
Of those who've gone before
But we'll all be reunited (But if we stand reunited)
On a new and sunlit shore (Then a new world is in store)
Oh when the Saints go marching in
When the Saints go marching in
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
And when the sun refuse (begins) to shine
And when the sun refuse (begins) to shine
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When the moon turns red with blood
When the moon turns red with blood
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
On that hallelujah day
On that hallelujah day
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
Oh when the trumpet sounds the call
Oh when the trumpet sounds the call
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
Some say this world of trouble
Is the only one we need
But I'm waiting for that morning
When the new world is revealed
When the revelation (revolution) comes
When the revelation (revolution) comes
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When the rich go out and work
When the rich go out and work
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When the air is pure and clean
When the air is pure and clean
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When we all have food to eat
When we all have food to eat
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When our leaders learn to cry
When our leaders learn to cry
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
Lyrics submitted by anna118k
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I love this song, and all the versions to it are good! My favorite version, has to be the live one with BB king and Richie Sambora!
Prophetic song. When the moon turns red with blood ( In the last days, the moon will turn red...). When the trumpet sounds its call (Second coming of Christ, the seventh angel will sound the trumpet to welcome him, to reign on the earth, then all government shall fall, and he will become our king (Yeah, no more tax....! ) I'm waiting for that morning, when the new world is revealed (The morning of the coming of Christ and his new kingdom). Some say this world of trouble is the only one we need...(Some don't believe in the after life, but the Saints do. They know this life is a preparation to meet God. This life's to be happy, enjoy the things that are uplifting to our souls... And the Saints believe that their happiness will not be the end here, but will go on forever. They too believe that those who suffer here (health, infirmities, injustice...) will find their health...back in the other life and will receive much more than they suffered here. That 's why the Saints go marching in, (doing God's work happily), because they're uplifted by it + feel of his love. They don't want to be anywhere else, but in his fold.
This is my thought on this song.
you gotta kick at the darkness til it bleeds daylight, to quote a great songwriter