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.
Call and I'll answer at home in the lost and found
You say that I'm much too proud
Someone who's taken pleasure in breakin' down
Never mind mannequins, drunk in their hollow town
Drinkin' their spoils down
Cheap imitations, a revelation is now
Yeah, you won't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
Gettin' lost in you again is better than being numb
Counting every minute 'til the feeling comes crashing down
Run when it hits the ground
I'm good at escaping, but better at flaking out
Calling unanswered, the center becomes blown out
Stuck in the inside now
It's fear I'm embracin', I never could face you down
Yeah, you won't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
Gettin' lost in you again is better than being numb
Red, red
Laced around your head
Cold and rescued, cold and rescued
Cold and rescued, cold and rescued
Cold and rescued, cold and rescued now
Call and I'll answer, at home in the lost and found
You say that I'm much too proud
Someone who's taken pleasure in breakin' down
Yeah, you won't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
So you don't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
Say goodbye to me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
I can find relief, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Gettin' lost in you again is better than being numb
Better than being numb
Better than playin' dumb
You say that I'm much too proud
Someone who's taken pleasure in breakin' down
Never mind mannequins, drunk in their hollow town
Drinkin' their spoils down
Cheap imitations, a revelation is now
Yeah, you won't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
Gettin' lost in you again is better than being numb
Counting every minute 'til the feeling comes crashing down
Run when it hits the ground
I'm good at escaping, but better at flaking out
Calling unanswered, the center becomes blown out
Stuck in the inside now
It's fear I'm embracin', I never could face you down
Yeah, you won't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
Gettin' lost in you again is better than being numb
Red, red
Laced around your head
Cold and rescued, cold and rescued
Cold and rescued, cold and rescued
Cold and rescued, cold and rescued now
Call and I'll answer, at home in the lost and found
You say that I'm much too proud
Someone who's taken pleasure in breakin' down
Yeah, you won't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
So you don't find me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Tonight I'm leaving, goin' M.I.A.
Say goodbye to me, I'm goin' M.I.A.
I can find relief, I'm goin' M.I.A.
Gettin' lost in you again is better than being numb
Better than being numb
Better than playin' dumb
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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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.
One of the Foo's best.
This song has nothing to do with Kurt.
After The Colour and The Shape, Dave was living in LA and partying alot, he eventually got sick of this lifestyle and moved back to Virginia where the album "There is Nothing Left to lose" was recorded.
"Nevermind the mannequins, drunk in their hollow town"
Mannequins is a reference to all the "pretty people/actors/models", hollow town is a reference to Los Angeles
"The revelation is now"
He realises he's sick of this lifestyle.
"You wont find me I'm going MIA"
MIA = Missing in Action; ie. he's leaving LA, moving back to Virginia.
"Red, red, laced around your head"
Is a reference to a girl with red hair, and Dave was dating a redhead at the time (Pro-Snowboarder Tina Basich)
This song is about the LA lifestyle & moving back to Virginia, which alot of the album is about (Stacked Actors, Next Year, Ain't it the Life and this song.)
Though I agree with the "leaving LA" idea, I think it could be about an ending relationship. "Calling unanswered at home in my lost and found," I'm at home calling you and you're not there. "You won't find me I'm going MIA, tonight I'm leaving going MIA" I'm ending our relationship tonight. "Getting lost in you again it's better than being numb," You don't know if you want to end it b/c after a relationship you feel numb (I do at least) and getting lost in someone's games is sometimes better than not caring for anyone at all. "Counting every minute 'til the feeling comes crashing down. Run when it hits the ground." You're just waiting until you can tell her that it's over, but once you say it (it hits the ground), you're gone, nowhere to be seen. "I'm good at escaping, but better at flaking out." I'm good at just getting out of a relationship, but it's easier to just let the person know it's over. But the flaking out part is b/c we usually don't tell people everything, we just act like it's one thing that killed us when it was really all this other stuff that built up.
Very nice explanations!
this is song is good...i probably wouldn't have signed if somebody already signed it...but i think that this song definetly deserves some entries - greg
If my interpretation of the song seems too overused or contrite, I'm sorry. But after pouring over the lyrics, there's only one conclusion that I keep coming to: Dave's singing about Kurt. He jumps in and out of character using his own perspective some of the time and Kurt's at others. The whole chorus of "Tonight I'm leaving going MIA" is Kurt saying goodbye while the line "red, red laced around your head" is Dave description of the suicide. The lines "Nevermind the mannequins...the revelation is now" I found very interesting too. Using the name of the album that changed alternative music, the narrator (Kurt in this case) is saying "Let's see what happens to all those carbon copy bands riding the wake of our success when I'm gone." You can disagree, but I really like this song and I was disappointed to see that no one had posted an opinion on what the song meant.
What is M.I.A.? Thanks
M. I. A. is Missing in Action. This song is definetly about suicide and death and as above probably Kurt based. One of my favourite Foos songs.
intothegrinder is correct, and all the others who are Kurt-obsessed are incorrect. I thought that the meaning behind the song was obvious, but I dunno.
freewebs.com/thejakesite
Why is it that everyone always says FF songs are about Kurt Cobain? Jeez...
Anyway, I agree with intothegrinder2. Love this song.
i found a quote by Dave referring to this song: "'M.I.A.' is a good example of me, and how so often I'll just say "You know what? I'm outta here and I'll be back whenever, and please don't call."