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.
A woman came up to me and said
"I'd like to poison your mind
With wrong ideas that appeal to you
Though I am not unkind"
She looked at me, I looked at something
Written across her scalp
And these are the words that it faintly said
As I tried to call for help
There's only one thing that I know how to do well
And I've often been told that you only can do
What you know how to do well
And that's be you,
Be what you're like,
Be like yourself,
And so I'm having a wonderful time
But I'd rather be whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
There's only one thing that I like
And that is whistling in the dark
A man came up to me and said
"I'd like to change your mind
By hitting it with a rock," he said,
"Though I am not unkind."
We laughed at his little joke
And then I happily walked away
And hit my head on the wall of the jail
Where the two of us live today.
There's only one thing that I know how to do well
And I've often been told that you only can do
What you know how to do well
And that's be you,
Be what you're like,
Be like yourself,
And so I'm having a wonderful time
But I'd rather be whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
There's only one thing that I like
And that is whistling in the dark
There's only one thing that I know how to do well
And I've often been told that you only can do
What you know how to do well
And that's be you,
Be what you're like,
Be like yourself,
And so I'm having a wonderful time
But I'd rather be whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling, whistling
Whistling in the dark
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
"I'd like to poison your mind
With wrong ideas that appeal to you
Though I am not unkind"
She looked at me, I looked at something
Written across her scalp
And these are the words that it faintly said
As I tried to call for help
There's only one thing that I know how to do well
And I've often been told that you only can do
What you know how to do well
And that's be you,
Be what you're like,
Be like yourself,
And so I'm having a wonderful time
But I'd rather be whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
There's only one thing that I like
And that is whistling in the dark
A man came up to me and said
"I'd like to change your mind
By hitting it with a rock," he said,
"Though I am not unkind."
We laughed at his little joke
And then I happily walked away
And hit my head on the wall of the jail
Where the two of us live today.
There's only one thing that I know how to do well
And I've often been told that you only can do
What you know how to do well
And that's be you,
Be what you're like,
Be like yourself,
And so I'm having a wonderful time
But I'd rather be whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
There's only one thing that I like
And that is whistling in the dark
There's only one thing that I know how to do well
And I've often been told that you only can do
What you know how to do well
And that's be you,
Be what you're like,
Be like yourself,
And so I'm having a wonderful time
But I'd rather be whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling in the dark
Whistling, whistling
Whistling in the dark
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Whistling (whistling), whistling (whistling)
Dark (dark), Dark (dark)
Lyrics submitted by Irrational
Whistling in the Dark Lyrics as written by John Linnell John Flansburgh
Lyrics © Freibank Musikverlags und vermarktungs GmbH, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In the John Waters film A Dirty Shame "whistling in the dark" is used as an epression for performing cunnilingus. Even though I seriously doubt that that is the meaning of the expression in this song it's pretty amusing to interpret it that way.