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.
I'm gonna make a change
For once in my life
It's gonna feel real good
Gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right
As I turn up the collar on
My favorite winter coat
This wind is blowing my mind
I see the kids in the street
With not enough to eat
Who am I to be blind?
Pretending not to see their need
A summer's disregard, a broken bottle top
And a one man soul
They follow each other on the wind, ya know
'Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na
I've been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It's time that I realize
There are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me pretending that they're not alone?
A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart
And a washed-out dream (washed-out dream)
They follow the pattern of the wind, ya see
'Cause they got no place to be
That's why I'm starting with me
I'm starting with the man in the mirror (who?)
I'm asking him to change his ways (who?)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
I'm starting with the man in the mirror (who?)
I'm asking him to change his ways (who?)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that change
I'm starting with the man in the mirror (oh yeah)
I'm asking him to change his ways (he's gonna change)
No message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make the change
You gotta get it right while you got the time
'Cause when you close heart (you can't close your)
Then you close your mind (your mind)
That man, that man, that man (with the man in the mirror, oh yeah)
That man, that man, that man (I'm asking him to change his ways)
That man (gonna change)
That man, that man (no message could have been any clearer)
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, then make a change
Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo (na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na)
Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo (ooh, gonna feel real good, yeah)
Oh yeah (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na
Oh no, I'm gonna make a change
It's gonna feel real good
Shamone (change)
Just lift yourself, you know
You've got to stop him yourself, woo (yeah, make that change)
I gotta make that change, today, hoo (man in the mirror)
You got to, you got to not pick yourself, brother, hoo
(Yeah, make that change) you know
I've got to get that man, that man (man in the mirror)
You've got, you've to move, shamone, shamone
You got to stand up, stand up (yeah, make that change)
Stand up, stand up and lift yourself, now (man in the mirror)
Hoo, hoo, hoo, ow (yeah, make that change)
Go make that change, shamone (man in the mirror)
You know it, you know it, you know it, you know (change)
Make that change
For once in my life
It's gonna feel real good
Gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right
As I turn up the collar on
My favorite winter coat
This wind is blowing my mind
I see the kids in the street
With not enough to eat
Who am I to be blind?
Pretending not to see their need
A summer's disregard, a broken bottle top
And a one man soul
They follow each other on the wind, ya know
'Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na
I've been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It's time that I realize
There are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me pretending that they're not alone?
A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart
And a washed-out dream (washed-out dream)
They follow the pattern of the wind, ya see
'Cause they got no place to be
That's why I'm starting with me
I'm starting with the man in the mirror (who?)
I'm asking him to change his ways (who?)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
I'm starting with the man in the mirror (who?)
I'm asking him to change his ways (who?)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that change
I'm starting with the man in the mirror (oh yeah)
I'm asking him to change his ways (he's gonna change)
No message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make the change
You gotta get it right while you got the time
'Cause when you close heart (you can't close your)
Then you close your mind (your mind)
That man, that man, that man (with the man in the mirror, oh yeah)
That man, that man, that man (I'm asking him to change his ways)
That man (gonna change)
That man, that man (no message could have been any clearer)
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, then make a change
Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo (na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na)
Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo (ooh, gonna feel real good, yeah)
Oh yeah (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na, na-na
Oh no, I'm gonna make a change
It's gonna feel real good
Shamone (change)
Just lift yourself, you know
You've got to stop him yourself, woo (yeah, make that change)
I gotta make that change, today, hoo (man in the mirror)
You got to, you got to not pick yourself, brother, hoo
(Yeah, make that change) you know
I've got to get that man, that man (man in the mirror)
You've got, you've to move, shamone, shamone
You got to stand up, stand up (yeah, make that change)
Stand up, stand up and lift yourself, now (man in the mirror)
Hoo, hoo, hoo, ow (yeah, make that change)
Go make that change, shamone (man in the mirror)
You know it, you know it, you know it, you know (change)
Make that change
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