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.
Life is a waterfall
We're one in the river
And one again after the fall
Swimming through the void, we hear the word
We lose ourselves, but we find it all
'Cause we are the ones that want to play
Always want to go, but you never want to stay
And we are the ones that want to choose
Always want to play but you never want to lose
Aerials in the sky
When you lose small mind, you free your life
Life is a waterfall
We drink from the river
Then we turn around and put up our walls
Swimming through the void, we hear the word
We lose ourselves, but we find it all
'Cause we are the ones that want to play
Always want to go, but you never want to stay
And we are the ones that want to choose
Always want to play but you never want to lose
Oh
Aerials in the sky
When you lose small mind, you free your life
Aerials, so up high
When you free your eyes, eternal prize
Aerials in the sky
When you lose small mind, you free your life
Aerials, so up high
When you free your eyes, eternal prize
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
We're one in the river
And one again after the fall
Swimming through the void, we hear the word
We lose ourselves, but we find it all
'Cause we are the ones that want to play
Always want to go, but you never want to stay
And we are the ones that want to choose
Always want to play but you never want to lose
Aerials in the sky
When you lose small mind, you free your life
Life is a waterfall
We drink from the river
Then we turn around and put up our walls
Swimming through the void, we hear the word
We lose ourselves, but we find it all
'Cause we are the ones that want to play
Always want to go, but you never want to stay
And we are the ones that want to choose
Always want to play but you never want to lose
Oh
Aerials in the sky
When you lose small mind, you free your life
Aerials, so up high
When you free your eyes, eternal prize
Aerials in the sky
When you lose small mind, you free your life
Aerials, so up high
When you free your eyes, eternal prize
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
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This song is about how people can lose their identities and become just like everyone else. Some lyric analysis: "Life is a waterfall,we're one in the river, one again after the fall." - We all start off the same and we all end up the same. "Swimming through the void, we hear the words,we lose ourselves, but we find it all." - As we go through life we are told lessons, but we ignore them. We forget who we really are in the mix of seeking the synthetic lifestyle, and that's the price to lose who we really are. "'Cause we are the ones that wanna play, always want to go, but you never want to stay." - We always want to be part of the scene. We strive for what we want and when we get it, it still does not satisfy. "And we are the ones that want to choose, always wanna play, but you never wanna lose." - We want and want. We do whatever we can but if trouble is ever near we do whatever we can to maintain innocence. "When you lose small mind you free your life." - When we stop to see the full picture is when we really have control of our lives. "Life is a waterfall, we drink from the river then we turn around and put up our walls." - We take and take and in the end we give nothing. This shows how greedy, oblivious and inconsiderate people can be.