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.
When the dancers took to the promenade
Well my heart leapt high
And I was unafraid
Of the feeling I'd stifled for so many years
Tell me how do you
How do you feel
Well the band took their places and got all in tune
And then the caller's voice
Well it rang out beneath the moon
And then the boys took their girls and they started to reel
And they were singin' how do you, how do you feel
And then the people in the town said that they'd call the police
If we didn't keep down all this disturbin' their peace
And Officer Black, you know he answered their pleas
And he ran up on the hill just to see
Well he hid in the bushes just a stone's throw away
And then we all saw this change comin' over his face
But he was bouncin' to the beat and started hoppin' on his heels
Singin', how do you do, how do you feel
And then the townspeople asked him if he'd make some arrests
Could they find peace and quiet so they could go back to bed
He said if it's peace that you want, you're gonna find it on the hill
But the silence that you keep is the silence that kills
So the townspeople all got so uptight and mad
You know they fired him on the spot
And then they threw away his badge
Then they asked him to leave and he said gladly I will
They said tell us now how do you feel
He said, when the dancers took to the promenade
Well my heart leapt high and I was unafraid
Of the feeling I'd stifled for so many years
Tell me how do you, how do you feel
Well my heart leapt high
And I was unafraid
Of the feeling I'd stifled for so many years
Tell me how do you
How do you feel
Well the band took their places and got all in tune
And then the caller's voice
Well it rang out beneath the moon
And then the boys took their girls and they started to reel
And they were singin' how do you, how do you feel
And then the people in the town said that they'd call the police
If we didn't keep down all this disturbin' their peace
And Officer Black, you know he answered their pleas
And he ran up on the hill just to see
Well he hid in the bushes just a stone's throw away
And then we all saw this change comin' over his face
But he was bouncin' to the beat and started hoppin' on his heels
Singin', how do you do, how do you feel
And then the townspeople asked him if he'd make some arrests
Could they find peace and quiet so they could go back to bed
He said if it's peace that you want, you're gonna find it on the hill
But the silence that you keep is the silence that kills
So the townspeople all got so uptight and mad
You know they fired him on the spot
And then they threw away his badge
Then they asked him to leave and he said gladly I will
They said tell us now how do you feel
He said, when the dancers took to the promenade
Well my heart leapt high and I was unafraid
Of the feeling I'd stifled for so many years
Tell me how do you, how do you feel
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