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.
Every now and then I get like this
And it isn't hard to see
But the old man in the kitchen
I think he's part of me
Don't say nothing bout the old house
Cause I burned it to the ground
And when the darkness comes,
I lie awake
Playing lost and found
All at once
I break my silence
All at once
There's no more hiding
And all he wants
Is to show us how he feels
They're all liars in the back room
Watch them all go down
They can tell you what you want to hear
But they will never stick around
So don't say nothing 'bout the old house
Cause I burned it to the ground
And when the darkness comes
I'll lie and wait
Still playing lost and found
All at once
I break my silence
All at once
There's no more hiding
And all he wants
Is to show us how he feels
When he comes around
Do not tell him nothing
Do not make a sound
Cause if he knows we're there
He might tear his heart out
And beat us to death with it
I was too young to understand.
And it isn't hard to see
But the old man in the kitchen
I think he's part of me
Don't say nothing bout the old house
Cause I burned it to the ground
And when the darkness comes,
I lie awake
Playing lost and found
All at once
I break my silence
All at once
There's no more hiding
And all he wants
Is to show us how he feels
They're all liars in the back room
Watch them all go down
They can tell you what you want to hear
But they will never stick around
So don't say nothing 'bout the old house
Cause I burned it to the ground
And when the darkness comes
I'll lie and wait
Still playing lost and found
All at once
I break my silence
All at once
There's no more hiding
And all he wants
Is to show us how he feels
When he comes around
Do not tell him nothing
Do not make a sound
Cause if he knows we're there
He might tear his heart out
And beat us to death with it
I was too young to understand.
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I really like this songs, I'm not too sure what it means, though
This is one of my favorite Pete Yorn songs. I went to one of his concerts this summer and he played it during the encore. It was so great. He said that a lot of people think that this song is about his father but that it is actually about his grandfather. I LOVE this song but I am still not totally sure what it means.
for some reason, this song screams "depression" to me.
I used this song in a montage I wrote once. I love this song. I dont find it depressing at all, in fact it relxes me.
In all honesty, this is the quintessential song about a parent/grandparent who is filled with love and is so ridiculously outcast for it, because their genuine nature is so kind-hearted that it wrestles from us our own true compassion. But, when we're honest, we know it well, and do well to fear it, because the love they feel...could crush us with its immensity.
There's an article online somewhere that addresses this, and I would presume, what Pete felt like revealing about it. i think it is EXTREMELY personal for him, it is about his grandfather, and it is about looking back with the wisdom of an adult and seeing how "off" you were in your impression of a person as a little kid - he understands now how wrong he was, but with kindness and forgiveness to the little boy- I was too young to understand.
if you read that interview, you'll see the full story...he has great, incredible admiration for his grandfather. He was the youngest in the family... the youngest is always "protected" and left out of so much in a family dynamic, by folks who mean well. His grandfather is an immigrant to this country who BUSTED his ass to make a better life for his son, put him through dental school, etc. I think it is probably so very much more than we could ever know. i am impressed he was willing to share so much on something so personal. Perhaps it is a tribute too to his grandfather. The music is beautiful.