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.
Wanna keep you from breakin'
Wanna keep you from shakin'
Wanna keep you from keepin'
You down
Wanna keep you from sinkin'
Wanna keep you from drinkin'
Sometimes
Wanna keep you from keepin'
You down
Ringing in my head
All the things you've said
All the things you've done
I wish I could compromise
But there's only one way to go
And I'm going alone
I'm going alone
Your self-help bookshelf is full now
Your pictures are about to be pulled down
Without regard for a broken heart
It's another year
Ringing in my head
All the things you've said
All the things you've done
I wish I could compromise
But there's only one way to go
Wanna be with you tonight
Wanna be with you tonight
No, I know it isn't right
Wanna be with you tonight
'Cause I love the way that you shock-shock-shock me
Follow me to my house and then you rock-rock-rock me
Wanna see your eyes wide not so shut
The queen bee cool, don't stop keep up
Living in the city, 'cause you're dying if you don't
Got a grip, take a sip from my Molotov mug
Wanna keep you from keepin' you down
Pick yourself up off the ground
Wanna keep you from keepin' you down
Come on girl, ringing in my head
All the things you've said
All the things you've done
I wish I could compromise
I wish I could close my eyes
And somehow make it all alright
But I know there's only one way to go
Miss the way that you shock-shock-shock me
Follow me to my house and then you rock-rock-rock me
Wanna see your eyes wide not so shut
The queen bee cool, don't stop keep up
Living in the city, 'cause you're dying if you don't
Got a grip, take a sip from my Molotov mug
Wanna keep you from keepin' you down
Pick yourself up off the ground
Pick yourself up off the ground
Wanna keep you from shakin'
Wanna keep you from keepin'
You down
Wanna keep you from sinkin'
Wanna keep you from drinkin'
Sometimes
Wanna keep you from keepin'
You down
Ringing in my head
All the things you've said
All the things you've done
I wish I could compromise
But there's only one way to go
And I'm going alone
I'm going alone
Your self-help bookshelf is full now
Your pictures are about to be pulled down
Without regard for a broken heart
It's another year
Ringing in my head
All the things you've said
All the things you've done
I wish I could compromise
But there's only one way to go
Wanna be with you tonight
Wanna be with you tonight
No, I know it isn't right
Wanna be with you tonight
'Cause I love the way that you shock-shock-shock me
Follow me to my house and then you rock-rock-rock me
Wanna see your eyes wide not so shut
The queen bee cool, don't stop keep up
Living in the city, 'cause you're dying if you don't
Got a grip, take a sip from my Molotov mug
Wanna keep you from keepin' you down
Pick yourself up off the ground
Wanna keep you from keepin' you down
Come on girl, ringing in my head
All the things you've said
All the things you've done
I wish I could compromise
I wish I could close my eyes
And somehow make it all alright
But I know there's only one way to go
Miss the way that you shock-shock-shock me
Follow me to my house and then you rock-rock-rock me
Wanna see your eyes wide not so shut
The queen bee cool, don't stop keep up
Living in the city, 'cause you're dying if you don't
Got a grip, take a sip from my Molotov mug
Wanna keep you from keepin' you down
Pick yourself up off the ground
Pick yourself up off the ground
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I almost agree with moon.. I think it's about him breaking up with her, because he drinks and she has a drinking problem that she's trying to fix.
"Wanna keep you from sinkin wanna keep you from drinkin sometimes Wanna keep you from keepin you down"
he wants to help her..
"Ringing in my head All the things you've said All the things you've done I wish I could compromise but theres only one way to go and im goin alone"
he knows she has a problem with drinking, but doesn't think he can be around her while she's trying to get over her problem.. he drinks..
"your self-help book shelf is full now your pictures are about to be pulled down without regard for a broken heart its another year "
she's trying to fix her drinking problem
the rest of the song, to me, seems like he's going to miss her mostly for the sex..
"Miss the way that you shock-shock-shock me follow me to my house and then you rock-rock-rock me wanna see your eyes wide not so shut completely cool dont stop keep up"
rock-rock-rock me = sex..
"livin in the city, cuz your dyin if you dont got a grip take a sip from my monoton monk wanna keep you from keepin you down pick yourself up off the ground "
he's unwilling to stop drinking to be with her, but he wants her to help herself, so he's leaving.
I dunno, maybe I'm wrong, just what I got out of it.
I'm not sure the compromise is him giving up drinking, I think it's him saying he's not gonna be able to forget all the things she said and did that are ringing in his head, so the only thing to do is for him to walk away :'(<br /> I've been looking at all the songs on this album (and some on horrorscope too) as a story about the same girl. in Girlfriend he says "This place is strange, empty/ you did your time, plenty. / And the walls are bare where your pictures hung". So in Arch Drive Goodbye, he's making the decision to break it off, her pictures are gonna come down, and by the time we get to Girlfriend she's gone and so are the pictures. Only problem with this is that Arch Drive Goodbye is the last song...guess it's not chronological :)