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.
As I walked to Kendall Square
And crossed the river basin there
The Charles was black, the sky was blue
The view was old, the bridge was new
And past the flow's constricted mouth
Commercial lines flowed mostly south
Or east across a boundless sea
Where rising soon, the star would be
The tides are moved by sun and moon
The spring will last from March to June
The red line train will pass behind
As long as bridge joins stream and sky
And from that point where i did stand
I wondered at the works of man
I wondered how this walk began
Til red line train came round again
But it's not the time to ossify
It's not the end of wondering why
It's not in your faith or your apostasy
It's not the end of history
As I can take, so i could give
If I could shop where I could live
As I can read, so I'd write books
If I could eat where I could cook
Where talkers have a place to meet
Where walkers walk along the street
And subways travel paths well hid
But ferries take you off the grid
And it's not the time to ossify
It's not the end of wondering why
It's not in your faith or your apostasy
It's not the end of... predicatble waves of historicity
Nostalgia for gas-lit time I'll never see
Futurians manifest, internationalists
Connected are the promenades and waterways
The living waves of harbor nights and city days
And where is the builder?
Was there something missed?
Hidden in the plans to the bridge that started this?
But it's not the time to ossify
It's not the end of wondering why
It's not in your faith or your apostasy
It's not the end of history
As I walked on to Founders' Square
And crossed the river basin there,
The Passaic was grey, the sky was blue
The bridge was old, the view was new
And from that point where I did stand
I wondered at the builder's plan
I wondered how this walk will end
Til path train came around again
But it's not the time to ossify
It's not the end of wondering why
It's not in your faith or your apostasy
It's not the end of history
And crossed the river basin there
The Charles was black, the sky was blue
The view was old, the bridge was new
And past the flow's constricted mouth
Commercial lines flowed mostly south
Or east across a boundless sea
Where rising soon, the star would be
The tides are moved by sun and moon
The spring will last from March to June
The red line train will pass behind
As long as bridge joins stream and sky
And from that point where i did stand
I wondered at the works of man
I wondered how this walk began
Til red line train came round again
But it's not the time to ossify
It's not the end of wondering why
It's not in your faith or your apostasy
It's not the end of history
As I can take, so i could give
If I could shop where I could live
As I can read, so I'd write books
If I could eat where I could cook
Where talkers have a place to meet
Where walkers walk along the street
And subways travel paths well hid
But ferries take you off the grid
And it's not the time to ossify
It's not the end of wondering why
It's not in your faith or your apostasy
It's not the end of... predicatble waves of historicity
Nostalgia for gas-lit time I'll never see
Futurians manifest, internationalists
Connected are the promenades and waterways
The living waves of harbor nights and city days
And where is the builder?
Was there something missed?
Hidden in the plans to the bridge that started this?
But it's not the time to ossify
It's not the end of wondering why
It's not in your faith or your apostasy
It's not the end of history
As I walked on to Founders' Square
And crossed the river basin there,
The Passaic was grey, the sky was blue
The bridge was old, the view was new
And from that point where I did stand
I wondered at the builder's plan
I wondered how this walk will end
Til path train came around again
But it's not the time to ossify
It's not the end of wondering why
It's not in your faith or your apostasy
It's not the end of history
Lyrics submitted by knifefight
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