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.
From way far across the sea
Came an Eritrean maiden she
Had a one-track mind and eyes for me
Half blinded in a war
With a pale, young Anglican
Who said he'd help her all he can
Showed her Jesus and his little unholy friend
She had no mind to please him
Just say 'ta-ra' and leave him behind
A little boy in a stairwell who
Says 'I hate people like you'
I got matchsticks and cable TV
Half of less than 50P
We all clambered over the balcony
Banging on the window, waking Steve
Bringing with the true love his unholy friend
Singing, 'If you really need it
You just won't leave it behind'
So, baby, please kill me
Oh, baby, don't kill me
But don't bring that ghost 'round to my door
I don't want to see him anymore
Please kill me
Oh, baby, don't kill me
Just don't bang on about yesterday
You know I wouldn't know about that anyway
Monkey asked to the mouse before
If she loved anybody more than he
Turns you into stone
Now I'm reversing down the lonely street
Cheap hotel where I can meet the past
Pay it off and keep it sweet
(aw) It's sweet and it's nothing, no
It's just like nothing at all
You know I've seen you there
How could i help but stare?
It rips the heart out of your, baby
I've taken too far too much to see or think or touch what's real
Stranded on this street that paved my only way home
If you really need it all
You just won't leave him behind
Oh please kill me
Oh no don't kill me
Don't bring that ghost 'round to my door
I don't want to see him anymore
Please kill me
Oh no don't kill me
And don't try joke about yesterday
You know I wouldn't know about that anyway
It's sweet like nothing no
It's sweet like nothing at all
It's sweet like nothing no
It's sweet like nothing at all
It's sweet like nothing no
It's sweet like nothing at all
Came an Eritrean maiden she
Had a one-track mind and eyes for me
Half blinded in a war
With a pale, young Anglican
Who said he'd help her all he can
Showed her Jesus and his little unholy friend
She had no mind to please him
Just say 'ta-ra' and leave him behind
A little boy in a stairwell who
Says 'I hate people like you'
I got matchsticks and cable TV
Half of less than 50P
We all clambered over the balcony
Banging on the window, waking Steve
Bringing with the true love his unholy friend
Singing, 'If you really need it
You just won't leave it behind'
So, baby, please kill me
Oh, baby, don't kill me
But don't bring that ghost 'round to my door
I don't want to see him anymore
Please kill me
Oh, baby, don't kill me
Just don't bang on about yesterday
You know I wouldn't know about that anyway
Monkey asked to the mouse before
If she loved anybody more than he
Turns you into stone
Now I'm reversing down the lonely street
Cheap hotel where I can meet the past
Pay it off and keep it sweet
(aw) It's sweet and it's nothing, no
It's just like nothing at all
You know I've seen you there
How could i help but stare?
It rips the heart out of your, baby
I've taken too far too much to see or think or touch what's real
Stranded on this street that paved my only way home
If you really need it all
You just won't leave him behind
Oh please kill me
Oh no don't kill me
Don't bring that ghost 'round to my door
I don't want to see him anymore
Please kill me
Oh no don't kill me
And don't try joke about yesterday
You know I wouldn't know about that anyway
It's sweet like nothing no
It's sweet like nothing at all
It's sweet like nothing no
It's sweet like nothing at all
It's sweet like nothing no
It's sweet like nothing at all
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Another brilliant song. I love the lines "From way far across the sea came and Eritrean maiden she had a one track mind & eyes for me".