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.
The longer that I'm out here the better you sound
You're scrunching up your face in this picture I found
And I'm chasing after you steadily losing ground
I don't wanna forget so I'm writing it down
Have you ever?
No never never
I found that hard to believe
Let's burn the furniture
To see how angry
The fire can make me
And you say that there's someone
That you need to reconnect with
Some scarecrow from highschool
That you loved and never slept with
A baby with a pipedream
Playing hopscotch on your bandages
And I'm singing all these songs
While I sleep on your couch
I'm coughing up a lung
But I'm covering my mouth
And I paint you on the wall
Yellow, red, green, and brown
I miss you all the time
But I'm blocking it out
Are you better?
No never never
What does that say about me?
Now let's break the smoke alarm
To see how scared
Locked windows can make me
You say there's a stranger
Staring sideways in a deep freeze
A loner draped in ivy
Playing slumlord in his city dream
A faker with an art form
Pulling magic tricks
On the weak girls up his sleeve
And I'm choking right along
With the words in my throat
I'm falling back in love
With the letter you wrote
And I think that I was wrong
But I guess I don't know
I figured that'll I wait
Until you tell me so
The longer that I'm out here
The better you sound
You're scrunching up your face
In this picture I found
And I'm chasing after you
Steadily losing ground
I miss you all the time
But I'm blocking it out
And the longer that I'm out here
The longer that I'm out here
The longer that I'm out here
The longer that I'm out here
The better you sound
You're scrunching up your face in this picture I found
And I'm chasing after you steadily losing ground
I don't wanna forget so I'm writing it down
Have you ever?
No never never
I found that hard to believe
Let's burn the furniture
To see how angry
The fire can make me
And you say that there's someone
That you need to reconnect with
Some scarecrow from highschool
That you loved and never slept with
A baby with a pipedream
Playing hopscotch on your bandages
And I'm singing all these songs
While I sleep on your couch
I'm coughing up a lung
But I'm covering my mouth
And I paint you on the wall
Yellow, red, green, and brown
I miss you all the time
But I'm blocking it out
Are you better?
No never never
What does that say about me?
Now let's break the smoke alarm
To see how scared
Locked windows can make me
You say there's a stranger
Staring sideways in a deep freeze
A loner draped in ivy
Playing slumlord in his city dream
A faker with an art form
Pulling magic tricks
On the weak girls up his sleeve
And I'm choking right along
With the words in my throat
I'm falling back in love
With the letter you wrote
And I think that I was wrong
But I guess I don't know
I figured that'll I wait
Until you tell me so
The longer that I'm out here
The better you sound
You're scrunching up your face
In this picture I found
And I'm chasing after you
Steadily losing ground
I miss you all the time
But I'm blocking it out
And the longer that I'm out here
The longer that I'm out here
The longer that I'm out here
The longer that I'm out here
The better you sound
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Brilliant poetry.
The burning and fire always talks about their relationship and interaction throughout the song
The first time it's mentioned they are together, arguing, after he accuses her of something and doesn't believe the answer. The fire during the end of their relationship when they are arguing is clearly ANGER.
But then things change: The heat of argument is suddenly producing a breakup. So whereas it angered him previously, the breakup is making him feel trapped - it's not what he wants. "Let's break the smoke alart" suggests they removed anything that would mediate their fighting. But now he's scared. The smoke is choking him. He feels hurt - the anger is turning to loss.
Suddenly they aren't this close couple, but "strangers staring sideways in a deep freeze" - emotionall distant - no warmth at all.
So now he's "out here" - distant from her - waiting for something to happen. He's regretting it all - choking on the smoke but remembering how he loved her at the same time. He's forgetting the bad and only seeing the good - which is common after breakups.