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.
By the harbour I harbour the strangest memories,
Over land I could ever be,
Stranded in nostalgia,
So tonight I'll try harder,
But it's hard to fix this floodlight on me,
In a cast that's taken to places,
I'm unsure of where I want to be,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
I'll climb El Capitan,
And jump off to cheers from the crowd,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
And I hope you take your camera,
To photograph my tears as they hit the ground,
No one even listens,
The same way that no one ever laughs,
I'm taking the car out of the snow,
I'm wondering where the summer went to,
Circled by your secrets,
I'm hoping they don't include me,
At least I'm in good company,
Because there's no one else around,
Except me,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
I'll climb El Capitan,
Just to watch the world slow down,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
And I hope you take your camera,
Silence makes the loudest tap,
It seems far too easy to say the same things,
I'll choose my own way to use my life up,
Finally found a new way,
Say the same things,
In imaginary ways,
I'll use my life up,
You were looking at pictures in the distance,
Hoping to see the future in your pictures,
Of the distance hoping to see,
The future looking at pictures in the distance,
Hoping to see the future through your pictures,
Of the distance,
Hoping to see,
The future in your pictures of the distance
Over land I could ever be,
Stranded in nostalgia,
So tonight I'll try harder,
But it's hard to fix this floodlight on me,
In a cast that's taken to places,
I'm unsure of where I want to be,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
I'll climb El Capitan,
And jump off to cheers from the crowd,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
And I hope you take your camera,
To photograph my tears as they hit the ground,
No one even listens,
The same way that no one ever laughs,
I'm taking the car out of the snow,
I'm wondering where the summer went to,
Circled by your secrets,
I'm hoping they don't include me,
At least I'm in good company,
Because there's no one else around,
Except me,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
I'll climb El Capitan,
Just to watch the world slow down,
Stand up,
Stand up,
And stand down,
And I hope you take your camera,
Silence makes the loudest tap,
It seems far too easy to say the same things,
I'll choose my own way to use my life up,
Finally found a new way,
Say the same things,
In imaginary ways,
I'll use my life up,
You were looking at pictures in the distance,
Hoping to see the future in your pictures,
Of the distance hoping to see,
The future looking at pictures in the distance,
Hoping to see the future through your pictures,
Of the distance,
Hoping to see,
The future in your pictures of the distance
Lyrics submitted by freedom-fighter
El Capitan Lyrics as written by Colin Newton Allan Stewart
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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this song as i recently heard on xfm.. is about el capitan in california.. it is the largest free standing cliff face in north america and it is a place where alot of people killed themselves.. and he talks about it being a glamourous death... and talking about the person who is bringing themselves up to face this cliff and the build up to there jump off.. its along those lines