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.
It's a part of the act
The fifty states
Pack up your bags
It's never too late
From Alabama to Arkansas
Follow Alaska, say what you saw
Swim in the ocean, Maryland, Maine
Then Massachusetts, what a great place
Go to New Hampshire, Missouri too
It's not Virgina but it will do
Take a drive to Ohio
We went running through the oil
And my favourite avenue
I tried it all my favourite choose
There's Mississippi, Kentucky blue
Rhode Island rage
And a Tennessee too
See Oklahoma or Michigan
There's a Nevada, see Washington win
Or Arizona, Colorado
Connecticut Yankee, love Ohio
Louisiana, Delaware who
Go Minnesota, we're thinking of you
When we came to Washington
We went running through the rain
In my favourite city park
In my favourite time of day
Oh California, Wyoming too
Go to Wisconsin, New Jersey loves you
Fly in to Georgia, Idaho Bay
Or Indiana, they all seem the same
Flordia voting, Montana chew
Visit Nebrasksa, there's nothing to do
North Carolina, Oregon arms
Illinois people, Illinois farms
If I lived in Rhode Island
Or if I lived in Michigan
Or if I lived to be a man
Will you comfort me again?
There's West Virgina, gold in Vermont
Visit Hawaii or New Mexico
Iowa, Texas, take it all in
The Mormans in Utah, the money in gin
There's Pennsylvania, driving at night
South Carolina, what a delight
Dakotas and Kansas
Piggy and pork
Jump on a train, head back to New York
It's a part of the act
The fifty states
Pack up your bags, it's never too late
(Pack up your bags, trumpet!)
(Pack up your bags, Wurlitzer!)
(Pack up your bags, snare drum!)
God bless America
Land that I love
God bless America
Land that I love
The fifty states
Pack up your bags
It's never too late
From Alabama to Arkansas
Follow Alaska, say what you saw
Swim in the ocean, Maryland, Maine
Then Massachusetts, what a great place
Go to New Hampshire, Missouri too
It's not Virgina but it will do
Take a drive to Ohio
We went running through the oil
And my favourite avenue
I tried it all my favourite choose
There's Mississippi, Kentucky blue
Rhode Island rage
And a Tennessee too
See Oklahoma or Michigan
There's a Nevada, see Washington win
Or Arizona, Colorado
Connecticut Yankee, love Ohio
Louisiana, Delaware who
Go Minnesota, we're thinking of you
When we came to Washington
We went running through the rain
In my favourite city park
In my favourite time of day
Oh California, Wyoming too
Go to Wisconsin, New Jersey loves you
Fly in to Georgia, Idaho Bay
Or Indiana, they all seem the same
Flordia voting, Montana chew
Visit Nebrasksa, there's nothing to do
North Carolina, Oregon arms
Illinois people, Illinois farms
If I lived in Rhode Island
Or if I lived in Michigan
Or if I lived to be a man
Will you comfort me again?
There's West Virgina, gold in Vermont
Visit Hawaii or New Mexico
Iowa, Texas, take it all in
The Mormans in Utah, the money in gin
There's Pennsylvania, driving at night
South Carolina, what a delight
Dakotas and Kansas
Piggy and pork
Jump on a train, head back to New York
It's a part of the act
The fifty states
Pack up your bags, it's never too late
(Pack up your bags, trumpet!)
(Pack up your bags, Wurlitzer!)
(Pack up your bags, snare drum!)
God bless America
Land that I love
God bless America
Land that I love
Lyrics submitted by artblot
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
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
We're all the same in Indiana?
Oh well, I forgive him. I'm hoping that we're next on his list; I know he'll do us justice and then some!