Is there a word or right to say
Even in this old fashioned way?
Go make your move, girl
I'm not coming home
Would things have changed if I could've stayed?
Would you have loved me either way?
Dressed to the blues, say to day with my collar up
Decision sits, so make it quick
A breath inhaled from an air so sick
I cursed the day I had learned of the web you spun
You had your hold till bleeding

(Hey, hey) if it was up to me
I would've figured you out
Way before the year clocked out
Oh, I hope you're waiting
(Hey, hey) if it was up to me
I would've never walked out
So until the sun burns out
Oh, I hope you're waiting

Would we have lived as a child would care?
With this vial to drink, I dare
Only to cry all alone with your taste on tongue (oh, where have you been?)
(Oh where have you been? Oh, where have you been if it hurts to be forgiving? Bye)

Should we try this again with hope? (Bye, bye)
Or is it lost? Give up the ghost
And should I die all alone as I knew I would
Then burn in hell young sinner

(Hey, hey) if it was up to me
I would've figured you out
Way before the year clocked out (girl, well I know you now)
Oh, I hope you're waiting
Oh, I hope you're waiting

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, boy)
And are you well in the suffering?
(You've been) the most gracious of hosts
You may be invited girl, but you're not coming in

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, boy)
And are you well in the suffering?
(You've been) the most gracious of hosts
I may be invited girl, but I'm not coming in

(Hey, hey) if it was up to me
(You had your hold) I would've figured you out
Way before the year clocked out (girl, well I know you now)
Oh, I hope you're waiting
(Hey, hey) if it was up to me
(You'll burn, you know) I would've never walked out
So until the sun burns out (oh, where have you been?)
(Oh where have you been? Oh, where have you been if it hurts to be forgiving?)
Oh, I hope you're waiting

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, boy)
And are you well in the suffering?
(You've been) the most gracious of hosts
You may be invited girl, but you're not coming in

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, boy)
And are you well in the suffering?
(You've been) the most gracious of hosts
I may be invited girl, but I'm not coming in

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, boy) (listen well, listen well)
And are you well in the suffering?
(You've been) the most gracious of hosts
You may be invited girl, but you're not coming in

Listen well, will you marry me? (Not now, boy) (listen well, listen well)
And are you well in the suffering?
(You've been) the most gracious of hosts
I may be invited girl, but I'm not coming in
And you're not coming in


Lyrics submitted by allhailsparta, edited by myloaxolotl

The Suffering Lyrics as written by Joshua Eppard Claudio Sanchez

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

The Suffering song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

98 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    Also, is anyone else as excited for the 120 page graphic novel thats being released with the album? I love the comic's that have been slowly coming out, and a big book that tells the entire story of this album is going to be amazing.

    wetzillaon August 29, 2005   Link

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

Album art
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
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.
Album art
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Album art
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Album art
Gentle Hour
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,
Album art
No Surprises
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.