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.
There he is on the top of a mount
Sharing biscuits with his dog
Meaning he in the general sense of the word,
As he is all of us here.
And his dog asks him why he's alone,
He replies, Well, I'm with my friend.
Or are you leaving me to join in the blur?
'Cause I don't need you around.
Palomar,
What's wrong? Where'd your dog go?
Well, he's gone for fresh meat and supplies.
'Cause he's done this before.
He arrives in town an hour later,
As he's much quicker on four legs than Pal is on two.
He takes his usual spot out back of the butcher shop,
Waiting patiently for closing time.
Meanwhile back on the mount,
Palomar is cleaning his lenses with saline waters.
He reassembles his kaleidoscope,
And waits patiently for dog.
Palomar,
Why not... take this chance
To reflect on things that you done did
And make it better?
Why don't you just try without asking why?
What could be better than a room with a view
And a lovely little doggie to share it with?
When he gets back we will share in our meat.
There's always something good to eat.
Mmmm
So let's leave him alone in his observatory,
Rejoin the little dog in our story.
He's run off with some cur who's bearing his pups.
That's the last of his tale.
Palomar,
What's wrong? Where'd your dog go?
Well, he's gone for good,
And that goes to show you
That love is thicker than brains in a man
Or a dog.
It's the same thing.
Sharing biscuits with his dog
Meaning he in the general sense of the word,
As he is all of us here.
And his dog asks him why he's alone,
He replies, Well, I'm with my friend.
Or are you leaving me to join in the blur?
'Cause I don't need you around.
Palomar,
What's wrong? Where'd your dog go?
Well, he's gone for fresh meat and supplies.
'Cause he's done this before.
He arrives in town an hour later,
As he's much quicker on four legs than Pal is on two.
He takes his usual spot out back of the butcher shop,
Waiting patiently for closing time.
Meanwhile back on the mount,
Palomar is cleaning his lenses with saline waters.
He reassembles his kaleidoscope,
And waits patiently for dog.
Palomar,
Why not... take this chance
To reflect on things that you done did
And make it better?
Why don't you just try without asking why?
What could be better than a room with a view
And a lovely little doggie to share it with?
When he gets back we will share in our meat.
There's always something good to eat.
Mmmm
So let's leave him alone in his observatory,
Rejoin the little dog in our story.
He's run off with some cur who's bearing his pups.
That's the last of his tale.
Palomar,
What's wrong? Where'd your dog go?
Well, he's gone for good,
And that goes to show you
That love is thicker than brains in a man
Or a dog.
It's the same thing.
Lyrics submitted by MixedUpConfusion
Palomar Lyrics as written by Dave August Bidini Dave Clark
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"Love is thicker than brains in a man or a dog" Is my favorite line.
This song reminds me of my best friend, Mikey.
i think this song is about loss and dealing with loss. Palomar loves his dog, but he has to let it go when the he runs off with another dog. I think the dog is a metaphor for children, or a relationship where you have to let the other person go. "Love is thicker than brains" is a great line, meaning that you must follow love whether it makes sense or not (in this case Palomar is leaving a good life with easy food).
I can't add much, except to say that it's an intensely beautiful song.
Palomar is also the name of an observatory in California, that sits atop Palomar Mountain. Many of the lines suggest that Palomar lives in a solitary life in a similar observatory on a mountain, enjoying his "room with a view". He sends his dog to gather food because he is avoiding human contact or contact with strangers.
I think this is simply a story about a man who thinks his life is great, but then something unexpected happens that changes it. The unexpected this is his dog running away. The line about reflecting on things and making it better suggests to me that, even though Palomar feels content with his life, he should examine it more closely, and may realize some things are less perfect than he thought. It might be a chance to take a risk in finding a better life, like his dog does in the end.