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.
We looked hard;
I stood on the bottom.
Calloused tiptoes,
Splintering wood,
Waterlogging.
Break up, come back together. Genessaret.
I want to skip like a stone from a stronger arm.
Each one I throw is moving somewhere.
Oh, let me go.
I will go out, out, out, out
Past these yellow ropes.
I am not afraid.
They sway there like
The shredded ones hung
From my parents' tree
Where I pumped my legs
And I broke into sweat.
I never saw my face
In the bird bath mirror,
Red as blood
And I was tired.
For a minute short, there was a wonder.
A sense after the momentary weird blur,
In the space of expectancy
When you wake,
When you open your eyes.
When you expect to see the same thing that
You've seen. First, the ceiling:
Grey from great oak.
Grey from great oak.
He'd thrown his net over us.
(Stringy hands, stained glass)
And all his sounds, the same today.
But my body changed.
Something in the salty sheets
Was pressing in on me.
Stuck and stinging, I keep rolling.
I stood on the bottom.
Calloused tiptoes,
Splintering wood,
Waterlogging.
Break up, come back together. Genessaret.
I want to skip like a stone from a stronger arm.
Each one I throw is moving somewhere.
Oh, let me go.
I will go out, out, out, out
Past these yellow ropes.
I am not afraid.
They sway there like
The shredded ones hung
From my parents' tree
Where I pumped my legs
And I broke into sweat.
I never saw my face
In the bird bath mirror,
Red as blood
And I was tired.
For a minute short, there was a wonder.
A sense after the momentary weird blur,
In the space of expectancy
When you wake,
When you open your eyes.
When you expect to see the same thing that
You've seen. First, the ceiling:
Grey from great oak.
Grey from great oak.
He'd thrown his net over us.
(Stringy hands, stained glass)
And all his sounds, the same today.
But my body changed.
Something in the salty sheets
Was pressing in on me.
Stuck and stinging, I keep rolling.
Lyrics submitted by whenshesmiles
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i'm sure this is illogical, but people could possibly be bringing up God influences in anathallo's music, because, well..that's what's going on? do you even own the sparrows album? how about the hymns ep? how about holiday at sea whose title was derived from a c.s. lewis quote (you know, cs lewis? renowned Christian thinker..)? not all anathallo songs are religious topically, but stop fighting the obvious.
I know this is a reference to the story of the disciples rowing and Jesus appearing to them as they toiled at the oars, but i am still no sure what the song means
Yeah, i believe that Genessaret refers to the area they were in. It actually is the greek name that was used to refer to the sea of galilee.
the Valley of Genessaret is also along the Sea of Galilee and it was where Jesus gave His sermon on the mount. maybe that has something to do with it too. not too sure.
i love te line "i want to skip like a stone from a stronger arm," it's very cool to know that G-d is that stronger arm; at least that's what i think anathallo is saying.
When he sings about "breaking a sweat," I see that as one trying to earn salvation through effort, toil - and only getting tired. "Not seeing my face" could represent being consumed by constantly trying to do more.
The momentary disorientation that comes when you "wake up" could be when one's eyes are opened to Christ's sacrifice and God's love - when one truly experiences that. Cool song, definitely up for discussion.
It could simply be about drowning. . . ?
Everyone needs to stop saying god influences every artist's music, especially Anathallo. You are ruining the whole idea for a lot of us.
I think you are absolutely incorrect. If we're ruining anything, it's your misconceptions about Anathallo, so you're welcome. They're a blatantly Christian themed band. No one said that about every artist.
I see God in Anathallo's music and lyrics. That doesn't mean everyone has to. You know, with bands that aren't influenced by God in any way, people still see the lyrics in different ways. I've found certain lyrics by bands I know to be on the opposite end from Christianity to be relatable to Bible verses and themes.<br /> <br /> So I hate to think that me having a different opinion of a song than you could ruin a whole band for you. If anything, it should just provide a different view, as yours would for me.
This could be about Peter coming out of the disciples' boat and walking on water towards Jesus. After that incident they arrived at Gennesaret (which is spelled like that, for some reason, and not like the song title.)
Starting at the "I want to skip like a stone..." part, I can see the connection. Skipping like a stone from a stronger arm could mean simply staying on the water instead of staying up for a little while and then sinking. The stronger arm could refer to Jesus's strength holding him on the water. The next section is about him being brave and leaving the boat. I'm not sure what the next is about, but when it says he broke into a sweat, it could be about when he begins to sink.
The Lake of Genessaret is one of the names for the Sea of Galilee. This song is referring to when Jesus went fishing with Peter, James and John and called them to be his first disciples. They had been working all night and had not caught anything, I think the first half of the song seems to be referring to this; "waterlogged."
I think this song is somewhat from the perspective of Simon Peter, who shows a distinct change. He seems doubtful that they should let down their nets, as Jesus told them to, but is obedient. When they begin to catch an immense amount of fish he falls at Jesus' feet and says he is not worthy of Him. "And all his sounds, the same today. But my body changed. Something in the salty sheets Was pressing in on me."
Also, the line "He'd thrown his net over us" is saying that Jesus claimed them as His. This is the metaphor presented in the gospels, these men were fishermen and Jesus says to them "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men" (Luke 4:10). After the fishermen collected a massive quantity of fish right after there had been none to collect, they immediately dropped their nets and went with Christ. I see this song as referring to this switch, and the extreme change that came with their choice to follow Him. "So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him" (Luke 4:11).
It seems like this might also be touching on struggling with the feeling that something is holding him back from dropping everything as the disciples did. "Oh, let me go. I will go out, out, out, out Past these yellow ropes. I am not afraid." "Stuck and stinging, I keep rolling."