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.
Hate Gil, really now
Hate you because
Go tippy toe
Shut off to the world
Shut off to all, you ghost
Early told a lie
Afraid to be blind
Now go for a while
Shut off the world
Shut off to all
I'm yours
I'm yours
Helping evil people to say things they show
Said once before
I know evil people who say things
They don't know, oh
Begged Gil, really, why?
Stay through the night
I'm here for a while
Shut off to the world
Shut off to all
I'm yours
I'm yours
Helping evil people to say things they show
Said once before
I know evil people who say things
They don't know
Oh, why do I even care?
It's nothing now, oh
Hate you because
Go tippy toe
Shut off to the world
Shut off to all, you ghost
Early told a lie
Afraid to be blind
Now go for a while
Shut off the world
Shut off to all
I'm yours
I'm yours
Helping evil people to say things they show
Said once before
I know evil people who say things
They don't know, oh
Begged Gil, really, why?
Stay through the night
I'm here for a while
Shut off to the world
Shut off to all
I'm yours
I'm yours
Helping evil people to say things they show
Said once before
I know evil people who say things
They don't know
Oh, why do I even care?
It's nothing now, oh
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Best Band Of Horses song, for sure.
I'm not hearing "Hate Gil really now" I think its more "Hey'd you really know Hate you because"
I love Band of Horses but damn is it hard to understand him.
@seldomburn yessir
ya so what is this song about? sounds like a good song to commit suicide to, but meaning; i'm not sure :/ help!
Definitely their best song.. Only a few of their other songs do as much for me as this. I'm hearing "I know evil people will save me" in the chorus btw.. I'm quite sure that these lyrics need to be corrected a bit..
I must say - I love this band; When I first herd them at my frieds house I was like a drug adict that night needing to listen to them. Anyway- I think that this song is about a coupple that is going threugh tought times and the woman is listening to evil people (like bad friends with bad intentions) and causing problems in their lives - he shuts of to the world and gives everything to her and more problems arise and things become too bad to fix.
Hey do you really know Hate you because Go tippy toe And shut off the world Shut off to all, you ghost
I barely told a lie Prayed to be blind Now go for a while Shut off the world Shut off to all I'm yours I'm yours
Helping evil people to say things they should And say once before I know evil people who say things They don't know
I begged Gil really, why Stay through the night I'm here for a while Shut off to the world Shut off to all I'm yours I'm yours
Helping evil people to say things they should And say once before I know evil people who say things They don't know Oh why do I even care It's nothing now
My crack at it.. I'm pretty sure these are right: Go tippy toe => Gold teeth to toe ...And shut off to the world
I begged Gil really, why => I bet you really want ...To stay through the night
I listened to a much slower live version, and I heard "There'll be evil people to say things"
Made some changes. I still hear 'show' instead of 'should' though.
I've heard this song is about/for Gil Meche, who pitched for the Seattle Mariners. Along with the Detlef Schrempf song (Seattle Supersonics) and the band's previous Seattle location, it makes sense.