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.
Cause there's these boys at the top of my road, yeah
And car washing is their game, amongst other things
Cause there's a rumour thats spread about town, now
That they could get you anything, if you know what I mean
So I thought I'd take my chances at the carwash
See if I could get anything more special than a wax job
I said, "What's the damage, is that five quid, mate?"
He said "No, sorry son, it's six quid for estates"
I only came, I only came to get my car washed
I wasn't planning on getting friendly with the sniffer dogs
Well saying officer no comment, where's my phonecall
But I'm leaving with so much more, than what I'd bargained for
Cause there's a copper at the top of our road, yeah
And nicking people is his game, amongst other things
Cause he don't like the look of our carwashing boys, though
Cause they don't look right - too gangsta, too many toys
He said "I'm not trying to say these aren't law abiding citizens...
But they don't pay their council tax or take their vitamins
There's nothing wrong with washing cars for a living
It's just there's something a little shady-shady about these boys"
I only came, I only came to get my car washed
I wasn't planning on getting friendly with the sniffer dogs
Well saying officer no comment, where's my phonecall
But I'm leaving with so much more, than what I'd bargained for
Psalt, psalt, psalt
A little pinch of psalt, psalt, psalt
Just a little pinch of psalt, psalt, psalt
Just a little bit of psalt
I'm not making claims on police brutality
Or saying the boys in blue have ever harmed me physically
I'm just wondering what my mates with darker skin like to
Wear gold jewellry, baggy jeans, a tin to
They fall into certain categories because they look suspicious
Allowing them to be strip searched as the boys they wiggle
To pull em over in their cars, or even worse
All because he looks like he might just nick a purse
(Psalt, psalt, psalt
A little pinch of psalt, psalt, psalt)
I only came, I only came to get my car washed
I wasn't planning on getting friendly with the sniffer dogs
Well saying officer no comment, where's my phonecall
But I'm leaving with so much more, than what I'd bargained for
And car washing is their game, amongst other things
Cause there's a rumour thats spread about town, now
That they could get you anything, if you know what I mean
So I thought I'd take my chances at the carwash
See if I could get anything more special than a wax job
I said, "What's the damage, is that five quid, mate?"
He said "No, sorry son, it's six quid for estates"
I only came, I only came to get my car washed
I wasn't planning on getting friendly with the sniffer dogs
Well saying officer no comment, where's my phonecall
But I'm leaving with so much more, than what I'd bargained for
Cause there's a copper at the top of our road, yeah
And nicking people is his game, amongst other things
Cause he don't like the look of our carwashing boys, though
Cause they don't look right - too gangsta, too many toys
He said "I'm not trying to say these aren't law abiding citizens...
But they don't pay their council tax or take their vitamins
There's nothing wrong with washing cars for a living
It's just there's something a little shady-shady about these boys"
I only came, I only came to get my car washed
I wasn't planning on getting friendly with the sniffer dogs
Well saying officer no comment, where's my phonecall
But I'm leaving with so much more, than what I'd bargained for
Psalt, psalt, psalt
A little pinch of psalt, psalt, psalt
Just a little pinch of psalt, psalt, psalt
Just a little bit of psalt
I'm not making claims on police brutality
Or saying the boys in blue have ever harmed me physically
I'm just wondering what my mates with darker skin like to
Wear gold jewellry, baggy jeans, a tin to
They fall into certain categories because they look suspicious
Allowing them to be strip searched as the boys they wiggle
To pull em over in their cars, or even worse
All because he looks like he might just nick a purse
(Psalt, psalt, psalt
A little pinch of psalt, psalt, psalt)
I only came, I only came to get my car washed
I wasn't planning on getting friendly with the sniffer dogs
Well saying officer no comment, where's my phonecall
But I'm leaving with so much more, than what I'd bargained for
Lyrics submitted by dricambo
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