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.
Go on parade and fade
Hit the scene and slow
Spending all your time with some girl
You'll never get to know
Wound up tight
Dressed all in white
Some torn main sail
Blowing out to drift
Leave you even if
You live up in your head
Scared of every little noise
Someone's always breaking in accidentally
Using nothing but their voice
Shrill and small
Echo down the hall
Repeating pet names
See it in your eyes
You're only passing by
Go by, go by
Go by, go by
Someone's in the way
Of pretty words and inside slurs
All the things they have to say to perform
The work that they've rehearsed
It's a waste of time
I'd put it behind me once and for all
And let the hype decline
If the problem wasn't mine
Go by, go by
Go by, go by
Go by, go by
Go by, go by
Hit the scene and slow
Spending all your time with some girl
You'll never get to know
Wound up tight
Dressed all in white
Some torn main sail
Blowing out to drift
Leave you even if
You live up in your head
Scared of every little noise
Someone's always breaking in accidentally
Using nothing but their voice
Shrill and small
Echo down the hall
Repeating pet names
See it in your eyes
You're only passing by
Go by, go by
Go by, go by
Someone's in the way
Of pretty words and inside slurs
All the things they have to say to perform
The work that they've rehearsed
It's a waste of time
I'd put it behind me once and for all
And let the hype decline
If the problem wasn't mine
Go by, go by
Go by, go by
Go by, go by
Go by, go by
Lyrics submitted by tronistroy, edited by wordsdrawnigh
Go By Lyrics as written by Steven Paul Smith
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Wow. These are pretty wrong. Here are the correct lyrics, at least from the Confusion recording:
You waited a little while by a wetted sunset street, And a lady, looking tired, comes along to take away your dream. Cause he thought you might come by tonight; She thought so, too, to hear the way he talks, eyes trained to the cross. He lives up in his head, scared of every little door. Someone’s always breaking in accidentally, using nothing but their voice. But he walks along, extremely alone, down your one way, Across the great divide where no two paths collide. Go by, go by. Go by, go by. You won’t come by tonight, but if you did you’d only curse All the things he’d have to say to perform the works that you’ve rehearsed. Like your happy song that he’d interpret wrong—you’d make him cry. It’s how you’re gonna win, beginning at the end. Go by, go by. Go by, go by. Go by, go by. Go by, go by.