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.
I promise you will get old
I promised you everything
To protect you wherever you go
I'll give you this diamond ring
Just promise you will remember
A promise should last forever
Right up to the dying embers
Of a fire that burns so slow
It's a different day everyday
Don't want you to walk alone
But how will can we carry on
When all of these things have gone?
Just promise you will remember
That promises last forever
Still after the last dying embers
Of a fire that burns so slowly
It's a beautiful thing to do
Sometimes you just have to walk away
Remember, I do love you
Have courage in what you say
And promise you will remember
That promises last forever
Still left of the dying embers
The fire that burns so slowly
And sometimes you just have to walk away
Sometimes you just have to walk away
Wishing that today was yesterday
Yeah, sometimes you just have to walk away
I promised you everything
To protect you wherever you go
I'll give you this diamond ring
Just promise you will remember
A promise should last forever
Right up to the dying embers
Of a fire that burns so slow
It's a different day everyday
Don't want you to walk alone
But how will can we carry on
When all of these things have gone?
Just promise you will remember
That promises last forever
Still after the last dying embers
Of a fire that burns so slowly
It's a beautiful thing to do
Sometimes you just have to walk away
Remember, I do love you
Have courage in what you say
And promise you will remember
That promises last forever
Still left of the dying embers
The fire that burns so slowly
And sometimes you just have to walk away
Sometimes you just have to walk away
Wishing that today was yesterday
Yeah, sometimes you just have to walk away
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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Page
Ed Sheeran
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
A sad, but beautiful song about breaking up but always being there for someone and in each other's hearts and minds. Rather than the original, recommend the Promises EP, and the 'Beyond the Wizards Sleeve' version, which is less morose.
I think the song is about getting married and staying married and not getting divorced. When you get married, you make a promise or a vow to love each other forever. I don't think that it's about breaking up. I think that you sometimes you have to "walk away" from someone who is not right for you, but ultimately, you will find the one who you will promise to be with forever.
I think it's about a proposal, but making sure that if you say yes you mean it with all your heart. And that sometimes, if it's not right, you 'just have to walk away'.
I think this is about breaking up but always remembering the person. He knows and understands that sometimes there's no other way but walking away, but he hopes she will always remember that he loved her. I also think that the diamond ring is more like something she can keep forever, since she can't keep him. When he says "to protect you wherever you go", it shows that he knows there's always a possibility that things are over one day. It's sad, but that's life. In the end all there's left is memories.
The song is about a man who marries a woman and talks about how their fire burns so slowly at the beginning but then it burns strong. They're making promises to each other, vows, and creating the strong bonds of marriage that SHOULD last forever.
However, the woman breaks the bonds of marriage and then their fire doesn't burn strong anymore. Think of the lyric, "It's the laugh of the last dying ember." and also, "A promise SHOULD last forever."
"Do you want to walk alone? How long can we carry on?" are other lyrics. My guess is drugs or something and he didn't want to put up with it anymore. So, he had to be the bigger man and leave her to whatever it is she may be doing. Their love is no longer strong.
"Sometimes you just have to walk away..."
That is what this song means to me. You may not agree but I've thought long and hard about it and this is what I've gathered from the lyrics and tone of song. The genre and speed gives a lot away.