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.
Modern Architecture
Already left to decay
You don't know what you're breathing in
What it is, I couldn't say
We'll meet in Russian Literature
Fourth Floor midday
Travelling Trans-Pennine
She said she'd wait...
More empty buildings for invisible men
No market value to justify the price of the rent
Ignorance isn't bliss,
Familiarity still ends in contempt
We're gonna need some time
But she said she'd wait for me...
Are you hopeful or just gullible?
Are you hopeful or just gullible?
She won't be saved
We can't be saved
I can't live my life being nervous about tomorrow
I already knew her name
I already knew her name
There's a news blackout 'cause it just got worse
Status depends on the size of your purse
There it is again that lock of hair
That won't sit still
Our earthly pleasures
Distract us against our will...
Are you hopeful or just gullible?
Are you hopeful or just gullible?
We won't be saved
She can't be saved
I can't live my life feeling nervous about tomorrow
I already knew her name
I already knew
She won't be saved
We can't be saved
I can't live my life feeling nervous about tomorrow
I already knew her name
I already knew
Well, I knew her name
Already left to decay
You don't know what you're breathing in
What it is, I couldn't say
We'll meet in Russian Literature
Fourth Floor midday
Travelling Trans-Pennine
She said she'd wait...
More empty buildings for invisible men
No market value to justify the price of the rent
Ignorance isn't bliss,
Familiarity still ends in contempt
We're gonna need some time
But she said she'd wait for me...
Are you hopeful or just gullible?
Are you hopeful or just gullible?
She won't be saved
We can't be saved
I can't live my life being nervous about tomorrow
I already knew her name
I already knew her name
There's a news blackout 'cause it just got worse
Status depends on the size of your purse
There it is again that lock of hair
That won't sit still
Our earthly pleasures
Distract us against our will...
Are you hopeful or just gullible?
Are you hopeful or just gullible?
We won't be saved
She can't be saved
I can't live my life feeling nervous about tomorrow
I already knew her name
I already knew
She won't be saved
We can't be saved
I can't live my life feeling nervous about tomorrow
I already knew her name
I already knew
Well, I knew her name
Lyrics submitted by woulduhvtheguts
Russian Literature Lyrics as written by Duncan Robert Lloyd Archis Tiku
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Yeah I share the idea that it about regret for a lost soviet society. The title itself is interesting because Russian Literature is about failed romances, and shows how suffering eventually leads to redemption. And I think it works on both levels. The romance being the political situation of communism which eventually failed. However the song reinforces how this failure did not redeem the people from suffering but did the opposite (not ignoring the suffering that took place under Soviet Union.) Capitalism is not the redemption it should be though. And this old political situation exists only in novels: in Russian Literature; this romance with Communism. Although there's of course a lot more to the song.
"Our earthly pleasures distract us against our will" Materialism controls us in our capitalist society
We'll meet in russian literature For floode day
Doesn't make sense, it's:
We'll meet in russian literature Forth floor, mid-day
yeah its definitely "fourth floor, midday"
a few subtle references to crime and punishment? "forth floor" where raskolnikov murders his two victims "nervous about tomorrow" raskolnikov's anxiety and guilt after his murders "size of you purse" raskolnikov steals the old lady's bulging purse - besides, money is a lot of the motivation behind his murder.
perhaps?
perhaps?
transpenines - is that a train service in the North-East?
The guy that wrote the lyrics down is an idiot it seems.<br /> <br /> The Pennines are a set of mountains which spread from northern Europe to a large section of mountains in Russia (and it has a stop in Siberia I believe the well known spot where pre-communists sent people and where the communists sent people.<br /> Trans-Pennine is a train service that travels across many points in this mountain range.<br />
god this song. is. stunning. The way Paul Smith's voice curls round some of the notes just highlights how talented he is, i think.
Transpennine is a rail company in the North East, yes. tpexpress.co.uk/ I've been on it when travelling to Durham.
I don't exactly get the rest of the song though.
"There's a news blackout 'Cus it just got worse Status depends, on the size of your purse"-
Oh Paul, you kidder
isnt it "Travelling transpennine" and not "travel in transpenine", which is of course a train but the way i understood it he meant, travelling transpennine as in travelling across the alps please dont crucify me if thats rubbish, just the way i understood it
about communist dictatorship in russia and what happened to it once it left.and how communism was still a better choice(marginally) than autocracy, in my opinion.very heavily political for paul,yet again partially disguised as a love song.
There's a news blackout 'Cus it just got worse Status depends, on the size of your purse There it is again that lock of hair that won't sit still- this is about communists censorship of news.how precommunism power depended on your money. and how communism was seen as a problem that needed to be controlled or destroyed,like a lock of hair that can't sit still,either cut or controlled. not sure if girl is meant to be a spy or something.
DEAD ON there I think.