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.
The day you left and you called me bitch
I called you selfish better pull that switch
Put my son on amphetamines
He came home crying and there's your proof
Crying 'bout nothing but a missing tooth
I did the right thing
You shade the truth almost everyday
Phone calls at night "it's going to be ok"
Are you saddened baby under the bridge?
Are you saddened baby on Lake Street
[Chorus]
Black marker on cardboard
Little drawing of a medicine wheel
Everything that's good you steal
Everything that's good you steal
Maybe you'll wake up in jail alone
And hold the handle of the one pay phone
And do the right thing
Like I once tried but I bent the truth
A five dollar dent for a little lost tooth
There's a payback in front of me
Because once you were like a walking high
Breaking in motion through the parking lot
Are you saddened baby under the bride
Are you saddened baby on Lake Street
[Chorus]
Words of encouragement are just as real
Saving my faith does have a smooth group appeal
Are you saddened baby under the bridge
Are you saddened baby on Lake Street
[Chorus]
Everything that's good you steal
From me
I called you selfish better pull that switch
Put my son on amphetamines
He came home crying and there's your proof
Crying 'bout nothing but a missing tooth
I did the right thing
You shade the truth almost everyday
Phone calls at night "it's going to be ok"
Are you saddened baby under the bridge?
Are you saddened baby on Lake Street
[Chorus]
Black marker on cardboard
Little drawing of a medicine wheel
Everything that's good you steal
Everything that's good you steal
Maybe you'll wake up in jail alone
And hold the handle of the one pay phone
And do the right thing
Like I once tried but I bent the truth
A five dollar dent for a little lost tooth
There's a payback in front of me
Because once you were like a walking high
Breaking in motion through the parking lot
Are you saddened baby under the bride
Are you saddened baby on Lake Street
[Chorus]
Words of encouragement are just as real
Saving my faith does have a smooth group appeal
Are you saddened baby under the bridge
Are you saddened baby on Lake Street
[Chorus]
Everything that's good you steal
From me
Lyrics submitted by patriciadsc, edited by Eamon
Medicine Wheel Lyrics as written by Kate Wolf
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think the song is about two people. The ex-husband and the son.
The part about the son coming home crying I think is about after putting him on the drugs. The father was giving her flak about drugs and saying "look, he came home crying! Proof that the drugs are bad for him", when he was only crying because a tooth got knocked out.
The part about the person on the street holding a sign of a Medicine Wheel must be about the father. It would make sense that he doesn't agree with drugs and prefers herbal stuff. I had wondered at first if it was about someone begging for money on the street using a Native American symbol, and that's why "anything that's given to him, he stole" because it was some kind of hustle. But that is just a passing speculation I had.
There's a part about being out $5 for Tooth Fairy money, and how it's made up to her by seeing the husband ruined.
I could see "Words of encouragement are just as real" going either way. Either literal, or else mocking sarcastically. It's a difficult song to crack.