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 sat by the phone today, waiting for you to call so I
Could pick it up and say hello to you and you would say hello to me
Just like my dreams
Is there a reason why you're gone, I didn't mean to be so wrong
I tried so hard to be the best that I could be, but still it seems
I always end up alone
Is there something inside me that I don't see
Is there something wrong here with the way I love
Down, you can't hold me down
'Cause when no one is around I won't be standing here just waiting for you to come back home again
Down, you can't hold me down
Because I finally understand that what you did is not so bad in fact it's better for me
Did I not give you enough room, was I overtaking you
And did my love for you just blind me from what I was doing wrong
I never meant you harm
Or was I not good enough for you, is that the reason why we're through
Was I not half the man you thought that I would be but now you see
Is that why you leave me, is that why you leave me
Is there something inside me that I don't see
Is there something wrong here with the way I love
Down, you can't hold me down
'Cause when no one is around I won't be standing here just waiting for you to come back home again
Down, you can't hold me down
Because I finally understand that what you did is not so bad in fact it's better for me
And Lord knows I try to bring back my dreams,
'Cause I held onto your's for so long that I couldn't hold my own
Down, you can't hold me down
'Cause when no one is around I won't be standing here just waiting for you to come back home again
Down, you can't hold me down
Because I finally understand that what you did is not so bad in fact it's better for me
Could pick it up and say hello to you and you would say hello to me
Just like my dreams
Is there a reason why you're gone, I didn't mean to be so wrong
I tried so hard to be the best that I could be, but still it seems
I always end up alone
Is there something inside me that I don't see
Is there something wrong here with the way I love
Down, you can't hold me down
'Cause when no one is around I won't be standing here just waiting for you to come back home again
Down, you can't hold me down
Because I finally understand that what you did is not so bad in fact it's better for me
Did I not give you enough room, was I overtaking you
And did my love for you just blind me from what I was doing wrong
I never meant you harm
Or was I not good enough for you, is that the reason why we're through
Was I not half the man you thought that I would be but now you see
Is that why you leave me, is that why you leave me
Is there something inside me that I don't see
Is there something wrong here with the way I love
Down, you can't hold me down
'Cause when no one is around I won't be standing here just waiting for you to come back home again
Down, you can't hold me down
Because I finally understand that what you did is not so bad in fact it's better for me
And Lord knows I try to bring back my dreams,
'Cause I held onto your's for so long that I couldn't hold my own
Down, you can't hold me down
'Cause when no one is around I won't be standing here just waiting for you to come back home again
Down, you can't hold me down
Because I finally understand that what you did is not so bad in fact it's better for me
Lyrics submitted by Music1Zlife
Down Lyrics as written by Larry Russell Brown Herb Bernstein
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
this is very self-explainatory. the guy didn't know he was doing something wrong, so when she broke up with him he was confused. now he realizes that her breaking up with him just helps him to change. andwhn he talks about her holding him down, i think he means like he's not in love with her anymore. good song. =]