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.
Holy ghosts,
When do you come out to play?
'Cause if the Lord is gonna find me,
He'd better start looking today.
Last week my baby hit the slopes.
I spent the weekend setting traps in the road.
I should have been cutting out my eyelids,
You'll never guess what baby did when she got home.
Na na na na
Now at least the birds are singing to me,
But what they're trying to say,
I don't know.
(you're beautiful)
I think they come from the cold
(for all your big mistakes)
I think they come from the cold
(you stayed the same)
To the city that don't snow.
So I drove until we both broke down.
I was stranded in a border town
Believing the motel TV would bring me to safety,
But between MTV and Mr. O'Reilly
I've come to find, that I can't be defined
So I turned it off, now convinced I would cross
Took one last look at the gold
As it shattered on a mountaintop
Now I believe the sun, it's like a symphony.
But what it's trying to play,
I don't know.
(you're beautiful)
I think it's come for the cold.
(for all your big mistakes)
I think it's come for the cold.
(you stayed the same)
To the city that don't snow.
C'mon, Holy ghosts
When do you come out to play?
'Cause if the Lord is gonna find me,
He'd better start looking today.
So I can rise with the river
We all float before we sink
So pray for satellites,
Pray for courtesy
And pray that it can climb mountains to me!
I say goodbye to the canyon.
I will set sail to the streets
Where I don't care to be forgiven
I want to be forgotten.
I don't care to be forgiven
When Lord I only want to be forgotten!
Now I receive a call from my family
And what they started to say
Brought me home.
(you're beautiful)
They think I'm beautiful
(for all your big mistakes)
They think I'm beautiful
(you're beautiful)
For all my big mistakes.
When do you come out to play?
'Cause if the Lord is gonna find me,
He'd better start looking today.
Last week my baby hit the slopes.
I spent the weekend setting traps in the road.
I should have been cutting out my eyelids,
You'll never guess what baby did when she got home.
Na na na na
Now at least the birds are singing to me,
But what they're trying to say,
I don't know.
(you're beautiful)
I think they come from the cold
(for all your big mistakes)
I think they come from the cold
(you stayed the same)
To the city that don't snow.
So I drove until we both broke down.
I was stranded in a border town
Believing the motel TV would bring me to safety,
But between MTV and Mr. O'Reilly
I've come to find, that I can't be defined
So I turned it off, now convinced I would cross
Took one last look at the gold
As it shattered on a mountaintop
Now I believe the sun, it's like a symphony.
But what it's trying to play,
I don't know.
(you're beautiful)
I think it's come for the cold.
(for all your big mistakes)
I think it's come for the cold.
(you stayed the same)
To the city that don't snow.
C'mon, Holy ghosts
When do you come out to play?
'Cause if the Lord is gonna find me,
He'd better start looking today.
So I can rise with the river
We all float before we sink
So pray for satellites,
Pray for courtesy
And pray that it can climb mountains to me!
I say goodbye to the canyon.
I will set sail to the streets
Where I don't care to be forgiven
I want to be forgotten.
I don't care to be forgiven
When Lord I only want to be forgotten!
Now I receive a call from my family
And what they started to say
Brought me home.
(you're beautiful)
They think I'm beautiful
(for all your big mistakes)
They think I'm beautiful
(you're beautiful)
For all my big mistakes.
Lyrics submitted by Tri_T, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Benson Hedges Lyrics as written by Andrew Dost Nate Ruess
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Hipgnosis Songs Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I agree with IfWorkPermits. The connection between If Work Permits (last song on Dog Problem) and this song (first song released by Fun) is similar to the connection between A Save Situation (last song on Interventions) and Matches (first song on Dog Problems).
A Save Situation ends with "...and we all fall down." Matches starts with "ashes to ashes". These are some of the lyrics to Ring a Ring o' Roses. So those two songs are obviously connected.
Now, as IfWorkPermits pointed out, the song If Work Permits says "you'll grab that piece of gold" and "..is gonna set the sails, and send me back to you". This new song says "Took one last look at the gold" and "I will set sail for the streets."
It's a neat little pattern. Nate connects the end of his albums with the beginning of the next lyrically. Anyways, awesome song!