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.
decorated in lights
and surrounded by traffic cones
there was a car crashed wrapped
around a telephone pole
with a soft layer of fire fighter's
chemical foam
the stranger's favorite song still
playing on the radio
nobody knows the trouble i've seen
the trouble i've been through
and as the ambulance takes her to the hospital
the only words she can say are can you take me home
before her spirit escapes her as a soft blue glow oh no...
nobody knows the trouble i've seen
the trouble i've been through
and we'll be dancing at her funeral
dancing at her funeral
now they're digging a hole
cutting her name in stone
sending out invitations to her friends back home
digging a hole, cutting her name in stone, oh no....
nobody knows the trouble i've seen
the trouble i've been through
and surrounded by traffic cones
there was a car crashed wrapped
around a telephone pole
with a soft layer of fire fighter's
chemical foam
the stranger's favorite song still
playing on the radio
nobody knows the trouble i've seen
the trouble i've been through
and as the ambulance takes her to the hospital
the only words she can say are can you take me home
before her spirit escapes her as a soft blue glow oh no...
nobody knows the trouble i've seen
the trouble i've been through
and we'll be dancing at her funeral
dancing at her funeral
now they're digging a hole
cutting her name in stone
sending out invitations to her friends back home
digging a hole, cutting her name in stone, oh no....
nobody knows the trouble i've seen
the trouble i've been through
Lyrics submitted by gh0570fchurch
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My theory to this song is that the person telling the story is the man/woman who called 911 to report the accident. "decorated in lights and surrounded by traffic cones there was a car crashed wrapped around a telephone pole" Notice at , "There was a car crash wrapped around a telephone pole" he changes the tone of his voice as if we were recalling what he said to the 911 phone operator. Now this line "the stranger's favorite song still playing on the radio" could either mean that the song playing in the car that crashed was playing or that he could hear someone who showed up at the wrecks music playing in their car. And notice that as soon as he says the stranger's favorite song still playing on the radio, he quickly jumps to "nobody knows the trouble I've seen" I think that is the song that was playing in the strangers car. But the whole first verse to me sounds like he is giving his witness report to a police officer. The next verse "and as the ambulance takes her to the hospital the only words she can say are can you take me home before her spirit escapes her as a soft blue glow oh no... " sounds to me as if he joined the ambulance and rode with her to the hospital so that she wouldn't be alone, even though he is a stranger to her.. he would't want her to feel alone so he rode with her and the whole time was scared that she would die and in the end she did on the way to the hospital... then he goes on to say "nobody knows the trouble i've seen the trouble i've been through" I think at this point, "the strangers favorite song" has become his new favorite song. He repeats it as if the song were stuck in his head and like a bad memory he can't escape it. Next comes the somewhat sad but happy line "and we'll be dancing at her funeral dancing at her funeral" I think he is saying that instead of mourning her death at her funeral that they will celebrate her life. Next he says "now they're digging a hole cutting her name in stone sending out invitations to her friends back home digging a hole, cutting her name in stone, oh no.." He is sad that her life has come to an end on his watch. He remembers being there with her and wishes that he could've done something to save her. Therefore when he hears about her funeral being planned out, it saddens him. then he repeats "nobody knows the trouble i've seen the trouble i've been through" again, he can't forget what happened and will stick with him through the rest of his entire life. Greatly written song!!