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.
Having first left the tavern laid a tie upone the door knob
Little John awoke at noon and went to find a day job
Stumbling home much later through the evening just before
Samuel Clemens saw that tie was dangling from the door
And he said I better find another place where I can sleep
Just one more hiding hole to put a secret I can keep
You know there's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves
There's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves
Discombobulated as a boxer on her last leg
Lovely Lucy lamented that she'd hate to have to beg
And though she wouldn't neccesarily mind just one simple burglary
She'd have to check if Sam was sold, he almost certainly would be
Little John might balk at first but then he would believe
You know that rascal always had a shotgun hidden up his sleeve
Oh there's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves
There's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves
Sometimes when they journeymen would drop by unannounced
They'd crash upon the hallway floor, get drunk and make sad sounds
They swear upon their mothers' graves the next time they'd pay rent
It might have been different had they even been friends
But what can you expect in a tenement building of ill repute
Plus then Lucy, she had athing for one she dubbed to cute to make leave
There's that certain something again, that certain something amongst thieves
There's that certain something again, that certain something amongst thieves
Oh so watch out Samuel Clemens here comes Johnny with his jack knife
Having just left the tavern determined to take a live life
It might as well be yours you know exactly what I mean man
I don't know what he heard, oh but I sure know what he's seen man
You got to run him 'round till he's tired he'll forget she even cheats
And though he dont really mean it he is just a little peeved
And there are certain honors amongst, some certain honors amongst thieves
There are certain honors amongst, some certain honors amongst thieves
You may now be wondering what my part in all this mess is
You prefer your puzzle piece together I think that's precious
But I may never tell or you may never know
See I do not get dealt all the cards
But I sense which ones to show
And I think you'd like to have a secret you can hang above
Maybe check with Sammy, Little John or Lovely
Just be careful what information you seek
Oh there's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves
There's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves
Little John awoke at noon and went to find a day job
Stumbling home much later through the evening just before
Samuel Clemens saw that tie was dangling from the door
And he said I better find another place where I can sleep
Just one more hiding hole to put a secret I can keep
You know there's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves
There's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves
Discombobulated as a boxer on her last leg
Lovely Lucy lamented that she'd hate to have to beg
And though she wouldn't neccesarily mind just one simple burglary
She'd have to check if Sam was sold, he almost certainly would be
Little John might balk at first but then he would believe
You know that rascal always had a shotgun hidden up his sleeve
Oh there's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves
There's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves
Sometimes when they journeymen would drop by unannounced
They'd crash upon the hallway floor, get drunk and make sad sounds
They swear upon their mothers' graves the next time they'd pay rent
It might have been different had they even been friends
But what can you expect in a tenement building of ill repute
Plus then Lucy, she had athing for one she dubbed to cute to make leave
There's that certain something again, that certain something amongst thieves
There's that certain something again, that certain something amongst thieves
Oh so watch out Samuel Clemens here comes Johnny with his jack knife
Having just left the tavern determined to take a live life
It might as well be yours you know exactly what I mean man
I don't know what he heard, oh but I sure know what he's seen man
You got to run him 'round till he's tired he'll forget she even cheats
And though he dont really mean it he is just a little peeved
And there are certain honors amongst, some certain honors amongst thieves
There are certain honors amongst, some certain honors amongst thieves
You may now be wondering what my part in all this mess is
You prefer your puzzle piece together I think that's precious
But I may never tell or you may never know
See I do not get dealt all the cards
But I sense which ones to show
And I think you'd like to have a secret you can hang above
Maybe check with Sammy, Little John or Lovely
Just be careful what information you seek
Oh there's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves
There's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves
Lyrics submitted by iamthewilson, edited by demyelinated
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ah, i'm so happy someone posted this! i've been trying to transcribe the lyrics for a while now but never really felt like i had it right. this is pretty close to what i have, except you forgot the last part of the last verse, which i think goes something like this...
You may now be wondering what my part in all this mess is You prefer your puzzle pieced together, I think that's precious But I may never tell, oh, or you may never know See, I do not get dealt all the cards but I sense which ones to show And I think you'd like to have a seat but you can hang above You may be checked with Sammy, Little John or Lovely Just be careful what information you seek Yes, just be careful what information you seek There's a certain honor amongst, a certain honor amongst thieves (x4)
anyway, i'm not really sure what the meaning is, other than the whole story about how they are thieves in a tavern, etc. samuel clemens is mark twain's real name, so that's probably a part of it. whatever it means, this song is awesome. i love this band.
I really dig this song, the whole album's great.<br /> <br /> Not too sure to the meaning of this one, maybe a reference to one of Samuel Clemen's (Mark Twain's) writings?