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.
Hey, have you noticed that the world has changed
That the news is all bad
Well, I think it's time for a song about that
Up on the East side of Manhattan,
They're still dancing with the stars.
While over in sub prime city,
It's getting ugly in the local bars
Watching the news only gives me the blues
There's too much going wrong.
It takes the likes of me to hit the reboot key
And write a high speed drinking song.
Millionaires losing everything.
Hey, welcome to the other side of life!
There goes the yacht, there goes the Rolls,
But you, you get to keep your wife!
And don't forget the automakers
Swimming up stream like a trout.
They let the shit hit the fan
And then they made a plan
We've got a, a lot to drink about.
There's the price of oil,
The war of the spoils.
Here's your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We've got a, a lot to drink about.
Now, Madoff made off with all the money.
And his clients are down to skunk weed.
Repeat after me, it's so easy to see
We're only talking simple greed.
And those Somalian pirates are counting all the gold.
While Bush and Cheney ain't around
And all the good lookers seem to be Russian hookers
From Key West to London town.
With the price of oil,
The war of the spoils.
Here's your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We've got a, a lot to drink about.
So pour me some Tennessee whiskey,
Pour me a fine Jamaican rum.
That loud mouth soup
Can get ya kinda looped
Tequila, of course I'll have some!
Well the family devalues
And little children plan their net worth
And the truth wherever it's hiding,
Can be found on Google Earth.
Citibank's buying jets with our money.
I wanna flog 'em with a buggy whip.
Let's hope Obama and Joe won't let the volcano blow
And patch the hole in our sinking ship.
There's the price of oil,
The war of the spoils.
Here's your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We've got a, a lot to drink about.
Recession, opression, depression, good God
CNN keeps bumming me out.
I can't take another doomsday minute
We got a lot to drink, a lot to think,
A lot to drink about.
God bless America!
That the news is all bad
Well, I think it's time for a song about that
Up on the East side of Manhattan,
They're still dancing with the stars.
While over in sub prime city,
It's getting ugly in the local bars
Watching the news only gives me the blues
There's too much going wrong.
It takes the likes of me to hit the reboot key
And write a high speed drinking song.
Millionaires losing everything.
Hey, welcome to the other side of life!
There goes the yacht, there goes the Rolls,
But you, you get to keep your wife!
And don't forget the automakers
Swimming up stream like a trout.
They let the shit hit the fan
And then they made a plan
We've got a, a lot to drink about.
There's the price of oil,
The war of the spoils.
Here's your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We've got a, a lot to drink about.
Now, Madoff made off with all the money.
And his clients are down to skunk weed.
Repeat after me, it's so easy to see
We're only talking simple greed.
And those Somalian pirates are counting all the gold.
While Bush and Cheney ain't around
And all the good lookers seem to be Russian hookers
From Key West to London town.
With the price of oil,
The war of the spoils.
Here's your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We've got a, a lot to drink about.
So pour me some Tennessee whiskey,
Pour me a fine Jamaican rum.
That loud mouth soup
Can get ya kinda looped
Tequila, of course I'll have some!
Well the family devalues
And little children plan their net worth
And the truth wherever it's hiding,
Can be found on Google Earth.
Citibank's buying jets with our money.
I wanna flog 'em with a buggy whip.
Let's hope Obama and Joe won't let the volcano blow
And patch the hole in our sinking ship.
There's the price of oil,
The war of the spoils.
Here's your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We've got a, a lot to drink about.
Recession, opression, depression, good God
CNN keeps bumming me out.
I can't take another doomsday minute
We got a lot to drink, a lot to think,
A lot to drink about.
God bless America!
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Pretty self explanitory song about the present state of the US/World, and how he is trying to re-capture the magic of creating a great drinking song both to cheer us up and take our money. ;)