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 can explain why I cannot give my heart back.
I left it with my Lady Blue.
What was her name?
She flew in, I caught her.
I was a fool to let her go.
She goes, shes goes with her hollow bones, she goes.
Every year she's back for the season.
I have to keep my windows closed.
I couldn't shake what my mother warned me of.
Try to keep me safe between the pews.
I stepped away, saw that Love was outside.
She wore a name, just a different one.
They all say,
'I'm sorry boy, you shouldn't fly with her kind.
They found a way out of God's love.'
She goes, shes goes with her hollow bones.
Keepin it pretty is gettin pretty old.
Keepin it pretty is gettin pretty old.
It's getting pretty old.
Round and round we go, we go around.
Round and round we go, she wont stay dead.
Stay down.
There's an awful lot of holes I gotta dig,
when I know you're gonna climb back up again.
Stay dead. Stay down.
Stay dead. Stay down.
Stay across the sea, but I know where you'll be.
When I look around and round we go, we go around.
Round and round we go, she won't stay dead.
Stay down.
Lady you're a lure, dancing on the bar.
Oh-ho, you know you are.
You call em' to the door, hookem' in the jaw.
Just for tonight, right?
But maybe when you're bored with the easy caught,
and when I can't afford another empty touch,
maybe then we'll board our ships with a couple crashing hearts.
Round and round we go, we go around.
Round and round we go, she stay dead.
Stay down.
Round and round we go, we go around.
Round and round we go, she won't get out of my head.
Stay in the ground.
She won't get out of my head.
Stay in the ground.
She won't stay dead. She won't stay down.
She won't stay dead. She won't stay down.
She won't stay dead.(She goes.)
She won't stay down. (She goes.)
She won't stay.
I left it with my Lady Blue.
What was her name?
She flew in, I caught her.
I was a fool to let her go.
She goes, shes goes with her hollow bones, she goes.
Every year she's back for the season.
I have to keep my windows closed.
I couldn't shake what my mother warned me of.
Try to keep me safe between the pews.
I stepped away, saw that Love was outside.
She wore a name, just a different one.
They all say,
'I'm sorry boy, you shouldn't fly with her kind.
They found a way out of God's love.'
She goes, shes goes with her hollow bones.
Keepin it pretty is gettin pretty old.
Keepin it pretty is gettin pretty old.
It's getting pretty old.
Round and round we go, we go around.
Round and round we go, she wont stay dead.
Stay down.
There's an awful lot of holes I gotta dig,
when I know you're gonna climb back up again.
Stay dead. Stay down.
Stay dead. Stay down.
Stay across the sea, but I know where you'll be.
When I look around and round we go, we go around.
Round and round we go, she won't stay dead.
Stay down.
Lady you're a lure, dancing on the bar.
Oh-ho, you know you are.
You call em' to the door, hookem' in the jaw.
Just for tonight, right?
But maybe when you're bored with the easy caught,
and when I can't afford another empty touch,
maybe then we'll board our ships with a couple crashing hearts.
Round and round we go, we go around.
Round and round we go, she stay dead.
Stay down.
Round and round we go, we go around.
Round and round we go, she won't get out of my head.
Stay in the ground.
She won't get out of my head.
Stay in the ground.
She won't stay dead. She won't stay down.
She won't stay dead. She won't stay down.
She won't stay dead.(She goes.)
She won't stay down. (She goes.)
She won't stay.
Lyrics submitted by HeyUngracefulxx
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I agree with playitloud253. While this song is specifically about the writer's struggle with lust and pornography, I think it speaks to those who struggle with any kind of addiction.
The first verse is the writer explaining to God why he can't give Him his whole heart. He's still hanging on to his addiction, and until he lets go of it, God cannot have all of him.
Throughout the song, "She" is used as a personification of his lust. The reference to "her hollow bones" talks about how shallow lust is. There is nothing more to it than what is on the outside. "Every year she's back for the season. I have to keep my windows closed." This line refers to addiction's persistence. It may go away for a while, but If you don't guard yourself (keeping windows closed), you'll slip up and fall back into sin.
The next couple of lines refer to how his mother tried to protect him by keeping him in church. Despite her efforts, his curiosity got the best of him and he wound up stepping away from what he knew was right.
As others have said, "Keepin it pretty is gettin pretty old" is a continuation of Made Too Pretty. To me, it's about him getting tired of pretending to be righteous, when he knows that he's filthy inside from his secret sin.
The rest of the song is pretty straightforward about his struggle his lust. "Round and round we go" just refers to the constant cycle of sin and repentance. "She wont stay dead. Stay down." is talking about how no matter what, he can't seem to get rid of his addiction. "She" constantly follows him. Even when he thinks that he's succeeded in burying her, she comes back up again.
Anyway, that's just my interpretation of it. If to you, it's about loving a non-Christian, then that's fine. The beauty of lyrics is that they mean different things to different people. Considering Cody has written openly about his struggle with lust and pornography in the past, I feel that this song is no different. It's quickly becoming one my favorites off the new record.
I love your take on it. :] I was needing some help in understanding the song fully. and this really helped with the blind spots...
Completely and totally agree with your interpretation. This is a very well written and moving song.
pretty sure this is a breakup song about an ex. the one and only from as cities I do believe
I can explain why I cannot give my heart back.
"Pretty, he's gettin pretty old" is never in the song. it just says "keepin it pretty is gettin pretty old" repeatedly.
Lady you're a lure, dancing on the bar.
Maybe when you're bored with the easy caught
thanks :)
I think this song takes "Made Too Pretty" further. Made Too Pretty says "If we are the Body (the body of Christ), how'd a pretty man get so ugly", meaning the Body is made up of all different kinds of sinners with struggles and such.
And in this song, I think he focuses on his struggle with lust, constantly saying "SHE won't stay dead, stay down", and he references Made Too Pretty saying "It's getting pretty old keeping it pretty", meaning it gets harder and harder struggling with lust and keeping the Body of Christ pretty.
That's my two cents.
I agree with playitloud. especially with reference to "made too pretty"
Lady Blue the beginning is defiantly about him wanting to be with a girl who isn't christian
'I'm sorry boy, you shouldn't fly with her kind. They found a way out of God's love"
hollow bones, reference to how we are hallow without God. Round and Round...pretty sure he can't get over her like you guys said, she goes round and round in his head
This is actually a very controversial song for the Christian music scene. He tells a tale of a love his family and friends; his Christian peers, told him he could not have.
He tried to ignore his feelings, thus the burying, but she kept pulling at his heart. In the end she obviously got sick of it, as she is no longer there, though she does still have his heart, as he will never forget her as the girl that got away due to his faith. And he sums it up by announcing nothing but regret.
I wish I couldn't relate to this song but I guess we all have our personal demons
'I can explain why I cannot give my heart back. I left it with my Lady Blue. What was her name? She flew in, I caught her. I was a fool to let her go.
She goes, shes goes with her hollow bones, she goes. Every year she's back for the season. I have to keep my windows closed.'
this is metaphor talking about a blue bird, the hollow bones is a reference to the fact that birds have hollow bones. And 'every year she comes back for a season' because blue birds migrate. The rest is pretty self explanatory.
I'm pretty sure nobody has said this yet, but the color very often associated with lust is blue (cold love), so that very easily fits the song. (As I agree with IdonotexistOnlyYouexist's interpretation)