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.
Float from the balcony
We ride the pine top swells
Down from the old hotel
On the lake of Silver Bells
Leading is lonely
When you make alone decisions
Leading is lonely
When you're dancing through derisions
So much left for giving
In the year of living dangerously happy
On the lake of Silver Bells
Light flickers by
A hundred suns behind the trees
Melts us in a lullaby
Our eyelids are like movie screens
And we close our eyes
And feel the warmth come into frame
We close our eyes
Until our dreams become one and the same
So much left for giving
In the year of living dangerously happy
On the lake of Silver Bells
We dance across till we drop
The bells keep time and never stop
We sleep and we wake
To muffled chimes out on the lake
We dance across till we drop
The bells keep time and never stop
We sleep and we wake
On the lake of Silver Bells
We've reached a secret place
To rest and reconcile
We close our eyes
The only change is no change for a while
We'll buy the old hotel
And we will make this place our own
And fill each room with sons and daughters
And never be alone
We dance across till we drop
The bells keep time and never stop
We sleep and we wake
To muffled chimes out on the lake
We dance across till we drop
The bells keep time and never stop
We sleep and we wake
On the lake of Silver Bells
Looking passed the love you face
You miss the place you never had
But what you need's not just the dream
But something on the other end
Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.
You're much too fast asleep
We dance across till we drop
The bells keep time and never stop
We sleep and we wake
To muffled chimes out on the lake
We dance across till we drop
The bells keep time and never stop
We sleep and we wake
On the lake of Silver Bells
The lake of Silver Bells
The lake of Silver Bells
The lake of Silver Bells
We ride the pine top swells
Down from the old hotel
On the lake of Silver Bells
Leading is lonely
When you make alone decisions
Leading is lonely
When you're dancing through derisions
So much left for giving
In the year of living dangerously happy
On the lake of Silver Bells
Light flickers by
A hundred suns behind the trees
Melts us in a lullaby
Our eyelids are like movie screens
And we close our eyes
And feel the warmth come into frame
We close our eyes
Until our dreams become one and the same
So much left for giving
In the year of living dangerously happy
On the lake of Silver Bells
We dance across till we drop
The bells keep time and never stop
We sleep and we wake
To muffled chimes out on the lake
We dance across till we drop
The bells keep time and never stop
We sleep and we wake
On the lake of Silver Bells
We've reached a secret place
To rest and reconcile
We close our eyes
The only change is no change for a while
We'll buy the old hotel
And we will make this place our own
And fill each room with sons and daughters
And never be alone
We dance across till we drop
The bells keep time and never stop
We sleep and we wake
To muffled chimes out on the lake
We dance across till we drop
The bells keep time and never stop
We sleep and we wake
On the lake of Silver Bells
Looking passed the love you face
You miss the place you never had
But what you need's not just the dream
But something on the other end
Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.
You're much too fast asleep
We dance across till we drop
The bells keep time and never stop
We sleep and we wake
To muffled chimes out on the lake
We dance across till we drop
The bells keep time and never stop
We sleep and we wake
On the lake of Silver Bells
The lake of Silver Bells
The lake of Silver Bells
The lake of Silver Bells
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At first, I thought this was a happy song. However, on closer analysis it is very sad song. My interpretation is that the narrator is telling a story to his wife of one year ("the year of living dangerously happy") who is in a coma.
Main clues:
"Leading is lonely when you make alone decisions" His wife is in on life support and it is up to him whether or not to keep her alive.
"Leading is lonely when you're dancing through derisions." He has likely been told that his wife will never wake up, but he keeps her alive.
"Our eyelids are like movie screens." He is telling the story of this beautiful, fantastical place where they can be safe and happy.
"The bells keep time and never stop." Her heart rate monitor makes a constant beeping noise, so he makes a pleasant story about a lake of silver bells out of the sound. "We sleep and we wake to muffled chimes out on the lake."
"The only change is no change for a while." She remains in a coma and will probably not wake up.
"We've reached the secret place to rest and reconcile." Reconcile is an odd word unless it represents a change in his decision. He is slowly realizing he has no choice but to let his wife go.
"We will make this place our own / And fill each room with sons and daughters and never be alone." Probably the saddest line in the song. They are a young couple, childless. If she dies, he will be left completely alone.
"Looking past the love you face, you miss the place you never had." He is looking beyond his love for his wife to what their life could have been like, but will never be now.
"What you need's not just the dream, but something on the other end." He knows she needs more than him telling her a story of a beautiful, old hotel. That he needs to let her go to whatever is on the other side of death.
"Wake up, you're much too fast asleep." He's trying one last time to get her to recover from her coma.
"Leading is lonely." The last line of the song. He knows he has to pull the plug and knows that it will leave him alone without her.
I hope this analysis doesn't ruin the song for anyone, because I think the depth of the lyrics make the song so much better than just the lovely music and singing already apparent.
This is so weird. I was coming on here to post that exact same meaning. What a happy coincidence
@Jade13 I have listened to this thousands of times. I agree 100%! It is absolutely beautiful! Thanks for your interpretation. I wonder if Barry, Terry and Carter would agree????