This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Who are you?
And where did you go?
And where are you from?
And what do you know?
You're in my blood
And you're in my hair
You're in my heart
And you're in the air
I met you once over the phone
You sounded sad and you seemed alone
You left me but I never left you
I never had the chance to
Music was the one thing
We would have had in common
You were my age when I was born
Would I have done what you did?
Would I do what you have done?
I like to think I'm a bigger man than that
You had some problems with alcohol
You took 12 steps and you solved them all
It took 16 years for you to call
What gave you the brave to pick up that ball?
You played the trumpet and the drums
While my mom sang at funerals
I play guitar til my hands are numb
You two are where music comes from, for me
So thank you so much for not raising me
You spent your life on better things
And you would have been an awful dad
Thank you though for those genes you had
And where did you go?
And where are you from?
And what do you know?
You're in my blood
And you're in my hair
You're in my heart
And you're in the air
I met you once over the phone
You sounded sad and you seemed alone
You left me but I never left you
I never had the chance to
Music was the one thing
We would have had in common
You were my age when I was born
Would I have done what you did?
Would I do what you have done?
I like to think I'm a bigger man than that
You had some problems with alcohol
You took 12 steps and you solved them all
It took 16 years for you to call
What gave you the brave to pick up that ball?
You played the trumpet and the drums
While my mom sang at funerals
I play guitar til my hands are numb
You two are where music comes from, for me
So thank you so much for not raising me
You spent your life on better things
And you would have been an awful dad
Thank you though for those genes you had
Lyrics submitted by WorldStrike
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i think the lyric is "it took 16 years for you to call, what gave you the brave to pick up at all?" it's a reference to the whole "brave as a noun" thing.
anyway. obviously about his dad. good tune.
This song is so wonderful live. And yes, I agree with the thought the entire "brave" line is a reference to "Brave as a Noun"
"I am not a courageous man. I don't have any big, lasting plans."
Imp - Now since I've actually purchased the CD (when it leaked I couldn't wait haha), looking at the lyric book, it's "it took 16 years for you to call, what gave you the brave to pick up that ball?" Just wanted to solidify that.
shit, really? i've looked at the lyric sheet for the stuff i don't understand but i never bothered looking at this song. whoops. I JUST LEARNED A LESSON IN HUMILITY YAAAY<br /> <br /> lol i did the same thing, got the leak first and then bought the CD. did your download have "white face, black eyes"? mine didn't, and i just can't bear to leave things unfinished like that.
its pretty self-explanatory. its a bout someone whos father left him and his mother when he was young. and out of the blue his father finally calls him 16 yrs later. he wonders what took him so long to call, and if hed do the same thing if he was in his fathers shoes. in the end, hes happy that his father wasnt around to raise him, but gave him good genes.
I don't think this is some elaborate story telling, I think it's just Sean singing a song about his dad.
Pretty straight-forward, the singer is singing about how his dad left him, and that the only good he ever did him was passing on his genes.