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 was never nothing popular and neither was she
She was kind though, always had a smile for me
I never thought much about her, didn't see her that way
And she was always out sick, missing every other day
Now that I think about it we was always saying "Hello"
I always figured cuz we both were people alone
I hardly knew her at all, she sat behind me in some classes
What was really going on behind her glasses?
And why was...
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
When I heard she passed away, I must admit I was sad
Cuz of all the mean faces, hers was sweet and always glad
I hardly knew her for nothing, I only knew she was cool
A quiet soul, fragile, slipping through the hallways at school
And now that she's gone, I can hear her crying my name
Although it doesn't make sense to think about, it's insane
But what if I was something special to her cuz I said "Hi"
What if she would always dream about if I was her guy
And what if those "Hello"s that we shared went a long way
What if she felt for me, like, in a strong way
What if she was ill but always tried to make it in
Just to see me in the halls and share our "Hello"s again
Why was...
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Why!?
Is she calling down to me!?
To me!?
Why!?
Is she calling out to me!?
To me!?
She was pale, and looked so ill and so frail
Maybe she looked at my life, and how it's so stale
And thought "We're both outcasts, maybe we could have each other?"
It flew right over my head, I never even bothered
Now it's too late, and every night I hear her in my head
Begging me to join her with the dead, meh
To think about it's so strange, I hear her singing my name
Vera Lee is haunting my brain! I hear her in the rain!
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Why!?
Is she calling out to me!?
To me!?
Why!?
Is she calling out to me!?
To me!?
Why!?
Is she calling out to me!?
To me!?
Why!?
Is she calling out to me!?
To me!?
Why!?
Tell me, why is she calling down to me!?
To me!?
Why!?
Why!?
Why!?
She was kind though, always had a smile for me
I never thought much about her, didn't see her that way
And she was always out sick, missing every other day
Now that I think about it we was always saying "Hello"
I always figured cuz we both were people alone
I hardly knew her at all, she sat behind me in some classes
What was really going on behind her glasses?
And why was...
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
When I heard she passed away, I must admit I was sad
Cuz of all the mean faces, hers was sweet and always glad
I hardly knew her for nothing, I only knew she was cool
A quiet soul, fragile, slipping through the hallways at school
And now that she's gone, I can hear her crying my name
Although it doesn't make sense to think about, it's insane
But what if I was something special to her cuz I said "Hi"
What if she would always dream about if I was her guy
And what if those "Hello"s that we shared went a long way
What if she felt for me, like, in a strong way
What if she was ill but always tried to make it in
Just to see me in the halls and share our "Hello"s again
Why was...
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Why!?
Is she calling down to me!?
To me!?
Why!?
Is she calling out to me!?
To me!?
She was pale, and looked so ill and so frail
Maybe she looked at my life, and how it's so stale
And thought "We're both outcasts, maybe we could have each other?"
It flew right over my head, I never even bothered
Now it's too late, and every night I hear her in my head
Begging me to join her with the dead, meh
To think about it's so strange, I hear her singing my name
Vera Lee is haunting my brain! I hear her in the rain!
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Vera Lee
Haunting me, here with me
Vera Lee
Watching me carefully
Why!?
Is she calling out to me!?
To me!?
Why!?
Is she calling out to me!?
To me!?
Why!?
Is she calling out to me!?
To me!?
Why!?
Is she calling out to me!?
To me!?
Why!?
Tell me, why is she calling down to me!?
To me!?
Why!?
Why!?
Why!?
Lyrics submitted by th1rt3en
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Thanks for posting! I guess the meaning of these lyrics is pretty clear...it's about a girl he knew in middle school/high school named Vera Lee, who was nice but an outcast like him. He said hi to her at school, but other than that he hardly knew her. Now he's heard she died, and he's starting to reminisce and notice things that he didn't before, questioning the significance of their relationship to her and to him. He feels guilt for not noticing her more, and regret because now it's too late to do anything. His feelings are affecting him in the forms of flashbacks and voices.
This song is interesting and very eerie. It makes me think of those kids at my school who I notice but not really, who I see but really don't. What are their lives like? What do they think of me? How does their existence affect mine, and vice versa? It's haunting, really.
One thing I wonder is if this story is autobiographical; why the name Vera Lee?
great post! beautiful song
She real and I\'m dating her ,she didn\'t kill herself ,she got moved foster Holmes,but everybody said she died,I can tell u this it not vera lee he miss spelled it lol