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.
With the lines of the cars at the college at night
Are their pillows and blankets, their posters and lights
Are their hopelessly young faces
Tight with the solace or years
And you look at me blankly, did I miss something
All these kids seem to be less like ghosts on the ring
Of the graveyard we built from the sting
Of these horrible fears
So I try not to laugh, as it brings you to tears
Well I won't tell your secret, if you won't tell mine
I'll just speak quietly through a well rehearsed line
My, my how time makes one long
For such ignorant peers
And you grab hold of my hand as I whisper in your ear:
"On the day that you die, please remember these words:
You were the luckiest gift, that I'll never deserve
I can feel you and me like my heart beat
And blood stream in turns(?)
"It's desperate, I know, but please don't let go
I can't begin to address all these debts that I owe
I'm just a sketch of a man, I'll let you know
When I'm (?) "
Then I hurt you, deserted you, left you alone
With your loneliness to wear just like a crown on a throne
As selfish and trite as
Anything god's ever known
Oh but don't be afraid, I'm going down too
When we finally fate, I'll be fating with you
I'll just hold onto your hand, but I'll wish
There was more I could do
These kids got no clue, it's all hacked me in two
Let's go tell them what's cool, tell em it's just me and you
We'll find out soon enough, but by then
We'll be dust on their shoes
These kids got no clue, it's just me and you
Let's go tell them what's cool, it's all hacked me in two
We'll find out soon enough, but by then
We'll have nothing to lose
I'll just hold onto your hand, but I'll wish
There was more I could do
Are their pillows and blankets, their posters and lights
Are their hopelessly young faces
Tight with the solace or years
And you look at me blankly, did I miss something
All these kids seem to be less like ghosts on the ring
Of the graveyard we built from the sting
Of these horrible fears
So I try not to laugh, as it brings you to tears
Well I won't tell your secret, if you won't tell mine
I'll just speak quietly through a well rehearsed line
My, my how time makes one long
For such ignorant peers
And you grab hold of my hand as I whisper in your ear:
"On the day that you die, please remember these words:
You were the luckiest gift, that I'll never deserve
I can feel you and me like my heart beat
And blood stream in turns(?)
"It's desperate, I know, but please don't let go
I can't begin to address all these debts that I owe
I'm just a sketch of a man, I'll let you know
When I'm (?) "
Then I hurt you, deserted you, left you alone
With your loneliness to wear just like a crown on a throne
As selfish and trite as
Anything god's ever known
Oh but don't be afraid, I'm going down too
When we finally fate, I'll be fating with you
I'll just hold onto your hand, but I'll wish
There was more I could do
These kids got no clue, it's all hacked me in two
Let's go tell them what's cool, tell em it's just me and you
We'll find out soon enough, but by then
We'll be dust on their shoes
These kids got no clue, it's just me and you
Let's go tell them what's cool, it's all hacked me in two
We'll find out soon enough, but by then
We'll have nothing to lose
I'll just hold onto your hand, but I'll wish
There was more I could do
Lyrics submitted by tinto1123, edited by Mellow_Harsher
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i think the "when we finally fate, i'll be fating with you" is "... fade... fading..." kinda seems obvious in retrospect. but, you never know. mikel was a novelist before he was a musician, or at least an aspiring novelist, so perhaps "fating" is something he'd use. might just go with occam though and say it's "fade."
oh, and "solace OF years." the "or" is a typo
I was just browsing Airborne Toxic Event lyrics, read these, and immediately thought, "This is based off of White Noise!" Then I went to Youtube, found this song, and Mikel stated at the beginning that this song is based off of White Noise. So much for my epiphany.
Anyway, the main character of White Noise is a college professor, and the first verse is from the first chapter, where he's observing the students returning to school. The main conflict is that the professor and his wife are afraid of death, and I think with that knowledge the lyrics are pretty obvious.