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.
Microphone check, I make em all bounce
Every teller in Bank of America, make em all count
You gone need the whole staff to add up the amount...
It's gonna take to pay me off to keep me out your house
To keep me in my zone so that I don't zone out
I'm Rich and Po' like Zone 4, thoughts is deep like Tone Loc
Walk with me like old folk, cross your street a score's goal'ed
I don't rap, I hockey rink... cause my flow is so cold
I am on my "mmhmm," they are on they "Oh, No!"
I am really in here (hair), they ain't real like Soul Glo
Don't you know I'm so sho, them nigga's got no Glow
Find a master 'fore you can come back into the dojo
Lupe got his mind right, nigga this is my mic
And I've come to take it all back like Miller High Life
He must not be tied tight...back against the wall...
He will throw a ball, like he playin' Jai Alai
I'll do the register, you just get them fries right
I don't trust America, after watchin' Zeitgeist
Take a look at my stripes, chest looks like a tiger arm
and I'm hot as tiger balm, fire like a five-alarm
And it's set to Tire Barn, Get ya fire-fighter on....
I ain't worried 'bout you hoes (hose), I don't even need to roll
I turn down your ex like how you put your tires on
Once I get these tires on, I buy a bomb and tie it on
And ride this around the entire song, find a line to drive it on
Park it near a metaphor, wait for it, the timer's on
You can turn your hydrants on, I'll just turn my wipers on
Wipe it off then wipe me down but don't forget about my bomb!
Every teller in Bank of America, make em all count
You gone need the whole staff to add up the amount...
It's gonna take to pay me off to keep me out your house
To keep me in my zone so that I don't zone out
I'm Rich and Po' like Zone 4, thoughts is deep like Tone Loc
Walk with me like old folk, cross your street a score's goal'ed
I don't rap, I hockey rink... cause my flow is so cold
I am on my "mmhmm," they are on they "Oh, No!"
I am really in here (hair), they ain't real like Soul Glo
Don't you know I'm so sho, them nigga's got no Glow
Find a master 'fore you can come back into the dojo
Lupe got his mind right, nigga this is my mic
And I've come to take it all back like Miller High Life
He must not be tied tight...back against the wall...
He will throw a ball, like he playin' Jai Alai
I'll do the register, you just get them fries right
I don't trust America, after watchin' Zeitgeist
Take a look at my stripes, chest looks like a tiger arm
and I'm hot as tiger balm, fire like a five-alarm
And it's set to Tire Barn, Get ya fire-fighter on....
I ain't worried 'bout you hoes (hose), I don't even need to roll
I turn down your ex like how you put your tires on
Once I get these tires on, I buy a bomb and tie it on
And ride this around the entire song, find a line to drive it on
Park it near a metaphor, wait for it, the timer's on
You can turn your hydrants on, I'll just turn my wipers on
Wipe it off then wipe me down but don't forget about my bomb!
Lyrics submitted by CanadaBoy
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
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This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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this shit is sick: "I turn down your ex like how you put your tires on" He used ex to also mean the 'X' that is the shape of a car lug wrench to make the tire metaphor work as if hes putting the tires on.
and yeah him watching zeitgeist is crazy.