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.
Oh, I need a witness to see the mess I've made
There's a broken lampshade, ashtrays, burnt floors, beds unmade
Eyes sleeping if you are dream, dream of what I'm doing
To you, undo you, I'm through with you until I need a round of
Every time I spend myself it never runs too low, whoa whoa
I can't escape my need for
Sex and violence
Never meant you see them hand in hand
One is with the other
The softest touches, deeper than the ocean
Give it to me faster, feel it, feel it
Sex and violence
Who is gonna make you cry?
(Sex and violence)
Sex and violence
Who is gonna make you cry?
(Sex and violence)
Oh, I was a real man stealing all the trade
I was strong and self-made, well-paid, so groomed, persuasive
You were walking home that night, too kind to be illusive
Where do you live? What do you give? Who are you with?
And how you getting home?
Does everybody know right now exactly where you are? Whoa
Step inside's a step too far but
Sex and violence
Hit me with a lover, burns so bright
And one is just the other
Sweetest tastes, never gonna leave you
Even when it hurts you, breathe it, breathe it
Sex and violence
Who is gonna make you cry?
(Sex and violence)
Sex and violence
Who is gonna make you cry?
(Sex and violence)
Violence, violence
Violence, violence
Violence, violence
Violence, violence
Sex and violence
Never meant you see them hand in hand
One is with the other
The softest touches, deeper than the ocean
Give it to me faster, feel it, feel it
Sex and violence
Hit me with a lover, burns so bright
And one is just the other
Sweetest tastes, never gonna leave you
Even when it hurts you, breathe it, breathe it
Violence, violence
Violence, violence
Violence, violence
Violence, violence
There's a broken lampshade, ashtrays, burnt floors, beds unmade
Eyes sleeping if you are dream, dream of what I'm doing
To you, undo you, I'm through with you until I need a round of
Every time I spend myself it never runs too low, whoa whoa
I can't escape my need for
Sex and violence
Never meant you see them hand in hand
One is with the other
The softest touches, deeper than the ocean
Give it to me faster, feel it, feel it
Sex and violence
Who is gonna make you cry?
(Sex and violence)
Sex and violence
Who is gonna make you cry?
(Sex and violence)
Oh, I was a real man stealing all the trade
I was strong and self-made, well-paid, so groomed, persuasive
You were walking home that night, too kind to be illusive
Where do you live? What do you give? Who are you with?
And how you getting home?
Does everybody know right now exactly where you are? Whoa
Step inside's a step too far but
Sex and violence
Hit me with a lover, burns so bright
And one is just the other
Sweetest tastes, never gonna leave you
Even when it hurts you, breathe it, breathe it
Sex and violence
Who is gonna make you cry?
(Sex and violence)
Sex and violence
Who is gonna make you cry?
(Sex and violence)
Violence, violence
Violence, violence
Violence, violence
Violence, violence
Sex and violence
Never meant you see them hand in hand
One is with the other
The softest touches, deeper than the ocean
Give it to me faster, feel it, feel it
Sex and violence
Hit me with a lover, burns so bright
And one is just the other
Sweetest tastes, never gonna leave you
Even when it hurts you, breathe it, breathe it
Violence, violence
Violence, violence
Violence, violence
Violence, violence
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Plastic Bag
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“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I think he used to be a prostitute (being persuasive and "stealing all of their trade" from the other male prostitutes). He is looking back at a time when he had power over his Johns (maybe because he was into rough trade/S&M, but it could just be that he felt powerful from getting men to go with him because he was desirable).
Now, either he's just looking for hook ups or he is in a relationship, but he can't let go of the past- he still wants to be in control; still has the urge to be violent in his sexual encounters, and either his partner is sort of new to the experience or is just going along with it (the fact that they are passed out). But he wants a witness to his brutality... he needs someone that he can control.
Kinky and fantastic.