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.
Why'd you call me today with nothing new to say?
You pretend it's just hello,
But you know what it does to me
To see your number on the phone.
Now tell me, what do you want?
What do you want? What do you want from me?
Are you tryin' to bring back the tears or just the memories?
You keep takin' me back, takin' me back, where I've already been.
When we hang up it's almost like I'm losing you again.
Can't you see?
So what do you want, what do you want from me?
I get so tired, of living like this.
I don't have the time, neither do my friends,
To stay up at night, to pull me through,
And to find the things to keep my mind off of you.
So, now tell me, what do you want?
What do you want? What do you want from me?
Did you call to say you've find someone and I'm a used-to-be.
You keep takin' me back, takin' me back, where I've already been.
If you've moved on, why does it feel like I'm losing you again?
Can't you see?
So what do you want, what do you want from me?
What do you want me to say?
That I'm content?
That I'm on the fence?
That I wish you would've stayed?
Oh baby what do you want,
What do you want, what do you want from me?
To come here and make love tonight, 'cause you're feelin' lonely.
You keep takin' me back, takin' me back, where I've already been.
When we wake up and say goodbye, it's like I'm losing you again.
Can't you see?
So what do you want, what do you want from me?
What do you want, what do you want from me?
You pretend it's just hello,
But you know what it does to me
To see your number on the phone.
Now tell me, what do you want?
What do you want? What do you want from me?
Are you tryin' to bring back the tears or just the memories?
You keep takin' me back, takin' me back, where I've already been.
When we hang up it's almost like I'm losing you again.
Can't you see?
So what do you want, what do you want from me?
I get so tired, of living like this.
I don't have the time, neither do my friends,
To stay up at night, to pull me through,
And to find the things to keep my mind off of you.
So, now tell me, what do you want?
What do you want? What do you want from me?
Did you call to say you've find someone and I'm a used-to-be.
You keep takin' me back, takin' me back, where I've already been.
If you've moved on, why does it feel like I'm losing you again?
Can't you see?
So what do you want, what do you want from me?
What do you want me to say?
That I'm content?
That I'm on the fence?
That I wish you would've stayed?
Oh baby what do you want,
What do you want, what do you want from me?
To come here and make love tonight, 'cause you're feelin' lonely.
You keep takin' me back, takin' me back, where I've already been.
When we wake up and say goodbye, it's like I'm losing you again.
Can't you see?
So what do you want, what do you want from me?
What do you want, what do you want from me?
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
This song is simply about an ex who keeps calling you. I love how relatable it is to everyone, because a lot of people have went through this. My ex broke up with me and yet he is still calling me. We are friends but he knows how hard it is for the both of us. It gets really hard to cope with and I dont like that when he calls me its like he thinks its not going to effect me but when he does it literally kills me. I feel like saying what do you want from me to him all the time? Because its true I dont know what he wants. I can never figure out what he wants. He is in a relationship but I still dont think he is commited. If that is so then I am defintely not just going to be the booty call or the one he can turn too. I love him and I always am going to love him but there comes a time when you just cant talk to your ex or cant be too close because of how painful it really is. When it hurts to much that is the time when you are forced to make a choice and that is to just shut them out. Sometimes you have to do those things, even if you dont want too. It will save you a lot of pain and suffering later. It will help you move on if you dont have to hear their voice as much.