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.
Styrofoam cup of mud in my good hand,
Disembodied voice of God in the trash can
Eyes in the ashes, feeling for the future
Sleeping through the steak-out, researching the rumor
My old motor and mattress of memories
First you were embarrassed, but how could you not be
Tangled in teenage mum at the movies
Your voice ran out out of words
It was awkward and homey
Gospel in your belly, they aim a little lower
Back into the bleachers, Spoke as it's owner
Sindicate a sermon you sang from the raptors
Anchors in you pockets, holding down the laughter
Tearing up your mind, your lust and your ego
Slingshot a martyr to speed your libido
Perish grows to jelly, blissful and wasted
Your fish knew I consult them pictures of you naked?
You're complicating your worst mixed messes
You built them burned to bridge
And scattered all your crumbs at the cliff
She wants me, she'll swim for it
Brother, can you spare your arms or your arrows?
Thunder clap's arising, I think that I should
Go home
To the days when, back barns, it melts me
Nineteen-ninety-six and your waiting there to tell me
I didn't die, you dreamt it, you dreamt it
I'm as alive as your backward intentions
Sorry that I tricked you, you had to focus
Put yourself together, clear out, you got this
But for all that effort
The slow burned struggle
I forgot where you live
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
Remembering
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
Remembering
Disembodied voice of God in the trash can
Eyes in the ashes, feeling for the future
Sleeping through the steak-out, researching the rumor
My old motor and mattress of memories
First you were embarrassed, but how could you not be
Tangled in teenage mum at the movies
Your voice ran out out of words
It was awkward and homey
Gospel in your belly, they aim a little lower
Back into the bleachers, Spoke as it's owner
Sindicate a sermon you sang from the raptors
Anchors in you pockets, holding down the laughter
Tearing up your mind, your lust and your ego
Slingshot a martyr to speed your libido
Perish grows to jelly, blissful and wasted
Your fish knew I consult them pictures of you naked?
You're complicating your worst mixed messes
You built them burned to bridge
And scattered all your crumbs at the cliff
She wants me, she'll swim for it
Brother, can you spare your arms or your arrows?
Thunder clap's arising, I think that I should
Go home
To the days when, back barns, it melts me
Nineteen-ninety-six and your waiting there to tell me
I didn't die, you dreamt it, you dreamt it
I'm as alive as your backward intentions
Sorry that I tricked you, you had to focus
Put yourself together, clear out, you got this
But for all that effort
The slow burned struggle
I forgot where you live
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
Remembering
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
She swept away the clues from the cliff, your lost now
Remembering
Lyrics submitted by nick51259, edited by IllToast2That, ChipperSpiff, tigers1535, quagmiserlou
Holding Down the Laughter Lyrics as written by Kevin Patrick Devine
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I took this off Kevin Devine's Facebook page, in a post called 5.19.10, for what it's worth.
Styrofoam cup of mud in my good hand Disembodied voice of God in the trash can Eyes in the ashes, feeling for the future Sleeping through the stake out, researching the rumor A mile, a motor, a mattress, a memory At first you were embarrassed But how could you not be? Tangled and teenaged, her mom at the movies Your voice ran out of words It was awkward and holy
The gospel in your belly The ache a little lower Back into the breach You spoke as its owner A syndicated sermon you sang from the rafters An anchor in your pocket Holding down the laughter Tearing up your mind Your lust and your ego A screenshot reminder to speed your libido The parish goes to jelly Blissful and wasted Your Vishnu eye slips open And pictures them naked
In complicating your worst mixed message You built then burnt a bridge Then scattered all your crumbs at the cliff "If she wants me, she'll swim for it"
Brother, can you spare your alms or your arrows The thunderclaps are rising and I think that I should go home To the basement back on Jumel Street 1996 and you're waiting there to tell me "I never died - you dreamt it, you dreamt it I am as alive as your best good intentions I'm sorry that I tricked you but you had to focus Put yourself together and clear out the garbage"
But for all that effort That slow burn struggle You forgot where you lived She swept away the clues from the cliff You're lost now Remember it She swept away the clues from the cliff So you're lost Now, remember it.
Thank you for the apostrophes. The "your" in the lyrics posted has been KILLING me!
This song is about sex, family, death and redemption
feels like a song about being an artist, getting lost in your own self-worth and arrogance, then having it slap you in the face whilst you struggle to get back what you originally wanted to be