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.
Emily comes home from school
Grabs onto her daddy's hand
He says, "Baby girl, what's wrong with you?"
She says, "Please don't make me go back there again."
She said, "I wish there was someway to make them stop it."
So he drives down to that principles office
And says, "I didn't bring her up so they could cut her down
I didn't bring her here so they could shut her out
I'd live my whole damn life to see that little girl smile
So why are tears pouring down that sweet face?
She wasn't brought up that way."
Emily's home late again
He sees that boy drive away
Oh but something's different this time
She doesn't have too much to say
She said, "He tried but there's just some things I won't do"
And through the tears she said, "I couldn't do that to you"
And he said, "I didn't bring you up so he could wear you down
Take that innocent heart and turn it inside out
I'd live my whole damn life to see my little girl smile
So don't let nobody take that away
You weren't brought up that way."
The phone rings on a rainy night
Says, "It's Officer Tate"
He said, "Sir, there's been an accident
You'd better come down here right away
A drunken driver missed an overpass
And Emily she's fading fast."
He says, "God I didn't bring her up to watch them lay her down
Nearly killed me the day they put her mama in the ground
Only thing that kept me alive was that little girls smile
So please don't take that away
It won't be easy taking her today, she wasn't brought up that way."
He stands over the hospital bed
Emily opens her eyes
Grabs onto her daddy's hand
He says, "Baby girl, what's wrong with you?"
She says, "Please don't make me go back there again."
She said, "I wish there was someway to make them stop it."
So he drives down to that principles office
And says, "I didn't bring her up so they could cut her down
I didn't bring her here so they could shut her out
I'd live my whole damn life to see that little girl smile
So why are tears pouring down that sweet face?
She wasn't brought up that way."
Emily's home late again
He sees that boy drive away
Oh but something's different this time
She doesn't have too much to say
She said, "He tried but there's just some things I won't do"
And through the tears she said, "I couldn't do that to you"
And he said, "I didn't bring you up so he could wear you down
Take that innocent heart and turn it inside out
I'd live my whole damn life to see my little girl smile
So don't let nobody take that away
You weren't brought up that way."
The phone rings on a rainy night
Says, "It's Officer Tate"
He said, "Sir, there's been an accident
You'd better come down here right away
A drunken driver missed an overpass
And Emily she's fading fast."
He says, "God I didn't bring her up to watch them lay her down
Nearly killed me the day they put her mama in the ground
Only thing that kept me alive was that little girls smile
So please don't take that away
It won't be easy taking her today, she wasn't brought up that way."
He stands over the hospital bed
Emily opens her eyes
Lyrics submitted by sinshereinsong
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Just put this on my ipod its so sad..made me cry but its beautiful at the same time.x
i love the happy ending!
So upset this got leaked! =[ Whatever. Really, from what I can see, it's sung from a father's point of view of his daughter's life. First, when she's little, she's obviously bullied or teased by a group of people (make "them" stop). The father goes to the school to end it because she was taught not to act like that to others. The next part I think is about her and a relationship with her boyfriend and him wanting to take the relationship farther and farther while she doesn't want to go that far. I think it actually might be about rape. Lastly, I think this part is pretty simple to understand - Emily and her mom are in a drunk-driving accident, which kills the mom and Emily suffers a conncusion or something of the sorts. The father begins to pray for her health. Luckily for him, she wakes up from her condition, not reassuring she's 100 percent alright, but at least she's alive. And ya!
I think her mother/his wife died at an earlier point. Other than that I agree with you!
Actually, the last bit is wrong, her and her mum are not in a drunk driving accident, her mum was already dead, because we know that the dad was a widow while Emily was growing up. Emily gets his down by a drunk-driver. :)
So upset this got leaked! =[ Whatever. Really, from what I can see, it's sung from a father's point of view of his daughter's life. First, when she's little, she's obviously bullied or teased by a group of people (make "them" stop). The father goes to the school to end it because she was taught not to act like that to others. The next part I think is about her and a relationship with her boyfriend and him wanting to take the relationship farther and farther while she doesn't want to go that far. I think it actually might be about rape. Lastly, I think this part is pretty simple to understand - Emily and her mom are in a drunk-driving accident, which kills the mom and Emily suffers a conncusion or something of the sorts. The father begins to pray for her health. Luckily for him, she wakes up from her condition, not reassuring she's 100 percent alright, but at least she's alive. And ya!
The lyrics are so touching, I wish I could hear the audio for this song! ♥
You can hear audio here. I think it's an older song though, nothing new. She sounds very young. (for whatever reason the lyrics appearing in the audio are in another language)<br /> <br /> jsyk.com/2011/01/03/taylor-swift-brought-up-that-way-unreleased-song/
This song is amazing. <3 A bit upset it got leaked, but there's nothing we can do about it now. Anywayy, it's obviously from a father's point of view on his daughter. From the sounds of it, his wife/the girl's mother died when she was younger ["nearly killed me the day they put her mamma in the ground"]. When the girl is younger, maybe around 6 or 7-ish, it is obvious she was getting bullied or excluded, or something along those lines. The father drives to the school to talk to the principle. Then later, when she's a teen... maybe 15 or 16? She has a boyfriend, and the father sees them coming home from another date... but he senses something is different, since she's quiet. From what I hear and interpret it, the girl's boyfriend was trying to pressure her to have sex, hence the line, "He tried, but there's just some things I won't do", but she didn't want to so they might've broke up or something, since she was crying. Then the father just basically says, "I didn't raise you to have guys do that to you". Then a little later, I'm thinking 18-20, she gets hit in a car by a drunk driver. She's in the hospital and the dad is begging God not to take her, since she was the only thing that kept him wanting to be alive after his wife's death. SO SAD. </3
how do you get the song onto my ipod???
This song reminds me of ''Alyssa Lies'' by Jason Michael Carroll.
Taylor put herself in the song. Here, she's "Emily," and it's like a more tragic version of Taylor's life. She gets bullied in school, and once she gets older, her boyfriend pressures her to have sex with him. These are two hard things she goes through, and her father gives her advice to cope and defends her. The same happened with Taylor. The song also incorporates some of Taylor's biggest fears: her beloved mother dying, untimely death, getting into a car accident (I don't think Taylor was the best driver as a teenager, and that's why), hurting loved ones or unintentionally leaving them behind. I love this song because it's about finding the hope and strength to persist in life when things get rough and then relying on your loved ones in these situations. It's also about being a good parent, as shown by the devoted father.
Okay, so this song makes me cry every single time. Especially when it is talking about how the mother died and the little girl was the only thing that kept the father going. What an emotional song. Wow.