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.
You know I had a job on the levee
I had a good looking woman who lived in Hughes
I had a job on the levee
I had a good looking woman she lived in Hughes
You know that pretty little thing
She kept me with the government fleet blues
You know on every pay day
She'd be standing around the landing crying
On every pay day
She'd be standing around the landing crying
She be saying why don't that big boat hurry and
Bring home that man of mine?
You know on every pay day
She could, she could hear the big boat when she blow
Well on every pay day
She could hear the big boat when she blow
But when I done not get the check
She told me she couldn't use me no more
But I said that's all right big girl
Honey, that's all right for you
Yeah, hoo
little girl that's all right for you
I say you treat me low down and dirty
See, baby, that's the way you's do
I packed up all my clothes
Left her settin' in the back door crying
Aye yeah I left her settin' in the back door crying
You know that done run the poor girl crazy
I believe she gonna lose her mind
You know don't come here honey
Throwing up your doggone hands
Don't come here baby
I said throwing up your doggone hands
You know I, I been your dog
Ever since that I been your man
But I said baby when you get lonesome
Set right down and write to me
Yeah -- yeah -- set right down you can write to me
You know I can read your little writing baby
Don't care where in this world I'll be
You know love
make you do things you don't want to do
You know love
make you do things you don't want to do
You know from love sometime
Will leave you feeling so sad and so blue
Oh, Listen here honey
Think about poor me some time
Yeah, hoo
think about poor me some time
You know I feel so bad
When you roll across my mind
You know if you never no more see me
You'll forever be on my mind
If I never no more see you
Yeah, you'll forever be on my mind
You know every time I think about you honey
I just can't keep from crying
Oh it's so hard
To love when they don't love you
Ah, yeah, yeah, when they don't love you
You can't do nothing baby when they do not want you
But I tell 'em look it here, baby
Your little trouble is coming home some day
Yeah just like I tell you
Your little trouble is coming home some day
I said you gonna be sorry
That you treated poor me this way
I had a good looking woman who lived in Hughes
I had a job on the levee
I had a good looking woman she lived in Hughes
You know that pretty little thing
She kept me with the government fleet blues
You know on every pay day
She'd be standing around the landing crying
On every pay day
She'd be standing around the landing crying
She be saying why don't that big boat hurry and
Bring home that man of mine?
You know on every pay day
She could, she could hear the big boat when she blow
Well on every pay day
She could hear the big boat when she blow
But when I done not get the check
She told me she couldn't use me no more
But I said that's all right big girl
Honey, that's all right for you
Yeah, hoo
little girl that's all right for you
I say you treat me low down and dirty
See, baby, that's the way you's do
I packed up all my clothes
Left her settin' in the back door crying
Aye yeah I left her settin' in the back door crying
You know that done run the poor girl crazy
I believe she gonna lose her mind
You know don't come here honey
Throwing up your doggone hands
Don't come here baby
I said throwing up your doggone hands
You know I, I been your dog
Ever since that I been your man
But I said baby when you get lonesome
Set right down and write to me
Yeah -- yeah -- set right down you can write to me
You know I can read your little writing baby
Don't care where in this world I'll be
You know love
make you do things you don't want to do
You know love
make you do things you don't want to do
You know from love sometime
Will leave you feeling so sad and so blue
Oh, Listen here honey
Think about poor me some time
Yeah, hoo
think about poor me some time
You know I feel so bad
When you roll across my mind
You know if you never no more see me
You'll forever be on my mind
If I never no more see you
Yeah, you'll forever be on my mind
You know every time I think about you honey
I just can't keep from crying
Oh it's so hard
To love when they don't love you
Ah, yeah, yeah, when they don't love you
You can't do nothing baby when they do not want you
But I tell 'em look it here, baby
Your little trouble is coming home some day
Yeah just like I tell you
Your little trouble is coming home some day
I said you gonna be sorry
That you treated poor me this way
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