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.
(The pain, the pain, the pain)
The pain's gripping me
Tight again
I'm stuck in the world
Of the hollow men
My heart is broken
My soul is ablaze
I've got nothing to loose
And nothing to gain
No
My life's a mess
I dunno what to do
All this crap started
The day I left you
I can't live my life
My soul now yearns
My whole life's a wreck
My heart still burns
I'm a hollow shell
Filled t'the brim with pain
I got nothing to loose
And nothing to gain
I'm hurting inside
I think you do too
I'm dyin' from pain
I'm scared, it's true
Here I am now
Feeling the pain
Trying t'get myself
Back into the game
But for every lil' scar
I've gotten from life
The wound's growin' deeper
A perpetual knife
The pain's gripping me
Tight again
I'm stuck in the world
Of the hollow men
My heart is broken
My soul is ablaze
I've got nothing to loose
And nothing to gain
No!
But I'm no coward
But I'm no hero either
A wretch or a king
I'm just holding on tighter
But there comes a time
When you've just gotta know
When'o stop holding on
And just to let go
Here I am now
Looking back
Tryin' t'get my mind
Back onto the track
Hopin' t'get myself
Back into the game
But here I am now
Feelin' the pain
Here I am now
Feeling the pain
Trying t'get myself
Back into the game
But for every lil' scar
I've gotten from life
The wound's growin' deeper
A perpetual knife
The pain's gripping me
Tight again
Arson to my life
Now, just like then
But it's time to move on
Let my heart mend
Let my soul heal
My healing, transcend
Oh!
Here I am now
Feeling the pain
Trying t'get myself
Back into the game
But for every lil' scar
I've gotten from life
The wound's growin' deeper
A perpetual a knife
Here I am now | The pain's gripping
Feeling the pain | Me tight again
Trying t'get myself | I'm stuck in the world
Back into the game | Of the hollow men
But for every lil' scar | My heart is broken
I've gotten from life | My soul is ablaze
The wound's growin' deeper | I've got nothing to loose
A perpetual knife | And nothing to gain
There I was then
I felt the pain
But whatever I tried
Just messed up my game
But now the pain's gone
I'm removing the knife
As the wounds start to heal
I'm regaining my life
The pain has left
My life's comin' back
I'm shifting myself
Back onto the track
I'm getting my mind
Back into the game
I'm breaking away from
The pain, the pain, the pain...
The pain's gripping me
Tight again
I'm stuck in the world
Of the hollow men
My heart is broken
My soul is ablaze
I've got nothing to loose
And nothing to gain
No
My life's a mess
I dunno what to do
All this crap started
The day I left you
I can't live my life
My soul now yearns
My whole life's a wreck
My heart still burns
I'm a hollow shell
Filled t'the brim with pain
I got nothing to loose
And nothing to gain
I'm hurting inside
I think you do too
I'm dyin' from pain
I'm scared, it's true
Here I am now
Feeling the pain
Trying t'get myself
Back into the game
But for every lil' scar
I've gotten from life
The wound's growin' deeper
A perpetual knife
The pain's gripping me
Tight again
I'm stuck in the world
Of the hollow men
My heart is broken
My soul is ablaze
I've got nothing to loose
And nothing to gain
No!
But I'm no coward
But I'm no hero either
A wretch or a king
I'm just holding on tighter
But there comes a time
When you've just gotta know
When'o stop holding on
And just to let go
Here I am now
Looking back
Tryin' t'get my mind
Back onto the track
Hopin' t'get myself
Back into the game
But here I am now
Feelin' the pain
Here I am now
Feeling the pain
Trying t'get myself
Back into the game
But for every lil' scar
I've gotten from life
The wound's growin' deeper
A perpetual knife
The pain's gripping me
Tight again
Arson to my life
Now, just like then
But it's time to move on
Let my heart mend
Let my soul heal
My healing, transcend
Oh!
Here I am now
Feeling the pain
Trying t'get myself
Back into the game
But for every lil' scar
I've gotten from life
The wound's growin' deeper
A perpetual a knife
Here I am now | The pain's gripping
Feeling the pain | Me tight again
Trying t'get myself | I'm stuck in the world
Back into the game | Of the hollow men
But for every lil' scar | My heart is broken
I've gotten from life | My soul is ablaze
The wound's growin' deeper | I've got nothing to loose
A perpetual knife | And nothing to gain
There I was then
I felt the pain
But whatever I tried
Just messed up my game
But now the pain's gone
I'm removing the knife
As the wounds start to heal
I'm regaining my life
The pain has left
My life's comin' back
I'm shifting myself
Back onto the track
I'm getting my mind
Back into the game
I'm breaking away from
The pain, the pain, the pain...
Lyrics submitted by Riddle
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