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.
What'll I do without you around
When my words won't pun, my pennies won't pound
Oh and my frisbee flies to the ground
What'll I do without you
What'll I say without you to talk to
No one to serve or volley the ball to
You write the words but I miss the volume
What'll I say without you
Oh, I don't know what to do with myself
Now that I'm here and, and you're gone
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
What'll I do when you've gone away
And ball won't pin, my records won't play
And all of my hours limp into days
What'll I do without you
What'll I do now that you're gone
My boat won't row, my bus doesn't come
And I have the fingers, you've got the thumb
What'll I do without you
Oh, I don't know what to do with myself
Now that I'm here and, and you're gone
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
What'll I do without you around
When my words won't pun, my pennies won't pound
And oh and my Frisbee flies to the ground
What'll I do without you
Without you
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh, without you
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh, without you
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh, without you
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
When my words won't pun, my pennies won't pound
Oh and my frisbee flies to the ground
What'll I do without you
What'll I say without you to talk to
No one to serve or volley the ball to
You write the words but I miss the volume
What'll I say without you
Oh, I don't know what to do with myself
Now that I'm here and, and you're gone
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
What'll I do when you've gone away
And ball won't pin, my records won't play
And all of my hours limp into days
What'll I do without you
What'll I do now that you're gone
My boat won't row, my bus doesn't come
And I have the fingers, you've got the thumb
What'll I do without you
Oh, I don't know what to do with myself
Now that I'm here and, and you're gone
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
What'll I do without you around
When my words won't pun, my pennies won't pound
And oh and my Frisbee flies to the ground
What'll I do without you
Without you
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh, without you
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh, without you
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh, without you
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
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"my ball won't pin" must be either some dirty Irish slang or perhaps a bowling reference...
I think she's talking about playing a pinball game poorly...the ball won't pin
do i smell damien rice?
Very creative lyrics. She has so many ways of saying what she'll do without him (yes, most likely Damien).