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 rivers are swollen
We got a flood on our hands
Get out the buckets
And the pots and pans
Mama, put the pictures
In the old wooden boat
Billy, get the baby
And mama's overcoat
There's high ground at Grene
At the old Gristmill Store
We can keep everybody dry
If it don't rain no more
We got a flood on our hands
The rain's gonna keep comin' down
Has anybody talked to sister
Since the lines went down?
She spent the night with Mandy
On the low side of town
I do hope she's watchin'
On the outside tonight
She ain't been herself
Since she lost little Dwight
You don't never miss
What you ain't got
'Till you wake up some morning
And you've lost the whole lot
We got a flood on our hands
The rain's gonna keep comin' down
Thank God we're all together
That's all we really need
You can't change the weather
But you can plant new seed
No life is spared
To the ones who blame
A god without mercy
Pride without shame
Like Noah of old
Was put to the test
To see if his faith
Was deeper than the rest
We got a flood on our hands
And the rain's gonna keep comin' down
Mama, get the shotgun
And the pictures of dad
Someday well look back
On everything we had
We got a flood on our hands
The rain's gonna keep comin' down
We got a flood on our hands
Get out the buckets
And the pots and pans
Mama, put the pictures
In the old wooden boat
Billy, get the baby
And mama's overcoat
There's high ground at Grene
At the old Gristmill Store
We can keep everybody dry
If it don't rain no more
We got a flood on our hands
The rain's gonna keep comin' down
Has anybody talked to sister
Since the lines went down?
She spent the night with Mandy
On the low side of town
I do hope she's watchin'
On the outside tonight
She ain't been herself
Since she lost little Dwight
You don't never miss
What you ain't got
'Till you wake up some morning
And you've lost the whole lot
We got a flood on our hands
The rain's gonna keep comin' down
Thank God we're all together
That's all we really need
You can't change the weather
But you can plant new seed
No life is spared
To the ones who blame
A god without mercy
Pride without shame
Like Noah of old
Was put to the test
To see if his faith
Was deeper than the rest
We got a flood on our hands
And the rain's gonna keep comin' down
Mama, get the shotgun
And the pictures of dad
Someday well look back
On everything we had
We got a flood on our hands
The rain's gonna keep comin' down
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
A Flood on Our Hands Lyrics as written by Joe Ely
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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