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.
If you're keeping score then you're bound to win,
A birds eye view of a burning bridge,
You've gone through ghost towns settle past,
Hoping the risk was worth a cause,
Oh, sound off the false alarm,
But I'll make my own colleague from wood and from ivory,
And reap the rewards of proximity,
I'll assemble my equal from what I lack and require,
And gather what's left unaccompanied,
It smells like disaster,
It looks like a trap,
So go by the wayside,
And never look back,
If you could spare me forty winks,
While you cry wolf and I count sheep,
What good old ghosts in Kevlar vests,
With backbones like a jellyfish,
Oh, stomp on your land again,
But I'll make my own colleague from wood and from ivory,
And reap the rewards of proximity,
I'll assemble my equal from what I lack and require,
And gather what's left unaccompanied,
It smells like disaster,
It looks like a trap,
So go by the wayside,
And never look back,
If you are keeping score then you are bound to win,
A ring side seat at the main event,
Oh, stomp on your land again,
It smells like disaster,
It looks like a trap,
So go by the wayside,
And never look back.
A birds eye view of a burning bridge,
You've gone through ghost towns settle past,
Hoping the risk was worth a cause,
Oh, sound off the false alarm,
But I'll make my own colleague from wood and from ivory,
And reap the rewards of proximity,
I'll assemble my equal from what I lack and require,
And gather what's left unaccompanied,
It smells like disaster,
It looks like a trap,
So go by the wayside,
And never look back,
If you could spare me forty winks,
While you cry wolf and I count sheep,
What good old ghosts in Kevlar vests,
With backbones like a jellyfish,
Oh, stomp on your land again,
But I'll make my own colleague from wood and from ivory,
And reap the rewards of proximity,
I'll assemble my equal from what I lack and require,
And gather what's left unaccompanied,
It smells like disaster,
It looks like a trap,
So go by the wayside,
And never look back,
If you are keeping score then you are bound to win,
A ring side seat at the main event,
Oh, stomp on your land again,
It smells like disaster,
It looks like a trap,
So go by the wayside,
And never look back.
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
A Wolf Descends Upon the Spanish Sahara Lyrics as written by Brett Stowers Andrew Sudderth
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I would say that this is about an individual with middle rank who is committed to his duty in a war and is surrounded by many who do not share his sense of obligation. Here are the reasons: "You go through ghost towns set on pause hoping that the risk was worth the cause". Anyone who has gone through a war will tell you one of the strangest things when you are an invading army is going through towns. Non combatants leave so the town is deserted unless of course there is an ambush waiting, which is an armies worst nightmare ("sound the false alarm"). I'll make my own colleague from wood and from ivory and reap the rewards of proximity. This would indicate that this individual needs to build his subordinates to be harder. His assembly of his equal with what he lacks and requires is slightly ironic as he has nothing to build it from yet he will do this on his own i.e. he is the only one he can rely on. The chorus would indicate, from this perspective, that he knows they are going into a trap and going by the wayside means hug the edge of the road which will help maximize the ability to find cover. And if you get out unscathed never look back (push on) and oh stomp on your land again-is the movement of troops. If you could spare me forty winks to me indicates this individual needs sleep but must tend to his soldiers while others are on edge (crying wolf and watching sheep). What good old ghosts in Kevlar vests with back bones like a jelly fish. (Ghosts indicates that this is an ineffective group or individuals who have "broken" from either stress or injury so now they suffer fear i.e. the lack of back bone). This final line to talk about is keeping score your bound to win would be indicative of keeping your eye on victory and the main event is the victory.....that is just a guess