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.
Aren’t we all trying to become something better
Oh, whoa oh, don’t you know
Every time you take my hand I become someone better
Oh, whoa, don’t I know
Come spend the night inside a soul
Not so beautiful at all
The howling wolves between my ears
Go silent when they hear you call
My darkness fades away, if you speak I hear you call
Not just the words you say
And now I feel it all
Aren’t we all trying to become something better
(something better)
Oh, whoa oh, don’t you know
Every time you take my hand I become someone better
(someone better)
Oh, whoa, don’t I know
Come spend the day, watch the sunshine play-off the light that’s in your eyes
A lonely bird chants a cheerful word as it floats across the sky
My darkness fades away, if you speak I hear you call
Not just the words you say
And now I feel it all
Aren’t we all trying to become something better
(something better)
Oh, whoa oh, don’t you know
Every time you take my hand I become someone better
(someone better)
Oh, whoa, don’t I know
My Mother
She said "don’t forget the person you are"
Seem to remember chasing falling stars
Up until you found me lying on the ground and whispered
Aren’t we all trying to become something better
(something better)
Oh, whoa oh, don’t you know
Every time you take my hand I become someone better
(someone better)
Oh, whoa, don’t I know
Aren’t we all trying to become something better
(something better)
Oh, whoa oh, don’t you know
Every time you take my hand I become someone better
(someone better)
Oh, whoa, don’t I know
Oh, whoa oh, don’t you know
Every time you take my hand I become someone better
Oh, whoa, don’t I know
Come spend the night inside a soul
Not so beautiful at all
The howling wolves between my ears
Go silent when they hear you call
My darkness fades away, if you speak I hear you call
Not just the words you say
And now I feel it all
Aren’t we all trying to become something better
(something better)
Oh, whoa oh, don’t you know
Every time you take my hand I become someone better
(someone better)
Oh, whoa, don’t I know
Come spend the day, watch the sunshine play-off the light that’s in your eyes
A lonely bird chants a cheerful word as it floats across the sky
My darkness fades away, if you speak I hear you call
Not just the words you say
And now I feel it all
Aren’t we all trying to become something better
(something better)
Oh, whoa oh, don’t you know
Every time you take my hand I become someone better
(someone better)
Oh, whoa, don’t I know
My Mother
She said "don’t forget the person you are"
Seem to remember chasing falling stars
Up until you found me lying on the ground and whispered
Aren’t we all trying to become something better
(something better)
Oh, whoa oh, don’t you know
Every time you take my hand I become someone better
(someone better)
Oh, whoa, don’t I know
Aren’t we all trying to become something better
(something better)
Oh, whoa oh, don’t you know
Every time you take my hand I become someone better
(someone better)
Oh, whoa, don’t I know
Lyrics submitted by jizi801
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I see two thing in this song, one is about a journey of leaving darkness behind and becoming better, maybe leaving behind things of the world and satan's world and becoming more like Jesus, and the second thing is having someone share that journey with who motivates you to and helps you to become a better person.