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.
I wouldn't kill to win a war
I don't get what they do it for
It's all so terribly vague
I see the pictures from a thousand years of battle
And I think it's such a bore
I walk New Orleans with a knife
Like Mackie hidden out of sight
But I'd be useless if they jumped
I'm really not the killing type
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I'm not the killing type
I'm not the killing type
I'm not, I'm not
I'm not the killing type, I'm not
I've got a picture of your mum
Before the war when she was young
She's got an etching to her right
I think it's funny that she's looking to the left
And it's her son
I wouldn't kill to get you back
And I've officially been asked
I couldn't kill to save a life
I'd rather a die a peaceful piece of shit-bait
Shame-filled coward
Thanks
I'm not the killing type
I'm not the killing type
I'm not, I'm not
I'm not the killing type, I'm not
But I would kill to make you feel
I don't mean kill someone for real
I couldn't do that, it is wrong
But I can say it in a song, a song, a song
And I'm saying it now
I'm saying it so
Even if you never hear this song
Somebody else would know
I'm saying it now
I'm saying it so
Even if you never hear this song
Somebody else will know, know, know, know
I just can't explain how good it feels
I just can't explain how good it feels
I just can't explain how good it feels
I just can't describe
I once stepped on a dying bird
It was a mercy killing
I couldn't sleep for a week
I kept feeling its breaking bones
I heard that if you see a star at night
And the conditions are just right
And you are standing on a cliff
Then you can close your eyes
And make a wish and take a step
And change somebody's life
I'm not the killing type
I'm not the killing type
I'm not, I'm not
I'm not the killing type, I'm not
But I would kill to make you feel
I'd kill to move your face an inch
I see you staring into space
I wanna stick my fist into your mouth
And twist your Arctic heart
Yes, I would kill to make you feel
I don't mean kill someone for real
I couldn't do that, it is wrong
But I can say it in a song, a song, a song
And I'm saying it now
I'm saying it so
Even if you never hear this song
Somebody else would know
I'm saying it now
I'm saying it so
Even if you never hear this song
Somebody else will know, know, know, know
I just can't explain how good it feels
I just can't explain how good it feels
I just can't explain how good it feels
I just can't describe-ibe-ibe-ibe
Die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die
I'm not the killing type
I don't get what they do it for
It's all so terribly vague
I see the pictures from a thousand years of battle
And I think it's such a bore
I walk New Orleans with a knife
Like Mackie hidden out of sight
But I'd be useless if they jumped
I'm really not the killing type
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I'm not the killing type
I'm not the killing type
I'm not, I'm not
I'm not the killing type, I'm not
I've got a picture of your mum
Before the war when she was young
She's got an etching to her right
I think it's funny that she's looking to the left
And it's her son
I wouldn't kill to get you back
And I've officially been asked
I couldn't kill to save a life
I'd rather a die a peaceful piece of shit-bait
Shame-filled coward
Thanks
I'm not the killing type
I'm not the killing type
I'm not, I'm not
I'm not the killing type, I'm not
But I would kill to make you feel
I don't mean kill someone for real
I couldn't do that, it is wrong
But I can say it in a song, a song, a song
And I'm saying it now
I'm saying it so
Even if you never hear this song
Somebody else would know
I'm saying it now
I'm saying it so
Even if you never hear this song
Somebody else will know, know, know, know
I just can't explain how good it feels
I just can't explain how good it feels
I just can't explain how good it feels
I just can't describe
I once stepped on a dying bird
It was a mercy killing
I couldn't sleep for a week
I kept feeling its breaking bones
I heard that if you see a star at night
And the conditions are just right
And you are standing on a cliff
Then you can close your eyes
And make a wish and take a step
And change somebody's life
I'm not the killing type
I'm not the killing type
I'm not, I'm not
I'm not the killing type, I'm not
But I would kill to make you feel
I'd kill to move your face an inch
I see you staring into space
I wanna stick my fist into your mouth
And twist your Arctic heart
Yes, I would kill to make you feel
I don't mean kill someone for real
I couldn't do that, it is wrong
But I can say it in a song, a song, a song
And I'm saying it now
I'm saying it so
Even if you never hear this song
Somebody else would know
I'm saying it now
I'm saying it so
Even if you never hear this song
Somebody else will know, know, know, know
I just can't explain how good it feels
I just can't explain how good it feels
I just can't explain how good it feels
I just can't describe-ibe-ibe-ibe
Die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die
I'm not the killing type
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It just strikes me as an outburst that directly contrasts how someone sees himself or herself (or any variation thereupon).
It opens with I'm not the killing type, which implies a level of pacifism that society views as an ideal, but it's immediately contrasted by expressing 'such a bore', which refutes that not killing really doesn't have much to do with pacifism.
As the song goes on and it's expressed "But I can say it in a song, a song, a song" and the music begins to pick up, it strikes me that this song seems to express an outburst of wanting to do something, wanting to scream, stomp, throw something, wanting to want to kill someone: but not, because that's now how we see ourselves.