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.
When I was young, just under 21
Tore my town apart by emptying my loaded gun
Into the atmosphere
Catching bodies along the way
Now the Lord can't help me and
There ain't no god to save
A wretch like me, a wretch like me
A wretch like me
My family is upset but I'm
Still their baby boy
Who's never gone nowhere alone
But now he ain't got no choice
I'm goin' down, I'm going down
Goin' down, down, down, goin' down
Oh, but I don't wanna go to hell, no
I don't wanna go to hell
If the devil is a bully
Then I guess I might as well still be alive
And at the football games
Everyone will know my name
Won't matter if they're local
Or they're in from out of state
Innocent boy turned dangerous who went
To the mall that day
He grew up in the foothills
Went to that mall to slay
And like a bad dream, that feels so real
That it can't be, but it is still
And like a nightmare taken out of sleep
It hit's you in the morning like
A newspaper at your feet
My name will reign, my name will reign
My name will reign
Cryin' on my mama's shoulders
Holdin' my daddy's hand
Look into my sister's eyes
I know it's hard to understand
What I did won't be forgiven
And what I did is neverending
Look up at the school and tell me
What do you see?
There's something wrong with all of them
There's nothing wrong with me
My name will reign, name will reign
My name will reign
My name will reign, reign my name will reign
My name will reign, reign my name will reign
My name will reign, reign my name will reign
My name will reign, reign my name will reign
When I was young, just under 21
Tore my town apart by emptying my loaded gun
Into the atmosphere
Catching bodies along the way
Now the Lord can't help me and there ain't
No god to save a wretch like me
Tore my town apart by emptying my loaded gun
Into the atmosphere
Catching bodies along the way
Now the Lord can't help me and
There ain't no god to save
A wretch like me, a wretch like me
A wretch like me
My family is upset but I'm
Still their baby boy
Who's never gone nowhere alone
But now he ain't got no choice
I'm goin' down, I'm going down
Goin' down, down, down, goin' down
Oh, but I don't wanna go to hell, no
I don't wanna go to hell
If the devil is a bully
Then I guess I might as well still be alive
And at the football games
Everyone will know my name
Won't matter if they're local
Or they're in from out of state
Innocent boy turned dangerous who went
To the mall that day
He grew up in the foothills
Went to that mall to slay
And like a bad dream, that feels so real
That it can't be, but it is still
And like a nightmare taken out of sleep
It hit's you in the morning like
A newspaper at your feet
My name will reign, my name will reign
My name will reign
Cryin' on my mama's shoulders
Holdin' my daddy's hand
Look into my sister's eyes
I know it's hard to understand
What I did won't be forgiven
And what I did is neverending
Look up at the school and tell me
What do you see?
There's something wrong with all of them
There's nothing wrong with me
My name will reign, name will reign
My name will reign
My name will reign, reign my name will reign
My name will reign, reign my name will reign
My name will reign, reign my name will reign
My name will reign, reign my name will reign
When I was young, just under 21
Tore my town apart by emptying my loaded gun
Into the atmosphere
Catching bodies along the way
Now the Lord can't help me and there ain't
No god to save a wretch like me
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