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.
My goodness, don't you remember when you went first to school?
You went to kindergarten.
And kindergarten, the idea was to push along so that you could get into first grade.
And then push along so that you could get into second grade, third grade, and so on,
Going up and up and then you went to high school and this was a great transition in life.
And now the pressure is being put on, you must get ahead.
You must go up the grades and finally be good enough to get to college.
And then when you get to college, you're still going step by step, step by step, up to the great moment in which you're ready to go out into the world.
And then when you get out into this famous world,
Comes the struggle for success in profession or business.
And again, there seems to be a ladder before you,
Something for which you're reaching for all the time.
And then, suddenly, when you're about 40 or 45 years old, in the middle of life,
You wake up one day and say "huh? I've arrived and, by Joe, I feel pretty much the same as I've always felt. In fact I'm not so sure that I don't feel a little bit cheated."
Because, you see, you were fooled.
You were always living for somewhere where you aren't.
And while, as I said, it is of tremendous use for us
To be able to look ahead in this way and to plan.
There is no use in planning for a future,
Which when you get to it and it becomes the present you won't be there.
You'll be living in some other future which hasn't yet arrived.
And so in this way, one is never able actually to inherit and enjoy the fruits of ones actions.
You can't live it all unless you can live fully now.
You went to kindergarten.
And kindergarten, the idea was to push along so that you could get into first grade.
And then push along so that you could get into second grade, third grade, and so on,
Going up and up and then you went to high school and this was a great transition in life.
And now the pressure is being put on, you must get ahead.
You must go up the grades and finally be good enough to get to college.
And then when you get to college, you're still going step by step, step by step, up to the great moment in which you're ready to go out into the world.
And then when you get out into this famous world,
Comes the struggle for success in profession or business.
And again, there seems to be a ladder before you,
Something for which you're reaching for all the time.
And then, suddenly, when you're about 40 or 45 years old, in the middle of life,
You wake up one day and say "huh? I've arrived and, by Joe, I feel pretty much the same as I've always felt. In fact I'm not so sure that I don't feel a little bit cheated."
Because, you see, you were fooled.
You were always living for somewhere where you aren't.
And while, as I said, it is of tremendous use for us
To be able to look ahead in this way and to plan.
There is no use in planning for a future,
Which when you get to it and it becomes the present you won't be there.
You'll be living in some other future which hasn't yet arrived.
And so in this way, one is never able actually to inherit and enjoy the fruits of ones actions.
You can't live it all unless you can live fully now.
Lyrics submitted by AmberBell
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.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.