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 work my fingers to the bone
My elbow grease seeps
Benefits get reaped, I keep talk to a minimum
Props, I never rented 'em, I own all my masters
Sellin' tapes for cash, fuck the middlemen bastards, though
It've been faster to take that route
I'm observing those who didn't that's unfortunate how it turned out
I learned early that beatin' fools is a worldly trade
Man how you gonna profit off the music that I make
C'mon now, I'll trade you for somthing equal
But robbing artists blind isn't the way to be treating people and
I can see that its gonna take some sweat
But perseverance plus the talent forms a weapon, and
We steppin' in fresher this year
Objects in the rear view are closer than they appear
[Chorus 2x]
It's a give and take
What you're giving's what they take
There's no leftovers
Only scraps on the plate
Give me a break, what do they have to pay for?
The energies from earth, what do they own that to?
A slew of bills fill my mailbox on the month
The numbers stump me like math
I gotta pay to take a bath, what?
Pay to see my ass, and
Pay for them to haul away the trash when it's full
Pay to heat my food and
Pay to watch the tube
And if I don't have cable there's no channels for me to flip
And that's more grip, and if you're poor, shit
They only give a few extensions
Dimensions of the plot run thick (thick)
Pretty soon we'll pay for air when they figure out how to sell it
Tell it like you know it and everybody wants to laugh
Probably never hear the truth 'til they take away the cash
[Chorus 2x]
So many ways to drain a lifespan
Sometimes I worry late at night and
Try to fight the urge to smoke that bidi
But despite man's will
Still my lungs are smoke filled
And I hope to build with better tools
But I be playin' the fool still
Like let me get a Sausage McMuffin with egg
A lil' liquor to get on a fade and
I would really have it made
If she would spread her legs
Probably AID me to my death before I got the chance to age
Wagin' war all my life
But even if I didn't
Somebody else could do it
And wish me my good riddance
When I'm gone
Send me on my path my merry way
Time is but the test
We livin' in scary days
[Chorus 2x]
My elbow grease seeps
Benefits get reaped, I keep talk to a minimum
Props, I never rented 'em, I own all my masters
Sellin' tapes for cash, fuck the middlemen bastards, though
It've been faster to take that route
I'm observing those who didn't that's unfortunate how it turned out
I learned early that beatin' fools is a worldly trade
Man how you gonna profit off the music that I make
C'mon now, I'll trade you for somthing equal
But robbing artists blind isn't the way to be treating people and
I can see that its gonna take some sweat
But perseverance plus the talent forms a weapon, and
We steppin' in fresher this year
Objects in the rear view are closer than they appear
[Chorus 2x]
It's a give and take
What you're giving's what they take
There's no leftovers
Only scraps on the plate
Give me a break, what do they have to pay for?
The energies from earth, what do they own that to?
A slew of bills fill my mailbox on the month
The numbers stump me like math
I gotta pay to take a bath, what?
Pay to see my ass, and
Pay for them to haul away the trash when it's full
Pay to heat my food and
Pay to watch the tube
And if I don't have cable there's no channels for me to flip
And that's more grip, and if you're poor, shit
They only give a few extensions
Dimensions of the plot run thick (thick)
Pretty soon we'll pay for air when they figure out how to sell it
Tell it like you know it and everybody wants to laugh
Probably never hear the truth 'til they take away the cash
[Chorus 2x]
So many ways to drain a lifespan
Sometimes I worry late at night and
Try to fight the urge to smoke that bidi
But despite man's will
Still my lungs are smoke filled
And I hope to build with better tools
But I be playin' the fool still
Like let me get a Sausage McMuffin with egg
A lil' liquor to get on a fade and
I would really have it made
If she would spread her legs
Probably AID me to my death before I got the chance to age
Wagin' war all my life
But even if I didn't
Somebody else could do it
And wish me my good riddance
When I'm gone
Send me on my path my merry way
Time is but the test
We livin' in scary days
[Chorus 2x]
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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