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.
If this isn't what you see
It doesn't make you blind
Yea, if this doesn't make you feel
It doesn't mean you've died
Where the river's high
Where the river's high
If you don't want to be seen
Well you don't have to hide
And if you don't want to believe
Well you don't have to try to feel alive, yea
Alive in the superunknown
Alive in the superunknown
Alive in the superunknown
First it steals your mind and then it steals your
If this doesn't make you free
It doesn't mean you're tied
If this doesn't take you down
It doesn't mean you're high
If this doesn't make you smile
Yea, you don't have to cry
If this isn't making sense
Yea, it doesn't make it lies, oh
Alive in the superunknown
Alive in the superunknown
Alive in the superunknown
First it steals your mind and then it steals your soul, oh
Get yourself afraid
Get yourself alone
Get yourself contained
Get yourself control, control
Yeah, oh, yeah
Oh, oh
(Alive in the superunknown)
First it steals your mind and then it steals your
First it steals your mind and then it steals your
First it steals your mind and then it steals your soul
It doesn't make you blind
Yea, if this doesn't make you feel
It doesn't mean you've died
Where the river's high
Where the river's high
If you don't want to be seen
Well you don't have to hide
And if you don't want to believe
Well you don't have to try to feel alive, yea
Alive in the superunknown
Alive in the superunknown
Alive in the superunknown
First it steals your mind and then it steals your
If this doesn't make you free
It doesn't mean you're tied
If this doesn't take you down
It doesn't mean you're high
If this doesn't make you smile
Yea, you don't have to cry
If this isn't making sense
Yea, it doesn't make it lies, oh
Alive in the superunknown
Alive in the superunknown
Alive in the superunknown
First it steals your mind and then it steals your soul, oh
Get yourself afraid
Get yourself alone
Get yourself contained
Get yourself control, control
Yeah, oh, yeah
Oh, oh
(Alive in the superunknown)
First it steals your mind and then it steals your
First it steals your mind and then it steals your
First it steals your mind and then it steals your soul
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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im not one of those crazy people that seem to think every song is about drugs (or Kurt Cobain, for that matter :P) but i honestly thought this one was.
look at the first paragraph: "If this isn't what you see It doesn't make you blind If this doesn't make you feel It doesn't mean you've died Where the river's high Where the river's high" ...that could easily be referring to someone experiencing a high from drugs.
and the chorus: "Alive in the superunknown First it steals your mind And then it steals your soul" ...that could be interpreted as how drug addiction leads to a person loosing their mind and their soul - and the superunknown is the state of high/euphoria experienced when taking drugs.