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.
Rush hour at the day's dawning
The rain came and pushed me under the awning
The puddles grew and threw themselves at me
With every passing car
I'm shielding my guitar
And there were some things I did not tell him
There were certain things he did not need to know
And there were some days I did not love him
He didn't understand me and I did not know why I didn't go
I expected Summer to be there in the morning
I woke to the alarm, but she was out of arm's reach
Sneaking out on silent thighs
That were spent and sore
From the hot nights which came before
He said, "Change the channel! I've got problems of my own!
I am sick of hearing about drugs, AIDS, and people without homes."
And I said, " Well, Id like to sympathize with that,
but if you don't understand, then how can you act?"
And there were some things I did not tell him
There were certain things he did not need to know
And there were some days I did not love him
And he didn't understand me and I do not know why I didn't go
I expected summer to be there in the morning.
I woke to the alarm, but she was out of arm's reach
Sneaking out on silent thighs
That were spent and sore
From the hot nights which came before
He said, "I looked for you, I don't know why."
I said, "I was wearing black so you couldn't see me against the sky."
Take your big leather boots, and your buckles, and your chains
Put them on a downtown train
I expected he would be there in the morning
I awoke to the alarm, and he was still in arm's reach
But his body was just a disguise
His mind had wondered off long ago - I could, I could tell by his eyes
Love isn't over when the sheets are stained
In my head there remains so much left to be said
Make me laugh, make me cry, enrage me
But just don't try to disengage me
I expected Summer to be there in the morning
I awoke to the alarm but she was out of arm's reach
Sneaking out on silent thighs
That were spent and sore
From the hot nights that came before
Rush hour at the day's dawning
And the rain came and pushed me under the awning
The puddles grew and threw themselves at me
With every passing car
I'm shielding my guitar
And there were some things I did not tell him
There were certain things he did not need to know
And there were some days I did not love him
And he didn't understand me and I don't know I why didn't go
He didn't understand me and I don't know why I didn't go
He didn't understand me and he had every chance to know
The rain came and pushed me under the awning
The puddles grew and threw themselves at me
With every passing car
I'm shielding my guitar
And there were some things I did not tell him
There were certain things he did not need to know
And there were some days I did not love him
He didn't understand me and I did not know why I didn't go
I expected Summer to be there in the morning
I woke to the alarm, but she was out of arm's reach
Sneaking out on silent thighs
That were spent and sore
From the hot nights which came before
He said, "Change the channel! I've got problems of my own!
I am sick of hearing about drugs, AIDS, and people without homes."
And I said, " Well, Id like to sympathize with that,
but if you don't understand, then how can you act?"
And there were some things I did not tell him
There were certain things he did not need to know
And there were some days I did not love him
And he didn't understand me and I do not know why I didn't go
I expected summer to be there in the morning.
I woke to the alarm, but she was out of arm's reach
Sneaking out on silent thighs
That were spent and sore
From the hot nights which came before
He said, "I looked for you, I don't know why."
I said, "I was wearing black so you couldn't see me against the sky."
Take your big leather boots, and your buckles, and your chains
Put them on a downtown train
I expected he would be there in the morning
I awoke to the alarm, and he was still in arm's reach
But his body was just a disguise
His mind had wondered off long ago - I could, I could tell by his eyes
Love isn't over when the sheets are stained
In my head there remains so much left to be said
Make me laugh, make me cry, enrage me
But just don't try to disengage me
I expected Summer to be there in the morning
I awoke to the alarm but she was out of arm's reach
Sneaking out on silent thighs
That were spent and sore
From the hot nights that came before
Rush hour at the day's dawning
And the rain came and pushed me under the awning
The puddles grew and threw themselves at me
With every passing car
I'm shielding my guitar
And there were some things I did not tell him
There were certain things he did not need to know
And there were some days I did not love him
And he didn't understand me and I don't know I why didn't go
He didn't understand me and I don't know why I didn't go
He didn't understand me and he had every chance to know
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It's about a woman who is not satisfied with the relationship she has with her significant other.
"And there were some things I did not tell him There were certain things he did not need to know And there were some days I did not love him He didn't understand me and I did not know why I didn't go"
I feel like this is her speaking of the things she never told him because he was not on the same mental or emotional level as her. Whats the point her telling him or him knowing when he'll never try to understand when she gave him so many chances? Some days she can't even feel love for him because of this.
"He said, "change the channel. I've got problems of My own. I am sick of hearing about AIDS and people without homes." And I said, " well, Id like to sympathize with That, but if you don't understand, then how can you act?"
He doesn't want to hear about trouble going on around him, he feels only his own problems matter. He is hardened to others hardships or turns a blind eye. She wonders what it must be like not to care about any of this and is almost saying she wishes she could turn away as easily as him. She is also rebuking him for acting like he cares about things sometimes when he understands none of it.
"I expect summer to be there in the morning. I woke to the alarm, but she was out of arms reach, sneaking out on silent thighs. That were spent and sore from the hot nights that came before"
She expected better days to comes but every morning after the night they slept together she woke to find any promises that were made anything he did to be able sleep with her wouldn't continue after the deed was done.
"He said, "I looked at you. I don't know why." I said, "I was wearing black so you could see Me against the sky." Take your big leather boots, and your buckles, And your chains, put them on a downtown train"
She leaves and he claims to have looked for her sounding exasperated but it was him acting again. He didn't try hard if at all. She says she was wearing black so he can see her against the sky. This is in reference to his head being in the clouds and the big blue sky while she lives in their reality which is not good right now. A strict contrast to his dream world. She tells him to take his overbearing manly man, chest thumping, big britches, self-righteous persona and go.
"I expected he would be there in the morning I awoke to the alarm He was still in arm's reach, But his body was just a disguise His mind had wondered off long ago I could tell by his eyes"
He never listened anyway so she knew he wouldn't when she told him to go. She woke to find him there but realizes by looking in his eyes there's nothing really there he stopped honestly thinking and caring long ago.
"Love isn't over when the sheets are stained In my head there remains so much left to be said Make me laugh, Make me cry, Enrage me, But just don't try to disengage me"
She feels all he cares about when he claims to love is relating to the body thats all. He wont really talk to her make her laugh, engage her, she'd rather his words make her cry if only he would get serious with her on some level. But no he always shut her down on a deeper level.
That would be my guess