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 people say it's sad
You know it can't be bad
And on any other day I'd be soul destroyed
But now I can't afford to listen to a word they say
And of all the times we had
Oh the ultimate late night
Didn't taste right
True words that I should know
Blood on my hands
When you looked around I couldn't be found
A crime's a crime, I'll have to pay
Now I find that I'm thigh deep
Too young for the worst of my mind
You whispered behind me
If I may make so bold
Call it young and wild
But I ran a mile in a minute and there's no going back
True words that I should know
Blood on my hands
When you looked around I couldn't be found
A crime's a crime, I'll have to pay
True words I said to myself
As the wind chilled my bones
Home alone, you call that a late night?
When people say you're dead
You know you caught their eye
And on any other day I'd be soul destroyed
But that's just not the way now
I don't mind telling you
Nothing is quite what it seems
True words that I should know
Must have been blood on my hands
When you look around I couldn't be found
A crime's a crime but I don't mind
True words that I should know well
But surely by now I could say to myself
The days are getting longer so I better get stronger fast
Surely by now?
You know it can't be bad
And on any other day I'd be soul destroyed
But now I can't afford to listen to a word they say
And of all the times we had
Oh the ultimate late night
Didn't taste right
True words that I should know
Blood on my hands
When you looked around I couldn't be found
A crime's a crime, I'll have to pay
Now I find that I'm thigh deep
Too young for the worst of my mind
You whispered behind me
If I may make so bold
Call it young and wild
But I ran a mile in a minute and there's no going back
True words that I should know
Blood on my hands
When you looked around I couldn't be found
A crime's a crime, I'll have to pay
True words I said to myself
As the wind chilled my bones
Home alone, you call that a late night?
When people say you're dead
You know you caught their eye
And on any other day I'd be soul destroyed
But that's just not the way now
I don't mind telling you
Nothing is quite what it seems
True words that I should know
Must have been blood on my hands
When you look around I couldn't be found
A crime's a crime but I don't mind
True words that I should know well
But surely by now I could say to myself
The days are getting longer so I better get stronger fast
Surely by now?
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar, edited by ItGirlX
Blood on My Hands Lyrics as written by Harriet Wheeler David Gavurin
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think this song expresses guilt and the disillusionment in regards to a failed relationship left because it wasn't what was imagined it would be. In the process, the other person was badly hurt. Classic relationship dynamic wherein one person likes the other more and the feelings are not reciprocated.
The opening lyric and first verse, speaks to an impression of other people's judgement of the situation. "When people say. 'It's sad,' and you know it can't be bad...now I can't afford to listen to a word they say..." There is disappointment in a connection being not at all, all that it was imagined it would be. This is expressed in the line, "Oh, the ultimate late night, didn't taste right." Spending what should have been a really romantic night with her lover, "left a bad taste in her mouth."
The chorus, "Blood on my hands," reflects on having hurt someone badly. "True words that I should know," a response to second-guessing one's intuition about the relationship. "A crime's a crime, I have to pay," feeling guilt about perhaps leading someone on for at least some period of time.
The lyric tells some of the relationship story and flashes between reminiscence, fear of other's expectations and guilt for not fulfilling some of the expectations of society. Then it speaks to the self-reflection of being alone where we tend to judge our past actions. It goes on to realization that things don't turn out as you expect them to based on the "story" society gives us about love.
Finally we're left with a bit of the loneliness and self doubt that occurs after a relationship is over and we feel fragile in our aloneness; how we need to buck up and get on with life. "Surely by now."
A one night stand that could've been more, or maybe a single person sleeping with a married one, explaining "blood on my hands."
I could have swear a couple of these lyrics are incorrect:
but now I can afford to "listen to the willfull say NO"
and
too your for the "widsom in my mind"
and
the days are getting longer so I better get stronger "Balls."
Some of the lyrics are wrong--the last verse is: <br /> <br /> And the fates await <br /> if I'm gonna stay<br /> You'll come in to find that I don't mind<br /> <br /> The back-up vocal after the second chorus is: "Listen to your life, listen to your life."<br /> <br /> Also, the line "The days are getting longer so I better get stronger--fast." Not 'balls,. Since Harriet has no balls, I think it's doubtful she would use that word. If one listens closely, it can be heard that it's her British pronunciation of 'fast' with an "ahh" short "A" sound; "F-ahh-st." The word 'fast' is congruent with the beginning of the lyric, " ..days longer...stronger...fast."
A lot of the Sundays songs seem to be about memories and guilt. Harriet always sounds so innocent though!