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.
Well, let me tell you if you're feeling alone
Instead of whining and moaning
Just get on the phone
Tell her you're coming home
If you need her, you should be there
And if you scream in your sleep
Or collapse in a heap
And spontaneously weep
Then you know you're in deep
If you need her, you should be there
Go home
There's nothing better than affairs of the heart
To make you feel so good then tear you apart
Make up your mind and stick it out or start again
You can't imagine what an effort it takes
When you make a mistake
And you know in the wake
That a heart's going to break
If you need her, you should be there
Well, if you're flummoxed and flushed
And your heartbeat is rushed
Then get out of the slush
Tell your dog team to mush
If you need her, you should be there
Go home
If you think of her as Joan of Arc
She's burning for you, get your car out of park
And if you think of her as Catherine the Great
Then you should be the horse to help her meet her fate
If you need her, you should be there
Go home
You can't believe it, but it's true
She's given everything to you
Now take a moment to be sure
Before you give it all to her
Well, now you're thinking that it's over at last
All your woes in the past
But you've got to be fast
Put your foot on the gas
If you need her, you should be there
So now you're out from under the gun
And it's over and done
I won't spoil all the fun
But if you ever wonder
She'll be there if you need her
Go home
If you're lucky to be one of the few
To find somebody who can tolerate you
Then I shouldn't have to tell you again
Just pack your bags and get yourself on a plane
If you need her, you should be there
Go home
Come on, man
If you need her, you should be there
Go home (fuck, yeah)
Instead of whining and moaning
Just get on the phone
Tell her you're coming home
If you need her, you should be there
And if you scream in your sleep
Or collapse in a heap
And spontaneously weep
Then you know you're in deep
If you need her, you should be there
Go home
There's nothing better than affairs of the heart
To make you feel so good then tear you apart
Make up your mind and stick it out or start again
You can't imagine what an effort it takes
When you make a mistake
And you know in the wake
That a heart's going to break
If you need her, you should be there
Well, if you're flummoxed and flushed
And your heartbeat is rushed
Then get out of the slush
Tell your dog team to mush
If you need her, you should be there
Go home
If you think of her as Joan of Arc
She's burning for you, get your car out of park
And if you think of her as Catherine the Great
Then you should be the horse to help her meet her fate
If you need her, you should be there
Go home
You can't believe it, but it's true
She's given everything to you
Now take a moment to be sure
Before you give it all to her
Well, now you're thinking that it's over at last
All your woes in the past
But you've got to be fast
Put your foot on the gas
If you need her, you should be there
So now you're out from under the gun
And it's over and done
I won't spoil all the fun
But if you ever wonder
She'll be there if you need her
Go home
If you're lucky to be one of the few
To find somebody who can tolerate you
Then I shouldn't have to tell you again
Just pack your bags and get yourself on a plane
If you need her, you should be there
Go home
Come on, man
If you need her, you should be there
Go home (fuck, yeah)
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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Steve hates hockey anyway, lol. Besides, I know they're dorks, but they're not lame enough to say puck yeah, although that would be hilarious. It's 'fuck yeah'. It's not like they're saints who never say any "bad words" anyway. I really love this song. The beat always puts me in a good mood.
It's totally BNL like to do something random.
How many people expect them to swear at the end of a song?
this song is great. bnl are so smart, and they have such clever jokes. im not sure if everyone gets the "If you think of her as Catherine the Great Then you should be the horse to help her meet her fate" line, cause i just figured it out in my euro history calss. if you dont, go read up on how catherine the great died.
For whatever reason, i think that this is one of my favorite BNL songs, but i haev no idea why. i like the beat, and the lyrics aren't bad either.
do they say what i think they say at the very end?
Despite what many people insist, it's not "f**k yeah!". They said it themselves somewhere, they wouldn't do that.
Some Christian Review site got all pissy that they said "Fuck Yeah" at the end.
It sure sounds like that's what they were saying.
mysd.org/band/bnlfaq.html
That site claims that they said "Fuck Yeah".
Regardless, i would like to expand on what superduperdork1 said. Just so you don't have to look it up, Catherine the great was killed in bed, crushed under her horse. You can use your imagination to figure out what she was doing to the horse.
I love this song, it's a kick in the pants for those who might take their partner for granted.
I know I was one of the people who just assumed that my ex-gf would always be there for me because she always had been. So, I could do whatever I wanted since she would never leave me. I'd go out with my friends, not caring when I got home since I knew she'd be waiting for me. Notice I said ex-gf.
This song is good advice. If you love someone, you should be there for them.
One of my favorite lines in any song is: "If you're lucky to be one of the few To find somebody who can tolerate you"
Isn't it so true? Love always comes down to finding someone who can actually stand all your faults. And it happens so rarely. Most relationships end because of that ONE annoying habit that the other person has that you just can't let drop. If you managed to find someone who likes you despite your faults, don't be an idiot and screw it up.