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'm only pretty sure that I can't take anymore
Before you take a swing
I wonder what are we fighting for?
When I say out loud
I want to get out of this
I wonder is there anything?
I'm going to miss
I wonder how it's gonna be?
When you don't know me
How's it gonna be?
When you're sure I'm not there
How's it gonna be?
When there's no one there to talk to
Between you and me
'Cause I don't care
How's it gonna be?
How's it gonna be?
Where we used to laugh
There's a shouting match
Sharp as a thumbnail scratch
A silence I can't ignore
Like the hammock by the
Doorway we spent time in, swings empty
I don't see lightning like last fall
When it was always about to hit me
I wonder how's it gonna be?
When it goes down
How's it gonna be?
When you're not around
How's it gonna be?
When you found out there was nothing
Between you and me
'Cause I don't care
How's it gonna be?
And how's it gonna be?
When you don't know me anymore
And how's it gonna be?
Want to get myself back in again
The soft dive of oblivion
I want to taste the salt of your skin
The soft dive of oblivion, oblivion
How's it gonna be?
When you don't know me anymore
How's it gonna be?
How's it gonna be
How's it gonna be
Before you take a swing
I wonder what are we fighting for?
When I say out loud
I want to get out of this
I wonder is there anything?
I'm going to miss
I wonder how it's gonna be?
When you don't know me
How's it gonna be?
When you're sure I'm not there
How's it gonna be?
When there's no one there to talk to
Between you and me
'Cause I don't care
How's it gonna be?
How's it gonna be?
Where we used to laugh
There's a shouting match
Sharp as a thumbnail scratch
A silence I can't ignore
Like the hammock by the
Doorway we spent time in, swings empty
I don't see lightning like last fall
When it was always about to hit me
I wonder how's it gonna be?
When it goes down
How's it gonna be?
When you're not around
How's it gonna be?
When you found out there was nothing
Between you and me
'Cause I don't care
How's it gonna be?
And how's it gonna be?
When you don't know me anymore
And how's it gonna be?
Want to get myself back in again
The soft dive of oblivion
I want to taste the salt of your skin
The soft dive of oblivion, oblivion
How's it gonna be?
When you don't know me anymore
How's it gonna be?
How's it gonna be
How's it gonna be
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
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I think everyone can agree that this song brings back memories, it just has that type of an atmosphere.. and its so relateable, everyone's been through something like that or similar. But the general feeling i get from the song is....fear. The fear we all have. The fear that we will never be able to go back to the good times that we are missing right now. The fear of change. That, even though you know the situation you are in needs to end (whatever the situation is), not wanting it to end. Not wanting to take that step that will change everything, even if that change is needed. The fear of making the wrong decision, and then realizing your mistake only after its too late. The whole 'This needs to happen, but....what's it gonna be like? When i can't talk to you anymore?' The lines "How's it gonna be..when you don't know me? How's it gonna be..when you're sure i'm not there? How's it gonna be..when there's noone there to talk to..between you and me" capture that feeling perfectly. The hesitation. The unsure-ness. The fear. They won't know your life, your problems, your joys anymore. They won't know YOU anymore. The thought that someone who is so much a part of your life right now....will eventually be nothing. It's terrifying.
@meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee \r\nDude your comment hit spot on and is in bedded into my feelings and mind. You are so right so true and thank you. We’ve all been there and honestly we still hurt to wonder how many things of what they could’ve been. As I get older my heart sinks thinking about the girls I’ve loved before and where are they now but I know I cannot reach them anymore.
No doubt, it's about a good possible long relationship gone wrong & what's life going to be like now that it's over.