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,
Choosing stones
Big enough to drag me down
Where I am
People's voices make hollow sounds
Just be quiet
They'll go away
Open up your eyes
Don't let your mind tell the story here
Open up your eyes
Just let me goIt's so safe
It's so safe floating in the glass
While above
While above all your troubles pass
Just be quiet
They'll go away
Open up your eyes
Don't let your mind tell the story here
Open up your eyes
Just let me go
Open up your eyes
Don't let your mind tell the story here
Open up your eyes
Just let me go, let me go, let me go
Open up your eyes
Just let me go
Big enough to drag me down
Where I am
People's voices make hollow sounds
Just be quiet
They'll go away
Open up your eyes
Don't let your mind tell the story here
Open up your eyes
Just let me goIt's so safe
It's so safe floating in the glass
While above
While above all your troubles pass
Just be quiet
They'll go away
Open up your eyes
Don't let your mind tell the story here
Open up your eyes
Just let me go
Open up your eyes
Don't let your mind tell the story here
Open up your eyes
Just let me go, let me go, let me go
Open up your eyes
Just let me go
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More Featured Meanings
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
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 heard htis song for the first time today it was on a big stereo, the bass blew me away, literally, haha this song kicks ass
The song that caught me and made a fan. :) "Choosing stones,big enough to drag you down,people's voices make hollow sounds"... I love Emerson Hart's lyrics. :)
To me its pretty clear this song is about addiction. He even takes a more direct approach by referencing drinking ones problems away and feeling safe doing so.
this song rules
Totally.
This is what I miss about 90's rock.
That's all the comments this song gets? :\
This song, to me, seems to be telling the listener to follow their heart and not over think or spend too much time in their head. "Choosing stones big enough to drag me down" is like trying to think of all the ways that something could go wrong. "Where I am, people's voices make hollow sounds" - When you spend too much time in your head, people's words can have a negative effect on you no matter what they say. "Open up your eyes, don't let your mind tell the story here" - Take it in, but don't over think it.
To me, this song is about someone who has passed on...
Choosing stones (tombstones) big enough (literally) to drag them down.
Where I am (Heaven), people's voices make hollow sounds (could be that they can't quite hear them properly, or perhaps this lyric is from the person at the funeral, where people's voices and what they are saying are not entirely sinking in... )
It's so safe, floating in the glass (Floating in heaven is safe, they are letting you know don't worry, they are safe) While above, all your troubles pass (No matter what troubles they had, when they are 'above' all their troubles are gone)
Open up your eyes (Don't be sad and close your eyes) Don't let your mind tell the story here (This is a life defining moment in your life, a loved one has passed on and whether you like it or not, this is not something that you want to turn away from. You must face it head on, tell the story of what happened, not what your mind was telling you at the time)
@bundy92 Nope, nothing to do with religion. "Floating in the glass" is a reference to being untouchable as troubles occur outside of your world. "Don\'t let your mind tell the story here" is a reference to not letting your mind fool you from reality - going back to the glass protection. This entire song is telling you to not let your mind fool you from reality.
This is about seeking truth. It is a heavy burden. The chatter of others is hollow, as they are without knowledge.
Don't rely on your mind, as you also have limited knowledge (there's always unknown), and it can be supplemented with spiritual connection.
The glass is the screens people rely on to feel safe and told what to do. Hypnotized into aloofness.