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.
You said this will never do
Every time I call I know it's true
The truth is not my specialty
Confusion makes most sense to me
You only like me when I'm in a blue mood
You say you see my soul's only seeing red
You said this was how you knew
That these things never last
But you're just talking out of your ass
And I'm just going to let that pass
You, you only like me when I'm in a blue mood
All you want is your own shadow in my head
Every time I call I know it's true
The truth is not my specialty
Confusion makes most sense to me
You only like me when I'm in a blue mood
You say you see my soul's only seeing red
You said this was how you knew
That these things never last
But you're just talking out of your ass
And I'm just going to let that pass
You, you only like me when I'm in a blue mood
All you want is your own shadow in my head
Lyrics submitted by dragonflower44
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where can i find this song? i once found a really poor quality recording of it, so i've not been able to listen to it well....
love this song.....a dark girl is attracted to the way he views things, his dark side, like they have each other. and she's threatened when he's not so dark. it's like she only likes him half the time....and she goes and analizes him, which pisses him off, so he's saying "f u, you don't really know or accept me, you're such a phony"..........that is just my take. and even if i'm way off, it's a very pretty song.
ok, the last line amkes me think that she wants him to be like her...maybe she's depressed and wants him to be too.
come on people, pls comment!
i think the third line goes "the truth is not my speciality", at least that's what i hear........i think u r probably right lost in twilight. beautiful song......she only likes him when he is depressed and he sees this and it pisses him off, its like she isnt really interested in him as a person but is fascinated by his depression......maybe she is attracted to the fact that he is a meloncholy soul rather than the actual person and , ........ok i dont reall know what im on about........RIP
it's a nice song but i've always thought he sang "the joke is not my specialty".
the lyric you're talking about is actually "the truth is not my specialty".
Beautiful.
I agree with what the people above me said. When I hear this song I think of how people perceive one another. When you know a person for a while then you start to think of them a certain way. If the person starts to change then it becomes hard for you to acknowledge that and the relationship, slowly, falls apart. It is very hard to show people different sides to yourselves because they tend to shut it down and will start telling you how you have changed etc. That is how I hear the song, Elliott trying to show the girl that he is more then a depressed soul and she does not want to accept that. She wants Elliott to be one way but I might be wrong. If I am wrong then I apologize, it’s just my opinion.
Many people saw Elliott as mister misery, which pissed him off. At first I thought this song is about how people only like him when he's the depressed, sensitive guy, and not even thinking that he is as happy as anyone else. He mentioned that in interviews a lot. But now it sound more like a relationship between two people. At this point I agree with Kingston.
"A joke is not my speciality, confusion makes most sense to me" supposedly about his weird sense of humor...he was a documented jokester and loved the absurd.
"But you're just talking out your ass, I'm just gonna let that pass" is what I think he really says and it's pretty self explanatory. This is one of his unrecorded masterpieces. I doubt it was finished and I doubt he was totally happy with these lyrics.