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.
My dream girl don't exist
At the age of five she slit her wrist
She didn't know that I'd be hanging around
So her parents buried her in the ground
And this day I can still hear the sound
Of a life in outer space
My dream girl don't exist
Just you and I and this TV
And this illness seems to feel so strange
Like a henchman that's about to hang
The moon up like a ball and chain
And set the sands ablaze
And the weight is waiting, oh
Feel the world so real and strong
My dream girl don't exist
Took her photograph from a history book
I believe she had a voice and name
Three children on the coast of Maine
Her life was in a hurricane
Of love and real embrace
My dream girl don't exist
At the age of five she slit her wrist
She didn't know that I'd be hanging around
So one day she took a stroll to town
And walked in front of a Greyhound bound
For New York central state
And the weight is waiting, oh
And the weight is waiting, oh
Feel the world so real and strong
She goes and now she knows she'll never be afraid
At the age of five she slit her wrist
She didn't know that I'd be hanging around
So her parents buried her in the ground
And this day I can still hear the sound
Of a life in outer space
My dream girl don't exist
Just you and I and this TV
And this illness seems to feel so strange
Like a henchman that's about to hang
The moon up like a ball and chain
And set the sands ablaze
And the weight is waiting, oh
Feel the world so real and strong
My dream girl don't exist
Took her photograph from a history book
I believe she had a voice and name
Three children on the coast of Maine
Her life was in a hurricane
Of love and real embrace
My dream girl don't exist
At the age of five she slit her wrist
She didn't know that I'd be hanging around
So one day she took a stroll to town
And walked in front of a Greyhound bound
For New York central state
And the weight is waiting, oh
And the weight is waiting, oh
Feel the world so real and strong
She goes and now she knows she'll never be afraid
Lyrics submitted by typo, edited by Mellow_Harsher
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Just A Little Lovin'
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
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This song is off a 1991 album and the song "When I come around" by greenday is off a 1995 album, check them out its no doubt that greeday ripped jeff off hella. its not just a similar progression, its the same song.
Guys, only a handful of people listened to the 1991 "album" (i.e. a demo cassette) before NMH gained notoriety years later. <br /> <br /> Neither artist ripped the other off. It's a SUPER basic 3-4 chord progression that's probably been used in countless songs. It's about a million times more likely that they both strummed the same rudimentary tune while fucking around, as opposed to a punk band listening to the demo cassette of a folk-ish band literally on the opposite side of the country.
Guys, only a handful of people listened to the 1991 "album" (i.e. a demo cassette) before NMH gained notoriety years later. <br /> <br /> Neither artist ripped the other off. It's a SUPER basic 3-4 chord progression that's probably been used in countless songs. It's about a million times more likely that they both strummed the same rudimentary tune while fucking around, as opposed to a punk band listening to the demo cassette of a folk-ish band literally on the opposite side of the country.
@kidgoat Thats what I thought too
There's an alternate version of this that talks about McDonalds and stuff...it makes this version lose some of the seeming depth...its like it was meant to be a joke at first
The version with McDonalds is on the album Beauty, which he released in 1991. It's actually pretty funny and it has a lot to do with the later recording. The second verse is: My dreamgirl don't exist She's workin at a macdonalds in Madison, Wisconsin She coulda' been cool, but she let the system get to her Forgot about oranges- made hamburgers
My dreamgirl don't exist They're all sittin around watchin' TV They're out stuffin... shit-
Song ends and Jeff makes noise for about a minute.
forgot about oranges? haha, no man, it's definitely:
"my dream girl don't exist she's working in a mcdonald's in madison, wisconsin she coulda been cool, but she let the system get to her she forgot about art and just made hamburgers,"
which to me gives that version of the song a definite sarcastic twist while also painting it in a darker shade than i think this version listed above even gives.
i think the shorter version is somehow more powerful, because it's basically saying that his dreamgirl doesn't exist anymore because she threw her life away in the sense she forgot about everything she cared about for something stupid, and now she's just flipping burgers or whatever, essentially throwing away the girl he had grown to love in the first place. she's not really dead in that version, just dead to him.
...at least, that's how i interpret it, plus at the end where he's yowling like a cat or whatever, well, it's hard not to laugh at that version. it's my favorite out of the two. i like dark humor apparently. plus that version inspires me not to give up on my own interests. pits of despair can suck it. =P
besides being just about my favorite neutral milk hotel song, the live version of this song that I have (from elephant6.com) talks about how it's a companion to another song. Unless I miss my guess, that other song is "ghost" as they both share the line "she knows she'll never be afraid" and because of the fact that ghost is talking about... well, a ghost.
anybody have any other ideas?
i think this song is about how the "ghost" became a ghost. for i put two and two together as well and linked this song with "ghost".
I think the last line on the 2nd verse should read "instead it stands ablase". Although, (and i'm sure it's party psychosomatic), listening to it after reading these lyrics, it's hard to say.
The so called "B-Side" version of the song is taken from the Aquarious Records show in 1996. Its the earliest known NMH Show that's been recorded, I think. The version of the show I have has been editted down so all the talking inbetween tracks is gone.
I'd also like to point out that I doubt it is a companion song to ghost. Although the ending is similar, I don't think he was refering to ghost.
Its interesting tho, the first performance of ghost (in late 1997) is very similar to the version that made it onto aeroplane, suggestion it had actually been around for a while.
Yeah I think he is when he says "this is a companion to another song, it will probably not make it" "I write these long songs and some make it and others don't" (probably not an accurate quot) But if he's not referring to ghost I would be surprised
jeff is an amazing lyricist. its so difficult to actually figure out what he's talking about, but in this case, im going to agree with the others and say its a companion to "ghost".
tackled it didnt come from beauty