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.
Go down this dirt road about a half a mile
You'll find an old brick church still sitting there
With it's hold oak so burdened with Spanish moss
That its very limbs seem to bow in prayer
And there's Jesus in the air
Pass the cemetery where all the young people go
Cause there is no where else that they can drink
Where the law won't bother them and no one will know
Cause sometimes a young woman just needs to think
Talk to the old black man who will make the observation
That we're still grouped into the haves and have-nots
Yeah, it's been a long time since integration but it seems some folks here, they forgot.
It's every virtue and every vice
It's a big fat Americana slice
But there's space down here in this little town
And I can spread my arms and spin round and round
Well you don't have to be Baptist to escape hell's flames
But it wouldn't hurt to have one as a friend you know
We all go to bed early, don't take the Lord's name in vain
But if it's good beer and food you better believe we go
If you're in the mood for a scare tonight
There's a topless bar just up the interstate
Otherwise I'll see you in bowling shoes
Or in 3-D glasses, or on roller skates
Well we are quarterbacks and homecoming queens
And we are best all around and most likely to succeed
And it's Friday night and the back seat's getting hot
It's the hicks against the hippies in the parking lot.
You'll find an old brick church still sitting there
With it's hold oak so burdened with Spanish moss
That its very limbs seem to bow in prayer
And there's Jesus in the air
Pass the cemetery where all the young people go
Cause there is no where else that they can drink
Where the law won't bother them and no one will know
Cause sometimes a young woman just needs to think
Talk to the old black man who will make the observation
That we're still grouped into the haves and have-nots
Yeah, it's been a long time since integration but it seems some folks here, they forgot.
It's every virtue and every vice
It's a big fat Americana slice
But there's space down here in this little town
And I can spread my arms and spin round and round
Well you don't have to be Baptist to escape hell's flames
But it wouldn't hurt to have one as a friend you know
We all go to bed early, don't take the Lord's name in vain
But if it's good beer and food you better believe we go
If you're in the mood for a scare tonight
There's a topless bar just up the interstate
Otherwise I'll see you in bowling shoes
Or in 3-D glasses, or on roller skates
Well we are quarterbacks and homecoming queens
And we are best all around and most likely to succeed
And it's Friday night and the back seat's getting hot
It's the hicks against the hippies in the parking lot.
Lyrics submitted by iconnu
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.