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.
Before I get myself unwound clearcut faith come around docility is tempting bait you settle with a different god tiny thoughts hundreth start no other way to come to terms no need to learn I'm hoping for a change of heart barely shown I'll never let you in my head a president I call my own I'm hoping for a change of hope til I spent some time with you shameful dread doesn't float thought that everything I do has no weight doesn't float has no weight doesn't float Gonna see this through has no weight lucky you
Lyrics submitted by prod, edited by ChipperSpiff
Shameful Dread Lyrics as written by Doug Martsch
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The lyrics are pretty muddled here, the song goes more like this...
Before I get myself unwound come around docility is tempting bait clearcut faith you settle with a different god tiny thoughts no other way to come to terms no need to learn
I'm hoping for a change of heart hundreth start a precedent to call my own barely shown I'll never let you in my head simple dread I'm hoping for a change of hope
til I spent some time with you thought that everything I do has no weight doesn't float has no weight doesn't float has no weight doesn't float
what the hell do you think i'm gonna do? ... ...
My take is that it's about conflicting feelings around love. On the one hand, if you don't have anyone who really listens to you, your words don't really carry any meaning. On the other hand, your lover's identity can take over yours, and perhaps it's difficult to come to terms with that sort of change. So, falling in love is like this deal where you can give meaning to your life, but you also have to be willing to lose yourself.
It's such a great song anyway.
Thanks for the clearer lyrics.<br /> <br /> I mostly agree with your interpretation, but there's also a sense that it's about having totally screwed up a relationship, or past relationships, and experiencing that awful feeling (but awesome song title), shameful dread.