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.
I was always told that you have to have the balls to break down
Now I'm older I'm not too sure
I was always told that you had to have the high to low down
An expert told me back in the war
Open hearted surgery never works
So eat your words or hide 'em in the dirt
'cause' i don't need nobody to know me
I don't want nobody to know
I was always told that you have to have the balls to break down
Now I'm older I'm not too sure
I was always told that you had to have the high to low down
An expert told me back in the war
Open hearted surgery never works
So eat your words or hide 'em in the dirt
'cause' i don't want nobody to know me
I don't need nobody to know
Open hearted surgery never works
So eat your words or hide 'em in the dirt
'cause' i don't need nobody to know me
I don't want nobody to know
I don't see nobody to show me
Now I'm older I'm not too sure
I was always told that you had to have the high to low down
An expert told me back in the war
Open hearted surgery never works
So eat your words or hide 'em in the dirt
'cause' i don't need nobody to know me
I don't want nobody to know
I was always told that you have to have the balls to break down
Now I'm older I'm not too sure
I was always told that you had to have the high to low down
An expert told me back in the war
Open hearted surgery never works
So eat your words or hide 'em in the dirt
'cause' i don't want nobody to know me
I don't need nobody to know
Open hearted surgery never works
So eat your words or hide 'em in the dirt
'cause' i don't need nobody to know me
I don't want nobody to know
I don't see nobody to show me
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There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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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”
When We Were Young
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Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
A funky Gomez tune. They start off by commenting about how back in the day, the older kids at school were very aggressive and wanting to knock stuff down (Gomez are from England, so think of the peer pressure of living with soccer hooligans.) But as they get older they realized that it's a lot of "bollocks" (thankfully). Also the practice of having a "heart to heart" with someone is akin to open heart surgery, and that it is overrated. He feels it's better to keep your inner being guarded, cause A: you don't need to reveal everything to someone to be happy and have a good time and B: he doesn't see anyone who could show him a good way to be constructive with the surgery, so why bother in a big emotional mess for nothing?! More Gomez brilliance!
My interpretation goes in a different direction: The distorted, wobbly sound and the "stone" in the title made me think that it is more about a guy who lost his love and is now sitting at home, smoking joint after joint and getting more and more isolated.
"Open hearted surgery" means the attempts of his friends to heal his wounded heart, that are doomed to fail because he doesn't even want anyone to know him.
=)
The song is abot grief and Tom Gray's father dieing from heart failure when he was quite young.
Zaphod is on the right track here. This song is about how overrated it is to remove the filter between your brain and your mouth. See the song "Lives" by Modest Mouse for a similar sentiment.
There is this idea that completely honest communication ("open-hearted surgery") will solve all your problems. Similarly, there's this idea that you need to be really brave to have a "breakdown" that involves spilling your guts and getting in touch with your emotions. I believe he is trying to say that in fact it's much easier to have verbal diarrhea than it is to find other more constructive ways to deal with personal problems that do not burden other people ("eat your words or hide 'em in the dirt").
Why aren't all of the lyrics here?
The sublime section right before the false ending.
Spanish sounding words Followed by....
Sean Connery or Steve McQueen Sean Connery or Steve McQueen
OR Steve Mcqueen OR Steve Mcqueen
Those words aren't there by accident. The artist included them deliberately.
@JLoDaMofo <br /> It says "Quizás yo soy otro Sean Connery...o Steve McQueen...<br /> ...o Steve McQueen..."<br /> <br /> Which just means "Maybe I am another Sean Connery...or Steve McQueen... [etc]"<br /> <br /> It's been nearly two decades and I'm still obsessing about where that sampled bit came from.
@JLoDaMofo The Spanish part has more to it than the other commenter spelled out. I can't get all of it, though. Hopefully someone can help!<br /> <br /> un amigo tambien<br /> [something] un amigo tambien<br /> un amigo tambien<br /> <br /> [something something] … mañana<br /> [something something] … yo soy otro Sean Connery o Steve McQueen<br /> yo soy otro Sean Connery o Steve McQueen<br /> o Steve McQueen<br /> o Steve McQueen
@JLoDaMofo Found this in a comment under the YouTube vid of this song:<br /> "jajaja... un amigo tambien... jajajajaa... era un amigo tambien... jajaja... era un amigo tambien... jajajajaa... un amigo tambien... se dice no sabe donde... mañana... quiza yo soy otro sean connery... o steve mcqueen... yo soy otro sean connery... o steve mcqueen... o steve mcqueen... o steve mcqueen...".<br /> <br /> youtube.com/watch<br />
Okay, I have NO idea what this song means, but I like it.
Boy, THAT was helpful, wasn't it?
i think part of the open heart surgery and him saying he doesnt want nobody to know probably means there is something wrong with his heart. it's either too small... or broken. either way... he cherishs his heart. when he says "i dont see nobody to show me" maybe his heart is a very private part... something he doesnt want just anyone to be able to see. and he hasnt found anyone he could show himself to. i dunno, i'm probably wrong, but this is an awesome song.
Open hearted surgury is love... It's opening your heart to someone and have them look inside and stuff. Brilliant imagary. The song is about him being insular and not wanting to be with people.