Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
You and me
Always you held my head above the waves
Paddling around pretending that it was not
Too cold, it was but not when you were there
Our shadows softly on the grass
Day would break we'd have our last
Our shirt-tails in the wind
Seems like yesterday my friend
I know that we were scared
Hurt because you were not there
I know I want it all
Wish the sky would fall on me
You and me
Always
Always
Our shadows softly on the grass
Day would break we'd have our last
Our shirt-tails in the wind
Seems like yesterday my friend
I know that we were scared
Hurt because you were not there
I know I want it all
Wish the sky would fall on me
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
Always you held my head above the waves
Paddling around pretending that it was not
Too cold, it was but not when you were there
Our shadows softly on the grass
Day would break we'd have our last
Our shirt-tails in the wind
Seems like yesterday my friend
I know that we were scared
Hurt because you were not there
I know I want it all
Wish the sky would fall on me
You and me
Always
Always
Our shadows softly on the grass
Day would break we'd have our last
Our shirt-tails in the wind
Seems like yesterday my friend
I know that we were scared
Hurt because you were not there
I know I want it all
Wish the sky would fall on me
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
I'm not through
Lyrics submitted by RicePaperPrincess, edited by Padilla
Christopher's River Lyrics as written by Simon Neil
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The way this song speaks to me🥺🥺when I sing it I feel like I relate
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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.
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
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.
To me I see it as a relationship that is now over, although that's not the way he'd have it if it were down to him:
"you and me, always always"
He doesn't feel ready to let the person go:
"i'm not through"
And he is reminising about all the good times they had together and how he still wants that:
"our shadows softly on the grass day would break we'd have our laughs our shirt-tails in the wind seems like yesterday my friend i know that we were scared hurt because you were not there i know i want it all"
He is not ready to move on but also doesn't like feeling so unhappy about the whole thing, and wishes it would all end:
"wish the sky would fall on me"
That's how I see it. This whole album is more or less about relationships of one sort or another. Good stuff.