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've got memories
I keep them away from me
They won't behave
Won't be what I want them to be
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
So many squandered moments
So much wasted time
So busy chasing dreams
I left myself behind
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
So this dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
This dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
These worms, darling
They're nibbling away at me
They go at it when I'm sleeping
Won't let me get to my feet
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
So this dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
This dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting -
If I could find the words to explain this feeling
I would shout them out
If I could find out all this, what's inside me
I would shout it out
So this dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
This dying slowly
It seemed better than shouting it out
I make some coffee
Pull on that new pair of pants
I can get so far
The feeling just falls away
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
I'm just tired, baby
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, darling
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, baby
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, darling
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, darling
I keep them away from me
They won't behave
Won't be what I want them to be
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
So many squandered moments
So much wasted time
So busy chasing dreams
I left myself behind
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
So this dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
This dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
These worms, darling
They're nibbling away at me
They go at it when I'm sleeping
Won't let me get to my feet
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
So this dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
This dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting -
If I could find the words to explain this feeling
I would shout them out
If I could find out all this, what's inside me
I would shout it out
So this dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
This dying slowly
It seemed better than shouting it out
I make some coffee
Pull on that new pair of pants
I can get so far
The feeling just falls away
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
I'm just tired, baby
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, darling
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, baby
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, darling
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, darling
Lyrics submitted by hang on to a dream
Dying Slowly Lyrics as written by Dickon James Hinchliffe Stuart Ashton Staples
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Love this song. We all feel like this sometimes, like we are dying slowly. Is he saying also he is a coward? He can't bring himself to suicide, so he'll just die slowly?