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.
We dared to ask for more
But that was long before
The nights began to burn
You would have thought we'd learned
You can't make promises
All based upon tomorrow
Happiness, security
Are words we only borrowed
For is this the answer to our prayers?
Is this what god has sent?
Please understand this isn't what we meant
The future couldn't last
We nailed it to the past
With every word a trap
That no one can take back
From all the architects
Who find their towers leaning
And every prayer we pray at night
Has somehow lost its meaning
For is this the answer to our prayers?
Is this what got has sent?
Please understand this isn't what we meant
A long time ago when the world was pretty
Standing right here in a different city
I'm not coming back anymore
Not coming back anymore
Is this the answer to our prayers?
Is this what god has sent?
Please understand this isn't what we meant
But that was long before
The nights began to burn
You would have thought we'd learned
You can't make promises
All based upon tomorrow
Happiness, security
Are words we only borrowed
For is this the answer to our prayers?
Is this what god has sent?
Please understand this isn't what we meant
The future couldn't last
We nailed it to the past
With every word a trap
That no one can take back
From all the architects
Who find their towers leaning
And every prayer we pray at night
Has somehow lost its meaning
For is this the answer to our prayers?
Is this what got has sent?
Please understand this isn't what we meant
A long time ago when the world was pretty
Standing right here in a different city
I'm not coming back anymore
Not coming back anymore
Is this the answer to our prayers?
Is this what god has sent?
Please understand this isn't what we meant
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Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
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Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I'm thinking I go with Salazar on this one. this is not so much critique at Religion, but a song sung by the Christian Orthodox protagonist of the story. The bosnian conflict was partly a religious conflict between the Albanian/Bosnian Muslims and the Croatian/Serb Orthodox. What at first was a war that the protagonist thought justified, and prayed for, he nows sees the destruction, the death, but above all, the inexplicable and horrendous cruelty that his people has brought upon the Muslims. And that's what he says "This isn't what we prayed for" - They prayed for an independent glorious Serb country, instead the war had brought only pain, suffering, destruction and ethnic cleansing - the killing of thousands upon thousands innocent and defenceless Muslims - and that is something he hasn't prayed for. and then comes the meaning of the song. He didn't pray for it, this isn't what he meant. he Prayed for an independent Serbia, that's what he meant. instead he got so much death and misery and that he didn't pray for, that isn't what he had meant when he had set out for war.
the opening of the song "We dared to ask for more But that was long before the nights began to burn" is aimed at asking for independence. "We dared to ask for more" (at that time Croatia and Slovania had gotten independence. Bosnia Hercegovina wanted that as well (Muslims), but Serbs didn't want to allow that, they wanted more then just Serbia - They dared to ask for more. But that was before everything went to hell. Now that everything went to hell, he wants to take back his words. but he can't, the future is nailed to the past - That which he wanted to be the future (an independent and big Serbia) is now only hollow words in the past - the future he got is one of endless destruction. and he won't get back what once was - he is standing in a different city.
and that's the beauty of this piece, and reflects so well the feelings of some of the Serbians (Many of whom again got their crimes flared up once when that war criminal was caught). They began at the war feeling justified, but many of them - after the war - didn't know or didn't want it to get such out of proportions.