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.
Golden brown, texture like sun
Lays me down, with my mind she runs
Throughout the night
No need to fight
Never a frown with golden brown
Every time just like the last
On her ship tied to the mast
To distant lands
Takes both my hands
Never a frown with golden brown
Golden brown, finer temptress
Through the ages she's heading west
From far away
Stays for a day
Never a frown with golden brown
Never a frown (never a frown), never a frown
With golden brown (with golden brown), with golden brown
Never a frown (never a frown), never a frown
With golden brown (with golden brown), with golden brown
Never a frown (never a frown), never a frown
With golden brown (with golden brown), with golden brown
Never a frown (never a frown), never a frown
With golden brown (with golden brown), with golden brown
Lays me down, with my mind she runs
Throughout the night
No need to fight
Never a frown with golden brown
Every time just like the last
On her ship tied to the mast
To distant lands
Takes both my hands
Never a frown with golden brown
Golden brown, finer temptress
Through the ages she's heading west
From far away
Stays for a day
Never a frown with golden brown
Never a frown (never a frown), never a frown
With golden brown (with golden brown), with golden brown
Never a frown (never a frown), never a frown
With golden brown (with golden brown), with golden brown
Never a frown (never a frown), never a frown
With golden brown (with golden brown), with golden brown
Never a frown (never a frown), never a frown
With golden brown (with golden brown), with golden brown
Lyrics submitted by mrfurious4, edited by notmuchtosay, mwillems, Kaiji
Golden Brown Lyrics as written by Dave Greenfield Brian Duffy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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Second: Take you away "by both hands" to (metaphorical) distant lands with little regard for safety (tied to the mast = Odysseus).
Third: Over time it/she is moving on, moving forward,going away. West could mean either to "the new world" (in parallel with the ship travel) or along a trade route from the East, as herion is moved. There and gone in a day could also be either a fling you can't quite catch, or your stash.
Good freakin song. Strangely I always thought it was just about a girl. I started looking into its meaning shortly after my buddy who played it religiously died of an overdose. Felt like an idiot when I learned what I know now...