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.
You may not recall the moment that you asked me
But your invitation was clear
You'll pretend you've never met me but it's far too late
Now I'm here
'Cause I'm the one who knows what scares you
I'm the one who loves you best
I'm the thirteenth at the table
I'm the uninvited guest
I'm the Banquo at your banquet
I'm the cuckoo in your nest
I'm your fifteen-stone first-footer
I'm the uninvited guest
I was there when you said insincere "I love you's"
To a woman who wasn't your wife
And I fronted you the money
That you ran away and blew
On the biggest regret of your life
'Cause I'm the one who knows what scares you
I'm the who loves you best
I'm the thirteenth at the table
I'm the uninvited guest
I'm the Banquo at your banquet
I'm the cuckoo in your nest
I'm your New Year's resolution
I'm the uninvited guest
I'm the face you hoped you'd never see
But always knew you would
I'm the one thing you knew you shouldn't do
But did because you could
I'm the evil in your bloodstream
I'm the rash upon your skin
And you made a big mistake all right
The day you let me in
And you can fly to the other side of the world
You know you'll only find
I've reserved the seat behind you
We can talk about old times
'Cause I'm the one who knows what scares you
I'm the who loves you best
I'm the thirteenth at the table
I'm the uninvited guest
I'm the Banquo at your banquet
I'm the cuckoo in your nest
I'm your fifteen-stone first-footer
I'm the uninvited guest
Let me in!
But your invitation was clear
You'll pretend you've never met me but it's far too late
Now I'm here
'Cause I'm the one who knows what scares you
I'm the one who loves you best
I'm the thirteenth at the table
I'm the uninvited guest
I'm the Banquo at your banquet
I'm the cuckoo in your nest
I'm your fifteen-stone first-footer
I'm the uninvited guest
I was there when you said insincere "I love you's"
To a woman who wasn't your wife
And I fronted you the money
That you ran away and blew
On the biggest regret of your life
'Cause I'm the one who knows what scares you
I'm the who loves you best
I'm the thirteenth at the table
I'm the uninvited guest
I'm the Banquo at your banquet
I'm the cuckoo in your nest
I'm your New Year's resolution
I'm the uninvited guest
I'm the face you hoped you'd never see
But always knew you would
I'm the one thing you knew you shouldn't do
But did because you could
I'm the evil in your bloodstream
I'm the rash upon your skin
And you made a big mistake all right
The day you let me in
And you can fly to the other side of the world
You know you'll only find
I've reserved the seat behind you
We can talk about old times
'Cause I'm the one who knows what scares you
I'm the who loves you best
I'm the thirteenth at the table
I'm the uninvited guest
I'm the Banquo at your banquet
I'm the cuckoo in your nest
I'm your fifteen-stone first-footer
I'm the uninvited guest
Let me in!
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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No Surprises
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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.
Magical
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How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
I personally think it's about our councious...that part of us who knows all about our dirty secrets we try to hide from ourselves and will always be there to reminds us of 'em, no matter where we are...
Verses like: "And you can fly to the other side of the world You know you'll only find I've reserved the seat behind you We can talk about old times"
and
"Cause I'm the one who knows what scares you I'm the who loves you best I'm the thirteenth at the table I'm the uninvited guest"
You can't invite your councious to your own mind.It's there, whether you like it or not. It's the rational part of the mind. The one that allows you to celebrate with each victory or to condemn with each failure.
I don't think that the person in the song has much to celebrate though. It seems that he's done a lot of bad things in his life and now is trying to erase, run away or forget about it, but can't. He can lie to every single person in the world, except for one... yeah, you know who. Chuck Norris. Seriously... he can't lie to himself. Your councious can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. The one who has access to all your dreams, desires, fetishes, regrets... etc. Now imagine what someone with all that information can do to you.