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.
Jerry Jovel: Hello?
Reciever: Yes?
JJ: Hello, how you doin?
R: Alright, who's this?
JJ: Um, my name is Jerry Jovel. Lemme ask you something. I got a motherfuckin RCA VCR recorder, ah, VCR? aah..
R: Yes?
JJ: And uh, I was wondering. I put the motherfuckin tape inside the goddamn um, whater it is that you call that thing you put the tape in.
R: Yah?
JJ: And the motherfucker won't run. And I pushed down play and record.
R: Ummhmm.
JJ: Now, what the fuck am I doing all wrong? I I I swear ta god, I read the motherfucking manual 4 motherfucking times, and I can't figure out what the motherfuck is wrong with what I'm doing.
R: Was it working all along up until now?
JJ: The motherfucker was working fine.
R: Yea?
JJ: I put the mother fucker in ther about 4 motherfucking times, and the motherfucker did not at all skip at all. HOWEVER, when I put my motherfucking tape in the motherfucking, the machine, the motherfucker did not work one motherfucking time. Now, there's a part, I I know it's on page five on my manual. That talks about a motherfucking clip, or some motherfucking tab on back of the motherfucking tape. That...
R: Wait wait wait wait.
JJ: Hello?
R: You just wanna play and not record right, just play?
JJ: The motherfucker will play every motherfucking time. But I noticed that (pst) on page five umm..
R: Forget about page five.
JJ: Hallo?
R: Just, right now if you put a tape in your machine right?
JJ: Aha, ummhmm..
R: Will it play?
JJ: Yeah!, the tape motherfucking plays every motherfucking time. But..
R: Alright, now what are you trying to do, back up a little bit.
JJ: Uh huh...
R: Back up a little bit.
JJ: Shure..ummhmm.
R: What do you wanna do now, do you wanna record?
JJ: I wanna motherfucking record...
R: You wanna record, is that it?..
JJ: Umhmm ummhmm, every..every motherfucking time I put the motherfucking tape inside the motherfucking player.
R: You wannd record not..
JJ: Dat's right, dat's right
R: You're trying to record stuff.
JJ: Dat's right! Dat's right! Right! now..
R: Are these brand new tapes?
JJ: I got a new motherfucking tape, however, my motherfucking son. I say.. there's a little motherfucking tab (R: Don't take the tab..) on back of the (R: Don't take..) on the back of the motherfucking tape.
R: Dont take the tab out! You take the tab out..
JJ: Lemme ask...lemme ask you a question...
R: Wait, lemme finish you're asking...
JJ: Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry go ahead.
R: I followed and I wanna answer.
JJ: So..ummhmm..
R: You take the tab out..you take the tab out you cannot record!
JJ: Riiighht..I I
R: You gotta leave the tape in there.
JJ: UmmHmmmmm... I motherfucking see.
R: You take it out, you cannot record alright?
JJ: I...so if take the motherfucking tape..the tab out..out of the motherfucking tape (R: Leave it alone, don't touch it.) You can't motherfucking record the motherfucking tape at the motherfucking time.
R: "MF" Stop it.
JJ: Uhhuh
R: Excuse me sir.
JJ: I thank you. I rea..you...
R: You're cursing all the time, It don't do no.. you know, It doesn't help
JJ: Huh?
R: You know the MF, that don't..that don't mean nuthin' you know that.
JJ: What are you talking about?
R: The cursing you're doing now on the phone, that's that's childish.
JJ: I ain't motherfucking cursing any motherfucking time.
R: MF! You know..
JJ: I'm worried about the motherfucking tape.
R: Don't use the word MF. ok?
JJ: I never said "MF" one motherfucking time, I said the goddamn motherfucking tape.
R: Alright goodbye sir.
JJ: But I wanna thank you, hello?
R: You're welcome sir buhbye.
JJ: Hello?
R: Take it easy.
JJ: Hello?
R: I gotta go, I got people here now.
JJ: No No No. But I appreciate what you done for me!
R: Alright sir, byebye.
JJ: I swear all the motherfucking time, I swear to god.
R: Alright, byebye.
JJ: I thank you one motherfucking time...
(hangs up)
JJ: Ummhmm....
Reciever: Yes?
JJ: Hello, how you doin?
R: Alright, who's this?
JJ: Um, my name is Jerry Jovel. Lemme ask you something. I got a motherfuckin RCA VCR recorder, ah, VCR? aah..
R: Yes?
JJ: And uh, I was wondering. I put the motherfuckin tape inside the goddamn um, whater it is that you call that thing you put the tape in.
R: Yah?
JJ: And the motherfucker won't run. And I pushed down play and record.
R: Ummhmm.
JJ: Now, what the fuck am I doing all wrong? I I I swear ta god, I read the motherfucking manual 4 motherfucking times, and I can't figure out what the motherfuck is wrong with what I'm doing.
R: Was it working all along up until now?
JJ: The motherfucker was working fine.
R: Yea?
JJ: I put the mother fucker in ther about 4 motherfucking times, and the motherfucker did not at all skip at all. HOWEVER, when I put my motherfucking tape in the motherfucking, the machine, the motherfucker did not work one motherfucking time. Now, there's a part, I I know it's on page five on my manual. That talks about a motherfucking clip, or some motherfucking tab on back of the motherfucking tape. That...
R: Wait wait wait wait.
JJ: Hello?
R: You just wanna play and not record right, just play?
JJ: The motherfucker will play every motherfucking time. But I noticed that (pst) on page five umm..
R: Forget about page five.
JJ: Hallo?
R: Just, right now if you put a tape in your machine right?
JJ: Aha, ummhmm..
R: Will it play?
JJ: Yeah!, the tape motherfucking plays every motherfucking time. But..
R: Alright, now what are you trying to do, back up a little bit.
JJ: Uh huh...
R: Back up a little bit.
JJ: Shure..ummhmm.
R: What do you wanna do now, do you wanna record?
JJ: I wanna motherfucking record...
R: You wanna record, is that it?..
JJ: Umhmm ummhmm, every..every motherfucking time I put the motherfucking tape inside the motherfucking player.
R: You wannd record not..
JJ: Dat's right, dat's right
R: You're trying to record stuff.
JJ: Dat's right! Dat's right! Right! now..
R: Are these brand new tapes?
JJ: I got a new motherfucking tape, however, my motherfucking son. I say.. there's a little motherfucking tab (R: Don't take the tab..) on back of the (R: Don't take..) on the back of the motherfucking tape.
R: Dont take the tab out! You take the tab out..
JJ: Lemme ask...lemme ask you a question...
R: Wait, lemme finish you're asking...
JJ: Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry go ahead.
R: I followed and I wanna answer.
JJ: So..ummhmm..
R: You take the tab out..you take the tab out you cannot record!
JJ: Riiighht..I I
R: You gotta leave the tape in there.
JJ: UmmHmmmmm... I motherfucking see.
R: You take it out, you cannot record alright?
JJ: I...so if take the motherfucking tape..the tab out..out of the motherfucking tape (R: Leave it alone, don't touch it.) You can't motherfucking record the motherfucking tape at the motherfucking time.
R: "MF" Stop it.
JJ: Uhhuh
R: Excuse me sir.
JJ: I thank you. I rea..you...
R: You're cursing all the time, It don't do no.. you know, It doesn't help
JJ: Huh?
R: You know the MF, that don't..that don't mean nuthin' you know that.
JJ: What are you talking about?
R: The cursing you're doing now on the phone, that's that's childish.
JJ: I ain't motherfucking cursing any motherfucking time.
R: MF! You know..
JJ: I'm worried about the motherfucking tape.
R: Don't use the word MF. ok?
JJ: I never said "MF" one motherfucking time, I said the goddamn motherfucking tape.
R: Alright goodbye sir.
JJ: But I wanna thank you, hello?
R: You're welcome sir buhbye.
JJ: Hello?
R: Take it easy.
JJ: Hello?
R: I gotta go, I got people here now.
JJ: No No No. But I appreciate what you done for me!
R: Alright sir, byebye.
JJ: I swear all the motherfucking time, I swear to god.
R: Alright, byebye.
JJ: I thank you one motherfucking time...
(hangs up)
JJ: Ummhmm....
Lyrics submitted by XxSkrumyxX
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