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.
This time around I'll never get bit
Though you really wanna fix me
This time around you're making me sick
Though you really wanna get me
Somebody's out
Somebody's out to get me
They really wanna fix me, hit me
But this time around I'm taking no shit
Though you really wanna get me
You really wanna get me
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
He really thought, he really had a hold on me
He really thought
(They thought they really could control me) he really had
This time around I won't be gettin' bit
Though you really wanna get me
(You really wanna get me)
But this time around I'm taking no shit
Though you really wanna fix me
(You really wanna fix me)
Somebody's out
Somebody's out to use me
They really want to use me
And then falsely accuse me (accuse me)
This time around
They'll take it like spit
No, you really can't control me
You really can't control me
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
He really thought he really had control of me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
Listen, I've got problems of my own
Flashin' cameras, taps on my phone
Even in my home I ain't safe as I should be
Things always missin'
Maybe it could be my friends
They ain't friends if they robbin' me
Stoppin' me from makin' a profit, see
Apology shallow like the ocean
I guess I'll resort to gun totin'
If I was dead broke and smokin'
I'd probably be by my lonesome
I'm a killer nigga, I ain't jokin'
Indo smoke got me choked and I'm hopin'
The fool comes slippin'
So I could blow 'em open
This time around
I changed up my flow
Got rid of the rocks
Got Pitts by the door
A real set of peoples to watch my back
Stay away from strangers
So I won't slack
And I know my nigga Mike like that (this time around, yeah)
Baby
He really thought he really had a control of me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
He really thought he really had control of me
He really thought he really had (control of me)
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really
He really got control of me
He really thought (he really got control of me)
He really thought he really had a hold on me
This time around, yeah
He really thought
Though you really wanna fix me
This time around you're making me sick
Though you really wanna get me
Somebody's out
Somebody's out to get me
They really wanna fix me, hit me
But this time around I'm taking no shit
Though you really wanna get me
You really wanna get me
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
He really thought, he really had a hold on me
He really thought
(They thought they really could control me) he really had
This time around I won't be gettin' bit
Though you really wanna get me
(You really wanna get me)
But this time around I'm taking no shit
Though you really wanna fix me
(You really wanna fix me)
Somebody's out
Somebody's out to use me
They really want to use me
And then falsely accuse me (accuse me)
This time around
They'll take it like spit
No, you really can't control me
You really can't control me
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
He really thought he really had control of me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
Listen, I've got problems of my own
Flashin' cameras, taps on my phone
Even in my home I ain't safe as I should be
Things always missin'
Maybe it could be my friends
They ain't friends if they robbin' me
Stoppin' me from makin' a profit, see
Apology shallow like the ocean
I guess I'll resort to gun totin'
If I was dead broke and smokin'
I'd probably be by my lonesome
I'm a killer nigga, I ain't jokin'
Indo smoke got me choked and I'm hopin'
The fool comes slippin'
So I could blow 'em open
This time around
I changed up my flow
Got rid of the rocks
Got Pitts by the door
A real set of peoples to watch my back
Stay away from strangers
So I won't slack
And I know my nigga Mike like that (this time around, yeah)
Baby
He really thought he really had a control of me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really thought
(They thought they really had control of me) he really had
He really thought he really had control of me
He really thought he really had (control of me)
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really thought he really had a hold on me
He really
He really got control of me
He really thought (he really got control of me)
He really thought he really had a hold on me
This time around, yeah
He really thought
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Radiohead
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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
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I agree with the above comments and I really like Michael getting his feelings out, negative or positive. I like hearing even the negative and I love how he adjusts his voice to convey emotion as heard in Who is it?ect he sounds slightly strained, darker, angrier. I agree that it is probably a reflection of what was going on his life