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.
I don't know why I feel this way
I don't know if it's right or wrong to laugh at misfortune
Darkness can never last too long
Every time I think I'm falling
And there's nobody around to hold me up
And it seems like the world has come to an end
I look for miles but not a face is friendly
Then suddenly a hole opens up in the ground
The bottom of the hole is a raging fire
I try to jump over but there's no way
The next thing I know, I'm going down
(Chorus)
Does it hurt?
Oh, it really doesn't matter
Does it burn?
Oh, I don't feel a thing
Does it sting?
Oh, yeah, it really doesn't matter
Does it hurt?
Oh, I don't give a damn
When I find myself falling and I hit the bottom
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
When I go down the hole and I hit the bottom
The last time that I fell in love
The love was milk and honey but the milk turned sour
The woman became a monster
And everyone I knew had become a stranger
And the room went black and my luck was spent
The floor opened up, down I went
(Repeat Chorus)
Does it hurt?
Oh, it really doesn't matter
Does it burn?
Oh, I don't feel a thing
Does it sting?
Oh, yeah, it really doesn't matter
Does it hurt?
Oh, I don't give a damn
When I find myself falling and I hit the bottom
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
When I go down the hole and I hit the bottom
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
Coming right back
Coming right back
'Cause you can't keep me down
Can't keep me down
Oh, in the ground
Does it hurt?
Oh, it really doesn't matter
Does it burn?
Oh, I don't feel a thing
I don't mind just a little pain
Ooh, oh yeah
Whoa...
Remembering when I was a young man
How everything seemed to turn against me
I didn't know a soul, it was an alien place
The sun was covered by a dark cloud
And though I tried, I couldn't find a way to escape
The only way to go was straight down
(Repeat Chorus)
Does it hurt?
Oh, it really doesn't matter
Does it burn?
Oh, I don't feel a thing
Does it sting?
Oh, yeah, it really doesn't matter
Does it hurt?
Oh, I don't give a damn
When I find myself falling and I hit the bottom
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
When I go down the hole and I hit the bottom
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
I don't know why I feel this way
I don't know if it's right or wrong to laugh at misfortune
Darkness can never last too long...
When you laugh in its face
When you laugh in its face
I don't know why I feel this way
I don't know if it's right or wrong to laugh at misfortune
Darkness can never last too long...
When you laugh in its face
I don't know if it's right or wrong to laugh at misfortune
Darkness can never last too long
Every time I think I'm falling
And there's nobody around to hold me up
And it seems like the world has come to an end
I look for miles but not a face is friendly
Then suddenly a hole opens up in the ground
The bottom of the hole is a raging fire
I try to jump over but there's no way
The next thing I know, I'm going down
(Chorus)
Does it hurt?
Oh, it really doesn't matter
Does it burn?
Oh, I don't feel a thing
Does it sting?
Oh, yeah, it really doesn't matter
Does it hurt?
Oh, I don't give a damn
When I find myself falling and I hit the bottom
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
When I go down the hole and I hit the bottom
The last time that I fell in love
The love was milk and honey but the milk turned sour
The woman became a monster
And everyone I knew had become a stranger
And the room went black and my luck was spent
The floor opened up, down I went
(Repeat Chorus)
Does it hurt?
Oh, it really doesn't matter
Does it burn?
Oh, I don't feel a thing
Does it sting?
Oh, yeah, it really doesn't matter
Does it hurt?
Oh, I don't give a damn
When I find myself falling and I hit the bottom
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
When I go down the hole and I hit the bottom
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
Coming right back
Coming right back
'Cause you can't keep me down
Can't keep me down
Oh, in the ground
Does it hurt?
Oh, it really doesn't matter
Does it burn?
Oh, I don't feel a thing
I don't mind just a little pain
Ooh, oh yeah
Whoa...
Remembering when I was a young man
How everything seemed to turn against me
I didn't know a soul, it was an alien place
The sun was covered by a dark cloud
And though I tried, I couldn't find a way to escape
The only way to go was straight down
(Repeat Chorus)
Does it hurt?
Oh, it really doesn't matter
Does it burn?
Oh, I don't feel a thing
Does it sting?
Oh, yeah, it really doesn't matter
Does it hurt?
Oh, I don't give a damn
When I find myself falling and I hit the bottom
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
When I go down the hole and I hit the bottom
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
It only makes me laugh
I don't know why I feel this way
I don't know if it's right or wrong to laugh at misfortune
Darkness can never last too long...
When you laugh in its face
When you laugh in its face
I don't know why I feel this way
I don't know if it's right or wrong to laugh at misfortune
Darkness can never last too long...
When you laugh in its face
Lyrics submitted by cactusdave
Only Makes Me Laugh Lyrics as written by Danny Elfman
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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A good friend of mine was training to become a pro wrestler. He's also a big fan of Jackie Chan, one of the most incredible stunt men of our times, and he learned a lot from his interviews. One thing he told me that I'll never forget was that if you get physically hurt it's best to laugh at your pain. It makes you heal faster and you aren't perceived as weak.
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While I think it could be a song about a guy laughing at his problems and such, I can't help but see the darker side when I read the other lyrics that accompany it.
I see it as someone who runs into misfortune at different points in his life and tries to look for other people that could help him out each time it happens. He can't seem to find anyone, though, so he's left to deal with everything on his own.
Over time, everyone's lack of concern could be making him wonder if even he should care that much about what's occurring to him. Makes him think that none of the pain he's feeling matters. Eventually he starts laughing at what's happening to him. Laughing at his own misfortune makes him feel uncomfortable, though. He can't help but wonder if it's right or wrong to do it. He doesn't know why he feels that way, he just knows that's how he has learned how to cope with it all. The darkness doesn't last as long when he laughs in its face.