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.
Here's the story of a man and his family
And a big trip that they took
Well, I heard all about in a restaurant
And I read it in a history book
They rented a car at the Erie Canal
But the car didn't have no brake
Said ma to pa "My God this car
Is gonna fall into the bottomless lake"
Well, mama turned to daddy with a pale face
Said "I've done something horribly wrong
Well, the waters still runnin' in the bathtub
And I think I left the kitchen light on"
Then I heard a crash, the car when splash
The compass rolled around and around
Oh, for Heaven's sake! We fell in a lake
And I think we're all gonna drown
We are falling down
Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground
Smoke 'em if you got 'em
I'm so scared, I can hardly breathe
I may never see my sweetheart again
There was plenty of food in the backseat
And the windows were rolled up tight
So we all nibbled on a chicken leg
Told stories way through the night
Well, pa told one that he told before
And the baby got a bellyache
Said ma to pa "My God this car's
Falling down a bottomless lake"
We are falling down
Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground
Smoke 'em if you got 'em
I'm so scared, I can hardly breathe
I may never see my sweetheart again
Well papa played the music on the radio
Mama rocked the baby to sleep
He said, he would've taken the other road
But he didn't think the lake was that deep
Well, if the ferry had been there at the end of the pier
We'd be half way to Uncle Jake's
Instead of looking at fish out the window, I wish
We'd hit the bottom of the bottomless lake
'Stead of looking at fish out the window, I wish
We'd hit the bottom of the bottomless lake
We are falling down
Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground
Smoke 'em if you got 'em
I'm so scared, I can hardly breathe
I may never see my sweetheart again
So if you're ever goin' on a big trip
You better be careful out there
Start everything on your good foot
Wear clean underwear
Take along a Bible in the backseat
Read of David and Solomon
For if you make a mistake in the bottomless lake
You may never see your sweetheart again
If you should make a mistake in the bottomless lake
You may never see your sweetheart again
If you should make a mistake in the bottomless lake
You may never see your sweetheart again, that's right
And a big trip that they took
Well, I heard all about in a restaurant
And I read it in a history book
They rented a car at the Erie Canal
But the car didn't have no brake
Said ma to pa "My God this car
Is gonna fall into the bottomless lake"
Well, mama turned to daddy with a pale face
Said "I've done something horribly wrong
Well, the waters still runnin' in the bathtub
And I think I left the kitchen light on"
Then I heard a crash, the car when splash
The compass rolled around and around
Oh, for Heaven's sake! We fell in a lake
And I think we're all gonna drown
We are falling down
Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground
Smoke 'em if you got 'em
I'm so scared, I can hardly breathe
I may never see my sweetheart again
There was plenty of food in the backseat
And the windows were rolled up tight
So we all nibbled on a chicken leg
Told stories way through the night
Well, pa told one that he told before
And the baby got a bellyache
Said ma to pa "My God this car's
Falling down a bottomless lake"
We are falling down
Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground
Smoke 'em if you got 'em
I'm so scared, I can hardly breathe
I may never see my sweetheart again
Well papa played the music on the radio
Mama rocked the baby to sleep
He said, he would've taken the other road
But he didn't think the lake was that deep
Well, if the ferry had been there at the end of the pier
We'd be half way to Uncle Jake's
Instead of looking at fish out the window, I wish
We'd hit the bottom of the bottomless lake
'Stead of looking at fish out the window, I wish
We'd hit the bottom of the bottomless lake
We are falling down
Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground
Smoke 'em if you got 'em
I'm so scared, I can hardly breathe
I may never see my sweetheart again
So if you're ever goin' on a big trip
You better be careful out there
Start everything on your good foot
Wear clean underwear
Take along a Bible in the backseat
Read of David and Solomon
For if you make a mistake in the bottomless lake
You may never see your sweetheart again
If you should make a mistake in the bottomless lake
You may never see your sweetheart again
If you should make a mistake in the bottomless lake
You may never see your sweetheart again, that's right
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I can't believe this song has no comments. It's such a great sing-along song, especially on road trips. It's a pretty self-explanatory, silly story-song.