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.
What you got, what you got in your hand
Father said to son
I got the whole world here, Daddy
Between my fingers and my thumb
Well, you take care of it, please
It's the only one
Well, it would take me a lifetime, old man
To undo what you've done
Oh, come on now, boy, think
What would Jesus do?
He'd shake his head like an angry mother spoke the boy
And say 'I did what I could do'
But you take care of it, please
It's the only one you got
And it'd take ten lifetimes, boy
To undo what I've done
Boy shrugged, walked away
The man stood and watched as he was leaving
Boy just walked away
The man stood alone thinking
One hand is bleeding and the other hand holds a gun
While everything is open, everything is shut down, down, down
Begin to ending is really just a go round and round and round
As I stand here the ground beneath is nothing more than one point of view
What you got, what you got in your hand?
Your secret's safe with me
Well, I found the truth, friend
Let me whisper in your ear
Take good care of it, please
It's the only one there is
Can I twist it, please?
Can I give it just a little twist?
Boy shrugged, walked away
The man stood and watched that boy disappearing
Boy just walked away
The man stood there twisting
One hand is bleeding and the other hand holds a gun
Everything is open, now everything is shut down, down, down
No one is hoping, even if you, even if you're sure
Never know it all, the ground beneath is nothing more than my point of view
Boy shrugged, walked away
The man stood and watched that boy as he was leaving
Boy just walked away
The man stood there twisting
One hand is open and the other hand holds a gun
But everything is open, now is everything coming down, down, down
No one is hoping, even if you, even if you know
You never know it all nothing more, nothing more than my point of view
Boy shrugged, walked away
The man stood and watched as he was leaving
The man stood there twisting
Father said to son
I got the whole world here, Daddy
Between my fingers and my thumb
Well, you take care of it, please
It's the only one
Well, it would take me a lifetime, old man
To undo what you've done
Oh, come on now, boy, think
What would Jesus do?
He'd shake his head like an angry mother spoke the boy
And say 'I did what I could do'
But you take care of it, please
It's the only one you got
And it'd take ten lifetimes, boy
To undo what I've done
Boy shrugged, walked away
The man stood and watched as he was leaving
Boy just walked away
The man stood alone thinking
One hand is bleeding and the other hand holds a gun
While everything is open, everything is shut down, down, down
Begin to ending is really just a go round and round and round
As I stand here the ground beneath is nothing more than one point of view
What you got, what you got in your hand?
Your secret's safe with me
Well, I found the truth, friend
Let me whisper in your ear
Take good care of it, please
It's the only one there is
Can I twist it, please?
Can I give it just a little twist?
Boy shrugged, walked away
The man stood and watched that boy disappearing
Boy just walked away
The man stood there twisting
One hand is bleeding and the other hand holds a gun
Everything is open, now everything is shut down, down, down
No one is hoping, even if you, even if you're sure
Never know it all, the ground beneath is nothing more than my point of view
Boy shrugged, walked away
The man stood and watched that boy as he was leaving
Boy just walked away
The man stood there twisting
One hand is open and the other hand holds a gun
But everything is open, now is everything coming down, down, down
No one is hoping, even if you, even if you know
You never know it all nothing more, nothing more than my point of view
Boy shrugged, walked away
The man stood and watched as he was leaving
The man stood there twisting
Lyrics submitted by steelphoenix3k
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as far as i've been able to find, the lyrics have gone through three solid "evolutionary stages" - pre Summer So Far, Summer So Far (Lillywhites), 2002 tour. the lyrics above are the pre SSF ones (sure, these probably changed every night for quite some time). the SSF lyrics can be found at dmbml.com/music/lyrics/lillywhite.html way down at the bottom. the 2002 lyrics are as follows: Watcha got, watcha got In your hand Father said to Son I’ve got the whole world here, daddy ‘tween my fingers and my thumb.
You take care of it please, For it’s the only one. But it’ll take me a lifetime, old man To undo what you’ve done.
Undo what you’ve done. Oh come on now, the boy Now what would Jesus do. Shake his head like the angry mother spoke The boy and say, I did what I could do.
You take care of these, For it’s the only one. And it’ll take you ten lifetimes, boy To undo what I’ve done.
Boy shrugged, walked away, The man stood and watched As he was leaving. The boy just walked away The man stood and hold thinking.
One hand is empty, The other hand holds the gun. Everything seems open, Everything is shut down, down, down Begin to (enter? end it?) Is it really just to go round, around, around And when it stop, yeah, its Nothing more than nothing more than My point of view.
Watcha got, watcha got In your head? Your secret’s safe with me. Well, I found the truth My friend Let me whisper in your ear.
Take good care of it please, It’s the only one there is Can I twist it, please, Can I give it just a little twist?
But boy shrugged, and walked away, The man stood, and watched As he was leaving. The boy just walked away, The man stood alone twisting.
One hand is empty, oh, The other holds the gun. Everything is open. Everything is shut down, down, down, No one is holding Even if, even if it’s (?), You never know at all, The ground beneath you’s nothing more Than one point of view.
But boy shrugged and walked away, The man stood and watched As he was leaving. The boy just walked away, The man stood alone twisting.
One hand is bleeding, The other hand holds the gun. Everything is open, oh, Everything is shut down, down, down No one is holding, Even if, even if you know, You never know at all, The ground beneath you’s nothing more Than one point of view.
But boy shrugged walked away, The man stood and watched As he was leaving. The man just stood there twisting.
as Brian Pace says in an article at nancies.org, these lyrics have sections that seem to deal with priest abuse (article at nancies.org/articles/020518.php )