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 see faces and traces of home
Back in New York City
So you think I'm a tough kid?
Is that what you heard?
Yeah, well, I like to see some action
And it gets into my blood
The call me the trail blazer, Rael electric razor
I'm the pitcher in a chain gang, we don't believe in pain
'Cause we're only as strong, yes, we're only as strong
As the weakest link in the chain
Let me out of Pontiac when I was just seventeen
I had to get it out of me, if you know what I mean, what I mean
You say I must be crazy
'Cause I don't care who I hit, who I hit
But I know it's me that's hitting out
And I'm, I'm not full of shit
I don't care who I hurt, I don't care who I do wrong
This is your mess I'm stuck in, I really don't belong
When I take out my bottle, filled up high with gasoline
You can tell by the night fires where Rael has been, has been
As I cuddled the porcupine
He said I had none to blame, but me
Held my heart, deep in hair
Time to shave, shave it off, it off
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, oh
Off we go
Off we go
Off we go
Off we go
You're sitting in your comfort you don't believe I'm real
You cannot buy protection from the way that I feel
Your progressive hypocrites hand out their trash
But it was mine in the first place, so I'll burn it to ash
And I've tasted all the strongest meats
And laid them down in colored sheets
Laid them down in colored sheets
Who needs illusion
Of love and affection
When you're out walking in the streets
With your mainline connection? Connection
As I cuddled the porcupine
He said I had none to blame, but me
Held my heart, deep in hair
Time to shave, shave it off, it off
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no time
Back in New York City
So you think I'm a tough kid?
Is that what you heard?
Yeah, well, I like to see some action
And it gets into my blood
The call me the trail blazer, Rael electric razor
I'm the pitcher in a chain gang, we don't believe in pain
'Cause we're only as strong, yes, we're only as strong
As the weakest link in the chain
Let me out of Pontiac when I was just seventeen
I had to get it out of me, if you know what I mean, what I mean
You say I must be crazy
'Cause I don't care who I hit, who I hit
But I know it's me that's hitting out
And I'm, I'm not full of shit
I don't care who I hurt, I don't care who I do wrong
This is your mess I'm stuck in, I really don't belong
When I take out my bottle, filled up high with gasoline
You can tell by the night fires where Rael has been, has been
As I cuddled the porcupine
He said I had none to blame, but me
Held my heart, deep in hair
Time to shave, shave it off, it off
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, oh
Off we go
Off we go
Off we go
Off we go
You're sitting in your comfort you don't believe I'm real
You cannot buy protection from the way that I feel
Your progressive hypocrites hand out their trash
But it was mine in the first place, so I'll burn it to ash
And I've tasted all the strongest meats
And laid them down in colored sheets
Laid them down in colored sheets
Who needs illusion
Of love and affection
When you're out walking in the streets
With your mainline connection? Connection
As I cuddled the porcupine
He said I had none to blame, but me
Held my heart, deep in hair
Time to shave, shave it off, it off
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no time
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by Undinal
Back in N.Y.C. Lyrics as written by Phillip David Charles Collins Anthony George Banks
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I'm mostly interested in the phrase "progressive hypocrites" since it's probably the only soluble line in the whole album. I suppose there are white progressives (like the Meathead in All in the Family) who try to understand PR youth like Rael, but the "hypocrites" part isn't so obvious. Maybe being white, middle-class and aloof, Rael doesn't relate to them (as minorarities tended not to relate to the Meathead) thus he thinks them hypocritical.
@Angus <br /> "Your progressive hypocrites hand out their trash<br /> But it was mine in the first place, so I'll burn it to ash"<br /> I'm inclined to think Gabriel was taking a swipe at the snobbery in the music scene at the time surrounding progressive rock or indeed surrounding Genesis themselves. Whether it was aimed at the whole thing in general, or at individuals, bands, journalists etc is open to debate!