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.
The phoenix he helped create
Out of control boy without a dad
Shot the gun that startled my life
While I drove him with a forty-five
Friends for years, images in red
Blew off his own motherfucking head
Confidence, death, insecurity
Your men fall unrealized
Unrealized, unrealized
Making a decision of death
While everyone around you plead
That you fly in peace
I hope, my friend
A man can't avoid what he's meant to do
When he's meant to do it
Even if he doesn't really want to
My memories are of fun and friendship
Of weakness within the strength of youth
For reasons undefined, reasons undefined
Reasons undefined, reasons undefined
Friends for years, images in red
Blew off his own motherfucking head
Confidence, death, insecurity
Your men fall unrealized
Don't you realize evil lives in the motherfucking skin?
Don't you realize that evil lives in the motherfucking skin?
Don't you realize that evil lives in the motherfucking skin?
Don't you realize that evil lives in the skin?
Don't you realize evil lives in the motherfucking skin?
Don't you realize that evil lives in the motherfucking skin?
Why the fuck did you take him away from us, you motherfucker-fucker-fucker-fucker
Out of control boy without a dad
Shot the gun that startled my life
While I drove him with a forty-five
Friends for years, images in red
Blew off his own motherfucking head
Confidence, death, insecurity
Your men fall unrealized
Unrealized, unrealized
Making a decision of death
While everyone around you plead
That you fly in peace
I hope, my friend
A man can't avoid what he's meant to do
When he's meant to do it
Even if he doesn't really want to
My memories are of fun and friendship
Of weakness within the strength of youth
For reasons undefined, reasons undefined
Reasons undefined, reasons undefined
Friends for years, images in red
Blew off his own motherfucking head
Confidence, death, insecurity
Your men fall unrealized
Don't you realize evil lives in the motherfucking skin?
Don't you realize that evil lives in the motherfucking skin?
Don't you realize that evil lives in the motherfucking skin?
Don't you realize that evil lives in the skin?
Don't you realize evil lives in the motherfucking skin?
Don't you realize that evil lives in the motherfucking skin?
Why the fuck did you take him away from us, you motherfucker-fucker-fucker-fucker
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Not sure if its about teenage suicide, thus Serg is asking God "Why the fuck did you take him away from us". or perhaps its an incident of teenage shooting/murder, thus serg is asking the murderer why they killed his friend.
@mycatharsis other posters are suggesting that it is someone that the band knew personally. The third line "Shot the gun that startled my life" also suggests that it may have been someone they personally knew.