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.
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
Got my brother down cause it's nothing to me
(Yeah, it's nothing to me)
Everyone saying that it's wrong to cheat
But there's no other way to get my life on easy street
(Get your life on easy street)
Someone else telling you what you're living for
Been knocking you down, now you're looking for more
And the only sound you hear is a closing door
Been looking for peace but they're bringing you war
Rich man cryin' cause his money's time
And poor man's smilin' 'cause he knows he ain't blind
(Knows he ain't blind)
And there's a man over there, he says he's tougher than me
But I got eyes that can see through fantasy
(I can see through fantasy)
I think my life is passing me by
I think my life is passing me by
Take it all back 'cause it don't mean nothing
If you give it away then you're looking for something back
(Looking for something back)
You wake up every morning and there's nothing there
No reason to die but no reason to care
Someone else telling you what you're living for
Been knocking you down, now you're looking for more
Now the only sound you hear is a closing door
Been looking for peace but they're bringing you war
We got one life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
Got my brother down 'cause it's nothing to me
(It's nothing to me)
And there's a rich man cryin' 'cause his money is time
A poor man smilin' 'cause he knows he ain't blind
(He knows he ain't blind)
I think my life is passing me by
I think my life is passing me by
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
You know we're doing it wrong
Yeah we're doing it wrong you see
I said we're doing it wrong you see
You know we're doing it wrong you see
Yeah, we're doing it wrong you see
I said, we're doing it wrong you see
You know we're doing it wrong
I said we're doing it wrong
Got my brother down cause it's nothing to me
(Yeah, it's nothing to me)
Everyone saying that it's wrong to cheat
But there's no other way to get my life on easy street
(Get your life on easy street)
Someone else telling you what you're living for
Been knocking you down, now you're looking for more
And the only sound you hear is a closing door
Been looking for peace but they're bringing you war
Rich man cryin' cause his money's time
And poor man's smilin' 'cause he knows he ain't blind
(Knows he ain't blind)
And there's a man over there, he says he's tougher than me
But I got eyes that can see through fantasy
(I can see through fantasy)
I think my life is passing me by
I think my life is passing me by
Take it all back 'cause it don't mean nothing
If you give it away then you're looking for something back
(Looking for something back)
You wake up every morning and there's nothing there
No reason to die but no reason to care
Someone else telling you what you're living for
Been knocking you down, now you're looking for more
Now the only sound you hear is a closing door
Been looking for peace but they're bringing you war
We got one life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
Got my brother down 'cause it's nothing to me
(It's nothing to me)
And there's a rich man cryin' 'cause his money is time
A poor man smilin' 'cause he knows he ain't blind
(He knows he ain't blind)
I think my life is passing me by
I think my life is passing me by
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
One life to live but we're doing it wrong you see
You know we're doing it wrong
Yeah we're doing it wrong you see
I said we're doing it wrong you see
You know we're doing it wrong you see
Yeah, we're doing it wrong you see
I said, we're doing it wrong you see
You know we're doing it wrong
I said we're doing it wrong
Lyrics submitted by Humbert_Humbert
Brother Down Lyrics as written by Sam Lewis Roberts
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This IS an awesome song, thanks for posting lyrics, Humbert!!! But, I think it's "poor man smiling 'cause he knows he ain't blind".... I'm not sure, the captioning said "blind" and it sorta looks like he's saying it. Oh well, not that important. Anyway, I love the video for this song, it reflects the lyrics really well. I think Sam Roberts wrote this when he was thinking about how you can work so hard to get no where, and it doesn't matter if you cheat or do the wrong thing because even if you do the right thing life will just pass you by. The people in society who are on the top (the rich, the tough) always seem so much better off, but the rest of the world can see through it. And all the while, nothing means anything, there's nothing there, no reason for anything. "Someone else telling you what you're living for, been knocking you down, now you're looking for more." That line really pumps me up, and makes me motivated to prove to everyone who's judged me wrong. But then it goes on to say "All sudden you hear is a closing door, been looking for peace but they're bringing you war." And the door just closed in my face and I'm right back where I began. Life is a hopeless case. Why bother trying? (That is just my take.)