Well, the songs you sung spiraled
And hung round like echoes
Or ripples on a pond
So you circled the globe
Spent a year on the road
Without ever going home
More than a couple of days
Then you leave right away
Run to a girl you barely know
But you like how she sings
And you can't help but think
That there's something that she knows
And could teach you

Well you're sleeping in that southern state
Where the bars are filled
With people you can't hate
But try as you try
You still can't relate to them
You drink that whiskey down
As they ask you:
Are you who you say you are?
The fact that we can't tell
Makes us like you even more

So now you're trying again
Or just visiting friends
One had just had his heart broke
For the first time in his life
He realized there are times
When you can't make it alone
So now you are giving advice
As if you had the right
To use a word like love
It's a negotiable term
What gets said's not what is heard
So it's different then for everyone

But you've been hanging
Around that college town
With your new life
Your new lover you found
And you are keeping her up at night
Bringing her down
She'll watch you drink yourself to death
But won't ask you
Is this really what you want?
Or are you just sticking with it now
Cause it's all you got?


Lyrics submitted by PLANES, edited by Mellow_Harsher

Southern State Lyrics as written by Conor Oberst

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Southern State song meanings
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    General Comment

    This song doesn't have to be about anyone in particular, it could just be those three people combined. (Conor, Maria, Andy)

    The whole theme goes into "motion sickness", the idea of just touring from town to town, never staying at one place too long and never relating to anyone. I could go for the idea that it could be an autobiographical song, but really, I just think it's a song about someone touring and feeling very lonley.

    It's a beautiful song, one of my absolute favorites.

    winterisalloveryouon March 30, 2008   Link

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