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 time has come to speak of many things
Of jacks and queens and kings
I bared my wrists and promised to begin
But you cut the blade straight in
try hard my love do you hear the distant strings
Please remember what this means
did I come back for all of this?
It seems absurd somehow...
With one well-placed flick of the wrist
You've really done it now...
(all of my blind ambition left me deaf with perfect vision)
the time has come
For things to come undone
That we should not have begun
at last I felt a numbness overcome
And now you turn and run...
the time has come
To take me in your arms and touch these fragile scars
you have the choice now so decide
If you want in or out
There is too much left for us to try
You can't just give up now
the time has come
To speak of many things
Of jacks and queens and kings
it took that cut to bring me back to life
They're bleeding, they're frightened but I hold out both my hands:
No one in the world will ever touch me there again.
Of jacks and queens and kings
I bared my wrists and promised to begin
But you cut the blade straight in
try hard my love do you hear the distant strings
Please remember what this means
did I come back for all of this?
It seems absurd somehow...
With one well-placed flick of the wrist
You've really done it now...
(all of my blind ambition left me deaf with perfect vision)
the time has come
For things to come undone
That we should not have begun
at last I felt a numbness overcome
And now you turn and run...
the time has come
To take me in your arms and touch these fragile scars
you have the choice now so decide
If you want in or out
There is too much left for us to try
You can't just give up now
the time has come
To speak of many things
Of jacks and queens and kings
it took that cut to bring me back to life
They're bleeding, they're frightened but I hold out both my hands:
No one in the world will ever touch me there again.
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I don't really see it as a song about cutting, but wanting to confront someone she had been a relationship with and wanting answers that they are unwilling to give. The relationship probably shouldn't have happened for some reason ("we should not have begun") and she feels a bit ridiculous for wanting these answers ("it seems absurd somehow") And in the end she's just kind of giving up and choosing not to get involved in a relationship like that again.
Ehh...that's what I take from it. I'm kinda meshing it with how I apply it to my life so...yes.
Great song. =o