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.
Look what they done to my song, ma
Look what they done to my song
Well it's the only thing
That I could do half right
And it's turning out all wrong, ma
Look what they done to my song
Look what they done to my brain, ma
Look what they done to my brain
Well they picked it like a chicken bone
And I think I'm half insane, ma
Look what they done to my song
I wish I could find a good book to live in
Wish I could find a good book
Well if I could find a real good book
I'd never have to come out and look at
What they done to my song
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
Look what they done to my song
But maybe it'll all be alright, ma
Maybe it'll all be okay
Well if the people are buying tears
I'll be rich someday, ma
Look what they done to my song
Ils ont changé ma chanson, ma
Ils ont changé ma chanson
C'est la seule chose que je peux faire
Et ce n'est pas bon, ma.
Ils ont changé ma chanson.
Look what they done to my song, ma
Look what they done to my song
Well they tied it up in a plastic bag
And turned it upside down, ma
Look what they done to my song
Look what they done to my song, ma
Look what they done to my song
It's the only thing that I could do alright
And they turned it upside down
Oh ma
Look what they done to my song
Look what they done to my song
Well it's the only thing
That I could do half right
And it's turning out all wrong, ma
Look what they done to my song
Look what they done to my brain, ma
Look what they done to my brain
Well they picked it like a chicken bone
And I think I'm half insane, ma
Look what they done to my song
I wish I could find a good book to live in
Wish I could find a good book
Well if I could find a real good book
I'd never have to come out and look at
What they done to my song
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
Look what they done to my song
But maybe it'll all be alright, ma
Maybe it'll all be okay
Well if the people are buying tears
I'll be rich someday, ma
Look what they done to my song
Ils ont changé ma chanson, ma
Ils ont changé ma chanson
C'est la seule chose que je peux faire
Et ce n'est pas bon, ma.
Ils ont changé ma chanson.
Look what they done to my song, ma
Look what they done to my song
Well they tied it up in a plastic bag
And turned it upside down, ma
Look what they done to my song
Look what they done to my song, ma
Look what they done to my song
It's the only thing that I could do alright
And they turned it upside down
Oh ma
Look what they done to my song
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by BroWCarey
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Very intriguing that the song could be a crypto comment about the insanely horrific Mai Lai massacre of 16 March 1968 where the US army raped and slaughtered 500 villagers made up almost entirely of defenceless women and children. One of the tiny villages was indeed called "Song My".
Part of the song's appeal is that it has the tone of a cry from the heart. However, if the song really does refer to the Mai Lai massacre, it is no where near hard or desolate enough.
Generally I like allusive lyrics, but in this case, this historic fact is so abhorent and so ghastly that it deserves a more direct reference and more consistency in the text. Maybe I'm being too blunt, but for a start, how about calling it, "Look What They've Done to Mai Lai".
@Ser The song is actually about how South Vietnamese civilians betrayed the troops of Charley Company by giving up their positions to the Viet Cong. It took the US army 4 more years to realize Vietnam was a lost cause and the best course of action was to let Vietnam destroy itself. "Look what they done to my song" refers to America's surprise the Vietnamese trampled their plan to free it from itself.<br />