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.
Excuse me Mr.
Do you have the time
Or are you so important
That it stands still for you
Excuse me Mr. won't you
Lend me your ear
Or are you not only blind
But do you not hear
Excuse me Mr., but
Isn't that your oil in the sea
And the pollution in the air Mr.
Whose could that be
So excuse me Mr.
But I'm a mister too
And you're givin' Mr. a bad name
Mr. like you
So I'm taking the Mr.
From out in front of your name
'Cause it's a Mr. like you
That puts the rest of us to shame
It's a Mr. like you
That puts the rest of us to shame
And I've, I have seen enough, I've seen enough to know
That I've seen too much
Excuse me Mr.
Can't you see the children dying
You say that you can't help them
Mr. you're not even trying
Excuse me Mr.
Just take a look around
Oh Mr. just look up
And you will, you will see it comin' down
Excuse me Mr.
But I'm a, I'm a mister too
And you're givin' Mr. a bad name
Mr. like you
So I'm taking the Mr.
From out in front of your name
'Cause it's a Mr. like you
That puts the rest of us to shame
It's a Mr. like you
That puts the rest of us to shame
And I've seen enough, I have seen and I have seen
I have seen enough to know
That I've seen too much
I've seen enough, I have seen enough, to know that I have seen too much
See 'cause Mr. when you're rattling
On heaven's gate
Let me tell you Mr.
By then it is too late
'Cause Mr. when you get there
They don't ask, they don't ask what you saved
All they'll want to know, Mr.
Is what you gave
So excuse me Mr.
But I'm a mister too
And you're givin' Mr. a bad name
Mr. like you
So I'm taking the Mr.
From out in front of your name
'Cause it's a Mr. like you
That puts the rest of us to shame
It's a Mr. like you
That puts the rest of us to shame
Do you have the time
Or are you so important
That it stands still for you
Excuse me Mr. won't you
Lend me your ear
Or are you not only blind
But do you not hear
Excuse me Mr., but
Isn't that your oil in the sea
And the pollution in the air Mr.
Whose could that be
So excuse me Mr.
But I'm a mister too
And you're givin' Mr. a bad name
Mr. like you
So I'm taking the Mr.
From out in front of your name
'Cause it's a Mr. like you
That puts the rest of us to shame
It's a Mr. like you
That puts the rest of us to shame
And I've, I have seen enough, I've seen enough to know
That I've seen too much
Excuse me Mr.
Can't you see the children dying
You say that you can't help them
Mr. you're not even trying
Excuse me Mr.
Just take a look around
Oh Mr. just look up
And you will, you will see it comin' down
Excuse me Mr.
But I'm a, I'm a mister too
And you're givin' Mr. a bad name
Mr. like you
So I'm taking the Mr.
From out in front of your name
'Cause it's a Mr. like you
That puts the rest of us to shame
It's a Mr. like you
That puts the rest of us to shame
And I've seen enough, I have seen and I have seen
I have seen enough to know
That I've seen too much
I've seen enough, I have seen enough, to know that I have seen too much
See 'cause Mr. when you're rattling
On heaven's gate
Let me tell you Mr.
By then it is too late
'Cause Mr. when you get there
They don't ask, they don't ask what you saved
All they'll want to know, Mr.
Is what you gave
So excuse me Mr.
But I'm a mister too
And you're givin' Mr. a bad name
Mr. like you
So I'm taking the Mr.
From out in front of your name
'Cause it's a Mr. like you
That puts the rest of us to shame
It's a Mr. like you
That puts the rest of us to shame
Lyrics submitted by fieroavian
Excuse Me Mr. Lyrics as written by Jean Pierre Plunier Ben Harper
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Somehow I feel like the Mr. stands for being American. How some people ruin the environment and our planet carelessly, giving Americans a bad name, when there are people like Ben Harper, a Mr. too, who do give a damn about those kind of things, but are stuck with that reputation.
could also be to humans in general. Thers bad people and good people and we share the same planet.