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.
I feel like I wanna smack somebody
Turn around and bitch slap somebody (bitch)
But I ain't goin' out bro (no, no, no)
I ain't givin' into it (no, no, no)
Anxiety bashed my mind in
Terrorizing my soul like Bin Laden
But I ain't fallin' down bro (no, no, no)
I ain't givin in to it (no, no, no)
Shackled and chained
My soul feels stained
I can't explain
Got a itch on my brain
Lately my whole aim is to maintain
And regain control of my mainframe
My blood's boilin' it's beatin' out propane
My train of thoughts more like a runaway train
I'm in a fast car drivin' in the fast lane
In the rain and I might just hydroplane
I don't fear none of my enemies
And I don't fear bullets from Uzi's
I've been dealin' with somethin' that's worse then these
That'll make ya' fall to your knees
And that's the
Anxiety
The sane and the insane rivalry
Paranoia's brought me to my knees
Lord please, please, please
Take away my anxiety
The sane and the insane rivalry
Paranoia's brought me to my knees
Lord please, please, please
Take away my anxiety
My head keeps runnin' away my brother
The only thing makin' me stay my brother
But I won't give into it bro (no, no, no)
Gotta get myself back now
God I can't let my mind be trapped by enemies my own
Gots to find my inner wealth
Gots a hold of my thoughts
I can't get caught (no, no, no)
I can't give into it now (no, no, no)
Emotions are trapped set on lock
Got my brain stuck
Going through the motions only I know what's up
I'm filled up with pain tryin' to gain my sanity
Everywhere I turn it's embedded in front of me
Nowhere to go gotta shake this anxiety
Got me feelin' strange
Paranoia took over me
And it's weighin' me down
And I can't run any longer, yo
Knees to the ground
I don't fear none of my enemies
And I don't fear bullets from Uzi's
I've been dealin' with somethin' that's worse then these
That'll make ya' fall to your knees
And that's the
Anxiety
The sane and the insane rivalry
Paranoia's brought me to my knees
Lord please, please, please
Take away my anxiety
The sane and the insane rivalry
Paranoia's brought me to my knees
Lord please, please, please
Take away my anxiety
I don't fear none of my enemies
And I don't fear bullets from Uzi's
I've been dealin' with somethin' that's worse then these
That'll make ya' fall to your knees
And that's the
Anxiety
The sane and the insane rivalry
Paranoia's brought me to my knees
Lord please, please, please
Take away my anxiety
The sane and the insane rivalry
Paranoia's brought me to my knees
Lord please, please, please
Take away my anxiety
Turn around and bitch slap somebody (bitch)
But I ain't goin' out bro (no, no, no)
I ain't givin' into it (no, no, no)
Anxiety bashed my mind in
Terrorizing my soul like Bin Laden
But I ain't fallin' down bro (no, no, no)
I ain't givin in to it (no, no, no)
Shackled and chained
My soul feels stained
I can't explain
Got a itch on my brain
Lately my whole aim is to maintain
And regain control of my mainframe
My blood's boilin' it's beatin' out propane
My train of thoughts more like a runaway train
I'm in a fast car drivin' in the fast lane
In the rain and I might just hydroplane
I don't fear none of my enemies
And I don't fear bullets from Uzi's
I've been dealin' with somethin' that's worse then these
That'll make ya' fall to your knees
And that's the
Anxiety
The sane and the insane rivalry
Paranoia's brought me to my knees
Lord please, please, please
Take away my anxiety
The sane and the insane rivalry
Paranoia's brought me to my knees
Lord please, please, please
Take away my anxiety
My head keeps runnin' away my brother
The only thing makin' me stay my brother
But I won't give into it bro (no, no, no)
Gotta get myself back now
God I can't let my mind be trapped by enemies my own
Gots to find my inner wealth
Gots a hold of my thoughts
I can't get caught (no, no, no)
I can't give into it now (no, no, no)
Emotions are trapped set on lock
Got my brain stuck
Going through the motions only I know what's up
I'm filled up with pain tryin' to gain my sanity
Everywhere I turn it's embedded in front of me
Nowhere to go gotta shake this anxiety
Got me feelin' strange
Paranoia took over me
And it's weighin' me down
And I can't run any longer, yo
Knees to the ground
I don't fear none of my enemies
And I don't fear bullets from Uzi's
I've been dealin' with somethin' that's worse then these
That'll make ya' fall to your knees
And that's the
Anxiety
The sane and the insane rivalry
Paranoia's brought me to my knees
Lord please, please, please
Take away my anxiety
The sane and the insane rivalry
Paranoia's brought me to my knees
Lord please, please, please
Take away my anxiety
I don't fear none of my enemies
And I don't fear bullets from Uzi's
I've been dealin' with somethin' that's worse then these
That'll make ya' fall to your knees
And that's the
Anxiety
The sane and the insane rivalry
Paranoia's brought me to my knees
Lord please, please, please
Take away my anxiety
The sane and the insane rivalry
Paranoia's brought me to my knees
Lord please, please, please
Take away my anxiety
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
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
This song to me is about anxiety consuming you. anxiety controls you from he inside.. one of the worst feelins in the world. Factors from the outside world can influence you to I.E bin laden