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 came home in the morning
And everything was gone
Oh what have I done
I dropped dead in the hallway
Cursing the dawn
Oh come on son
Why must I burn
I'm just trying to learn
I stared into the light
To kill some of my pain
It was all in vane
Cause no senses remain
But an ache in my body
And regret on my mind
But I'll be fine
Cause I live and I learn
Yes I live and I learn
If you live you will learn
I live and I learn
God kicked you in the head
So I started a fight
Cause I knew I was right
But I learned I was wrong
I remember a slaughter
I remember I fought
For the money I brought
I got blistered and burned
And lost what I earned
But I live and I learn
Yes I live and I learn
I got, I got it now
She's got, She's got it now
I came to one a corner
With some help from a man and goddamn
I don't see to have learn
That a lady in need is guilty indeed
So I paid and got laid in return
And I don't know what I've learned
Well you get what you give
And hell yes I lived
But if you live as you learn
I don't think I'd be learned
Oh with the sun in my eyes
Surprise, I'm living a life
But I don't seem to learn
No I don't think I can learn
And everything was gone
Oh what have I done
I dropped dead in the hallway
Cursing the dawn
Oh come on son
Why must I burn
I'm just trying to learn
I stared into the light
To kill some of my pain
It was all in vane
Cause no senses remain
But an ache in my body
And regret on my mind
But I'll be fine
Cause I live and I learn
Yes I live and I learn
If you live you will learn
I live and I learn
God kicked you in the head
So I started a fight
Cause I knew I was right
But I learned I was wrong
I remember a slaughter
I remember I fought
For the money I brought
I got blistered and burned
And lost what I earned
But I live and I learn
Yes I live and I learn
I got, I got it now
She's got, She's got it now
I came to one a corner
With some help from a man and goddamn
I don't see to have learn
That a lady in need is guilty indeed
So I paid and got laid in return
And I don't know what I've learned
Well you get what you give
And hell yes I lived
But if you live as you learn
I don't think I'd be learned
Oh with the sun in my eyes
Surprise, I'm living a life
But I don't seem to learn
No I don't think I can learn
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American Town
Ed Sheeran
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Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
All in the context of the line "I paid and got laid in return" which may be a reoccurring thing cause she doesn't learn...
"I came home in the morning and everything was gone oh, what have I done! I dropped dead in the hallway cursing the dawn oh come on sun, why must I burn?"
She paid to get laid, brought the guy back to her apartment, woke up, found out he robbed her, cursed her self for "burning", as in with lust.
"I stared into the light to kill some of my pain it was all in vain, 'cause no senses remained but an ache in my body and regret on my mind but I'll be fine 'cause"
maybe "the light" is referring to the light of religion, so she tries to not be a sex addict, but she has an ache in her body (for sex) but regret on her mind (cause of how she's going about relieving said ache), but shes thinking that maybe she'll learn.
"got kicked in the head so I started a fight 'cause I knew I was right but I learned I was wrong I remember a slaughter I remember I fought for the money I'd brought I got blistered and burned"
This one's a little weird. I think maybe someone who cared for her found her looking for another guy to lay her, and fought with her about it saying it was wrong and it was bad for her, she fought with them they proved she was wrong but she still fought with them so she could buy some sex with the money she brought to the place where she'd pick up a guy. and yet again she got blistered and burned.
"I came to on a corner, with some help from a man and goddamn, I don't seem to have learned that a lady in need is guilty indeed so I paid and got laid in return"
the previous night's endeavors left her in this condition, lying on a street corner. she knows she hasn't learned that a lady in need (of sex) is guilty (when she pays for it??), and she does it all over again
the rest of the song...she admits that she never learns