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.
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I walked around for hours
Two ten-pence pieces in my hand
I was alone and freezing
Still trying hard to understand you
I left the others knowing
I had to work this by myself
But now the feeling's growing
I would be better off with their help
So baby
What we've got
Has lately
Not been enough
Not been enough
I wish I had your scarf still
That once embraced and kept me warm
I wish you could be with me
In these last days when I am still
Hopelessly poor
Stay out of trouble, stay in touch
Try not to think about me too much
Stay out of trouble, stay in touch
Try not to think about me too much
I walked around for hours
Two ten-pence pieces in my hand
I was alone and freezing
Still trying hard to understand you
I left the others knowing
I had to work this by myself
But now the feeling's growing
I would be better off with their help
So baby
What we've got
Has lately
Not been enough
Not been enough
I wish I had your scarf still
That once embraced and kept me warm
I wish you could be with me
In these last days when I am still
Hopelessly poor
Stay out of trouble, stay in touch
Try not to think about me too much
Stay out of trouble, stay in touch
Try not to think about me too much
Lyrics submitted by fridgebuzz
Stay Out of Trouble Lyrics as written by Eirik Glambek Boee Erlend Otre Oeye
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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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,
"Stay out of trouble, stay in touch, try not to think about me too much."
That part really stays with me. This is a goodbye song, but at the same time it's a wistful goodbye. He still wants to be with her, and still thinks about all the times that they had, but he knows that things have to change eventually. But he doesn't want to let go, he wants to "stay in touch." At the same time, he wants to spare her the pain of thinking about him constantly, knowing that things will never been the same again. I don't think this is a breakup; I think it's a forced separation.
This is such a beautiful song. I love these artists!
the perfect goodbye song.
I love how you feel as if his entire thought process is spilling out before you-- not just the polished breakup letter, but the thought that went into it.
Kings of Convenience... Norweigian geniuses. Heck, global geniuses in their own musical right.
I think many people can relate to this song... me for example.. when you don't really know where to go, but you can't stay where you are.. so you just walk.. you walk alnong and you think about the past about happy and sad times, about the mistakes that you made (or the other person) about changes... that's what this song means to me..
this song is brilliant...you can literally feel him walking (the string intruments). when he says, "so baby, what we've got.. has lately....not been enough" the sudden tempo change is perfect and the pauses in there...so amazingly convey that "oh shit" deep breath..where you don't want to hurt someone, but you have to say it.
brilliant use of lyrics, melody, and instrumentation.
agreed all around, brilliant
wow..ya know...i hadn't thought of it as a goodbye song before, but now it makes perfect sense.
my earlier take on the song was that it's about a guy who suddenly realizes he wants something more than a friendship with this girl ('so baby, what we've got has lately not been enough'), on the eve of him or her leaving the place. but i was probably super-imposing my own life experiences onto the song.
the break-up theory fits much better! it's such a wistful song.
I think that this song is about changes in a relationship, maybe that friendship is not enough and that he wants more.....and maybe that's impossible.....at least that's what I think.
The song is definitely about making the decision to break up with someone you really love. He/She has 'two pence pieces in [his/her] hand', representing the 50/50 decision between breaking up with someone or not. He/She has to make this decision on their own and it's hard and heart wrenching - he/she knows the relationship has changed so much that in his/her head it seems the best decision - he/she just doesn't ever want to lose that loved one that shared a huge part of his/her life ('stay in touch...try not to think about me too much').
This is so sad ):