Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
By the banks of old Poughkeepsie
My love swam with me
Nature's tender bones are breathing lungs
Each breaths each breeze
Have you felt it have you
I've felt it too
And so have you
Summer days she stays by her window
Her saggy flesh it sweeps the floor
Down her steps and through her hallway
Comin out her door
Have you seen it have you
I've seen that too
And so have you
Now man holds hands hand neck shaped cobweb
White oil fills each pore
Again down your steps and through your hallways
Jumpin out your door
And have you done it
I've done that too
And so have you
Well love me tender
Viva Las Vegas and now I'm all shook up
Heartbreak hotel
Lordy miss cordy
Blue moon blue suede shoes
And have you heard it have you
I've heard it too
And I know for sure
That so have you
My love swam with me
Nature's tender bones are breathing lungs
Each breaths each breeze
Have you felt it have you
I've felt it too
And so have you
Summer days she stays by her window
Her saggy flesh it sweeps the floor
Down her steps and through her hallway
Comin out her door
Have you seen it have you
I've seen that too
And so have you
Now man holds hands hand neck shaped cobweb
White oil fills each pore
Again down your steps and through your hallways
Jumpin out your door
And have you done it
I've done that too
And so have you
Well love me tender
Viva Las Vegas and now I'm all shook up
Heartbreak hotel
Lordy miss cordy
Blue moon blue suede shoes
And have you heard it have you
I've heard it too
And I know for sure
That so have you
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More Featured Meanings
Spirit Within
Bertoldi Brothers
Bertoldi Brothers
The Spy
Doors, The
Doors, The
Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
Battle Royale
Word Alive, The
Word Alive, The
This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
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.
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
I live in the Hudson Valley, around New Paltz area. I've been to Poughkeepsie a number of times. It is a cool place, but i'm not sure why he chose to write about it either. Good song though.