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.
can you smell him?
he smells like mothballs.
can you feel that net?
i was so young then.
he grew old and couldn’t play with them.
and my brother would always give them away
to the man with the jungle in his backyard
and a train set in his garage.
you see, no one drove us then,
and his mother broke her hip three times.
serves her right.
her son killed monarchs,
and other things i liked to watch fly.
he smells like mothballs.
can you feel that net?
i was so young then.
he grew old and couldn’t play with them.
and my brother would always give them away
to the man with the jungle in his backyard
and a train set in his garage.
you see, no one drove us then,
and his mother broke her hip three times.
serves her right.
her son killed monarchs,
and other things i liked to watch fly.
Lyrics submitted by DarkerShadeofWinter
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oh man, evergreen, and this song. my gosh. thanks for posting this, it brings back memories.
i always thought this was about a neighbor where he could go.
i love this song, sounds a lot like mineral.
yeah this song is pretty awesome.
i think he hates the man because he feels so much for the butterflies. thats why he can feel the net and the man smells like mothballs to him (butterflies and moths probably dont like the smell since its the same kind of animals?) the man liked butterflies too when he was young but since he grew old he only collects them now. the other kids catch them for the man, maybe as a trade to play with his train set
thats what i think xD
For some reason I get the feeling this song is about a child molester. Child molesters will often attract kids to there house with fun things like butterflies and trains so they can molest them. "Other things I liked to watch fly" could refer to children who were innocent before this man hurt them. I don't know, seems more like something you'd write a song about rather than some guy who just killed butterflies.
yeah. when i first read the lyrics to this song i thought about child molesters. lines like "can you feel that net? i was so young then." made me think of being trapped and being to innocent to realize. maybe just thinking too much about it though.