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.
She will kiss you til your lips bleed
But she will not take her dress off
Americana, Tropicana
All the sailor boys have demons
They sing oh Kentucky why did you forsake me
It I was meant to sail the sea
Why did you make me
It should have been another state
Oh stay
Cause Mary Anne's a bitch
Mary Anne's a bitch
Does it matter that our anchor
Couldn't even reach the bottom of a bathtub
And the sails reflect the moon
It's such a strange job
Playing blackjack on the deck
Still
Atop this giant puddle
Dressed in white we quietly huddle with our missiles
And we miss the girls back home
Oh home sweet home
Cause Mary Anne's a bitch
Mary Anne's a bitch
She will kiss you til your lips bleed
But she will not take her dress off
Americana, Tropicana
But she will not take her dress off
Americana, Tropicana
All the sailor boys have demons
They sing oh Kentucky why did you forsake me
It I was meant to sail the sea
Why did you make me
It should have been another state
Oh stay
Cause Mary Anne's a bitch
Mary Anne's a bitch
Does it matter that our anchor
Couldn't even reach the bottom of a bathtub
And the sails reflect the moon
It's such a strange job
Playing blackjack on the deck
Still
Atop this giant puddle
Dressed in white we quietly huddle with our missiles
And we miss the girls back home
Oh home sweet home
Cause Mary Anne's a bitch
Mary Anne's a bitch
She will kiss you til your lips bleed
But she will not take her dress off
Americana, Tropicana
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"americana, tropicana" --> the life lead by an american women (americana, adjective in italian for singular/feminine nouns meaning "american" which I bet you didn't really want to know) is thought to be "tropicana" (doesn't exist in italian :p BUT is in fact an orange juice brand) or tropical.
"Oh kentucky why did you forsake me?..." --> the sailors are speaking about their home land, where they're from... the actual land, they ask it: Why did you trick me? Why did you put me on the seas? Their hometown is a "demon" since it made them go to sea.
"Should've been with the state..." --> they reckon they should've stayed on land not gone on the ship
"mary-anne's a bitch" --> the world's a fucking bitch. (sailors perspective)
"does it matter that our anchors couldn't even reach..." --> if your anchors can't reach anywhere generally you're screwed and you can't stop. you will just keep going, and going, and going...unless you hit something but don't go there.
"the sails reflect the moon" --> the sails are deceitful; the moon steals its light from the sun, and the sails are just like that -- they're not all they're cracked up to be.
"cuddle with our miss----iles, and we miss the girls back home" --> as in miss--(es)--iles, meaning they're stuck into the job they have to do.
now relay all this as if you were a sailor, and the ship is your life with all the appropriate relations being made to each different thing...
regina's so creative.