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.
Salty wounds or lemonade
That's more like it
A flooded road to daily life
Oh I love it
Weight that crushes all the bones
See who standing
A plan that disappears in smoke
You deserve it
Heel and you hoe and you've fallen behind
A handful of knowledge that weakens your mind
A heart full of truth and it's making you blind
Ohhh, holey dime
Sent to hell on paper wings
They're all laughing
A drone that permeates all things
Now you're tone deaf
A stitch in time and it's your tongue
Chew on rubber
The nectar falls into your mouth
And turns to gravel
Heel and you hoe and you've fallen behind
A handful of knowledge that weakens your mind
A heart full truth that is making you blind
Ohhh, holey dime
That's more like it
A flooded road to daily life
Oh I love it
Weight that crushes all the bones
See who standing
A plan that disappears in smoke
You deserve it
Heel and you hoe and you've fallen behind
A handful of knowledge that weakens your mind
A heart full of truth and it's making you blind
Ohhh, holey dime
Sent to hell on paper wings
They're all laughing
A drone that permeates all things
Now you're tone deaf
A stitch in time and it's your tongue
Chew on rubber
The nectar falls into your mouth
And turns to gravel
Heel and you hoe and you've fallen behind
A handful of knowledge that weakens your mind
A heart full truth that is making you blind
Ohhh, holey dime
Lyrics submitted by detrockcity3
Holey Dime Lyrics as written by P.j. Harvey Alain Johannes
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I agree with the comments I've seen here. I agree mostly, but want to add my thoughts. I see this as a song about losing hope with life. Having been someone who doesn't value living all that much as a result of depression and economic disparaties, I can say what it means to me.
The lines "a flooded road to daily life" and a drone that permeates all things" are for me alluding to depression or problems that cannot simply be solved. The writer is not happy and cannot find a way to be.
"Ascend to hell on paper wings" to me means having no money; money, simple pieces of paper, can mean both nothing and everything depending on your situation. You can have it and still not be happy or you can be without and it compounds your problems.
The line "you deserve it" is a very real thing many people experience whether or not their problems are or aren't their fault. Having seen many things I've tried to accomplish go up in smoke has made me even more sad, and some of them have been unfair consequences of mistakes long past.
I notice the sarcasm in the line "oh, I love it." I think the sentence is "now you tone deaf/a stitch in time and it's your tone" but I don't know how that changes it. And finally, "the nectar falls into your mouth and turns to gravel" reminds me of alcoholism and how it is a prized substance such as nectar which one would drink to mask problems, but in the end it is harmful and even destroys your teeth and insides and is obviously harmful hence the "turns to gravel" part. You know what this thing you value to alleviate your feeling anything does. It is both prized especially when you can score with no money and you're aware it is going to fuck you up in many ways.
Eh, anyway. This isn't as eloquent as I'd like it to be but I hope I've said what I wanted to.