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.
stand here with the mountain in background
the copper mine up the hill from the town
sits asleep like a retiree
once used and now no use for
people used to work here
and mined their lives from this ground
crushed them in these machines
and forged them in the future
we just take pictures
of hearts that stopped beating
sometimes you're a tourist with a camera
stealing souls for scrapbooks
sometimes you've got a life back home
sometimes you're really alone, you're really alone
sometimes you're really alone
sometimes you're really alone, you're really alone
sometimes you're really alone
we go home, after fishin' all day
and get our hands dirty
getting the catch clean
and mike is in the kitchen
he's heating up the fry pan
and we're in the front yard
we're watching the sun fall
people used to live here
and lived their lives on this ground
raised them in these fields
and lost them in the future
and we just take pictures
of hearts that stopped beating
sometimes you're a tourist with a camera
stealing souls for scrapbooks
sometimes you've got a life back home
sometimes you're really alone, you're really alone
sometimes you're really alone
sometimes you're really alone, you're really alone
sometimes you're really alone
the copper mine up the hill from the town
sits asleep like a retiree
once used and now no use for
people used to work here
and mined their lives from this ground
crushed them in these machines
and forged them in the future
we just take pictures
of hearts that stopped beating
sometimes you're a tourist with a camera
stealing souls for scrapbooks
sometimes you've got a life back home
sometimes you're really alone, you're really alone
sometimes you're really alone
sometimes you're really alone, you're really alone
sometimes you're really alone
we go home, after fishin' all day
and get our hands dirty
getting the catch clean
and mike is in the kitchen
he's heating up the fry pan
and we're in the front yard
we're watching the sun fall
people used to live here
and lived their lives on this ground
raised them in these fields
and lost them in the future
and we just take pictures
of hearts that stopped beating
sometimes you're a tourist with a camera
stealing souls for scrapbooks
sometimes you've got a life back home
sometimes you're really alone, you're really alone
sometimes you're really alone
sometimes you're really alone, you're really alone
sometimes you're really alone
Lyrics submitted by .tami.
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this is my favorite minus the bear song as well. it reminds me of my past two summers, one of which was spent with a girl named beth houston, which the title reminds me of, and the actual lyrics remind me of a rafting trip i took down the new river in WV because when you look into the mountains you can see the ruins and the abandoned mine shafts from when the little dead end towns used to hold such massive amounts of false hope for many an immigrant. as rafting trips go it was pretty sobering, and thinking back on it now this song doesn't help