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.
I met myself
(Where'd you meet yourself, Shirley?)
I met myself coming back
From the grave
By then it was too late
They were all gathered round
I hadn't seen them for ages
I was in the ground
But by then it was too late
You can see he was beautiful
Cigarette, he stops for a cigarette
Now you can't move him
He thinks a lot, writes it down
Stops for a cigarette
All the world carried in a handbag
Levitating above the bed
A shock of hair and a trip into space
The handbag drops and rolls away
Oh how on earth are we supposed to help him?
How on earth are we supposed to help him?
He had the chance
To go into space
He had the chance
To know himself
He traded it for a guaranteed
Place on earth
No
You can't move him
He won't let anybody in
Even us
We're left outside
He's inside smoking
We're left outside
The rain comes pouring down
He's inside
The rain comes pouring in
How on earth are we supposed to help him?
How on earth are we supposed to help him?
A shock of hair and a trip into space
(There's nowhere to go)
A shock of hair and a trip into space
(There's nowhere to go)
(Does he know which way he's falling?)
He's sat inside on his own
He's living life inside his head
He's trying to let his feelings show
But he's scared to really open up
He had the chance to go into space
He had the chance to know himself
He dreams of getting off the floor
But he can't get up, he can't get up
You see
He was beautiful
You see
He was beautiful
A shock of hair and a trip into space
(There's nowhere to go)
A shock of hair and a trip into space
(There's nowhere to go)
A shock of hair and a trip into space
(There's nowhere to go)
A shock of hair and a trip into space
(There's nowhere to go)
You can see He was beautiful
Sat inside with nothing to do
And you see
He was so full of promise
And you see
When you look at him now
You can barely recognise him
Just lying there
Looking at the air
Looking inside his head
To see what he can do today
(Where'd you meet yourself, Shirley?)
I met myself coming back
From the grave
By then it was too late
They were all gathered round
I hadn't seen them for ages
I was in the ground
But by then it was too late
You can see he was beautiful
Cigarette, he stops for a cigarette
Now you can't move him
He thinks a lot, writes it down
Stops for a cigarette
All the world carried in a handbag
Levitating above the bed
A shock of hair and a trip into space
The handbag drops and rolls away
Oh how on earth are we supposed to help him?
How on earth are we supposed to help him?
He had the chance
To go into space
He had the chance
To know himself
He traded it for a guaranteed
Place on earth
No
You can't move him
He won't let anybody in
Even us
We're left outside
He's inside smoking
We're left outside
The rain comes pouring down
He's inside
The rain comes pouring in
How on earth are we supposed to help him?
How on earth are we supposed to help him?
A shock of hair and a trip into space
(There's nowhere to go)
A shock of hair and a trip into space
(There's nowhere to go)
(Does he know which way he's falling?)
He's sat inside on his own
He's living life inside his head
He's trying to let his feelings show
But he's scared to really open up
He had the chance to go into space
He had the chance to know himself
He dreams of getting off the floor
But he can't get up, he can't get up
You see
He was beautiful
You see
He was beautiful
A shock of hair and a trip into space
(There's nowhere to go)
A shock of hair and a trip into space
(There's nowhere to go)
A shock of hair and a trip into space
(There's nowhere to go)
A shock of hair and a trip into space
(There's nowhere to go)
You can see He was beautiful
Sat inside with nothing to do
And you see
He was so full of promise
And you see
When you look at him now
You can barely recognise him
Just lying there
Looking at the air
Looking inside his head
To see what he can do today
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