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.
Saw the world turning in my sheets
And once again, I cannot sleep
Walk out the door and up the street
Look at the stars beneath my feet
Remember rights that I did wrong
So here I go
Hello, hello
There is no place I cannot go
My mind is muddy but
My heart is heavy, does it show?
I lose the track that loses me, so here I go
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
And so I sent some men to fight
And one came back at dead of night
Said he'd seen my enemy
Said he looked just like me
So I set out to cut myself
And here I go
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
I'm not calling for a second chance
I'm screaming at the top of my voice
Give me reason, but don't give me choice
'Cause I'll just make the same mistake again
Oh-ooh
And maybe someday we will meet
And maybe talk, and not just speak
Don't buy the promises, 'cause
There are no promises I keep
And my reflection troubles me
So here I go
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
I'm not calling for a second chance
I'm screaming at the top of my voice
Give me reason, but don't give me choice
'Cause I'll just make
The same mistake
I'm not calling for a second chance
I'm screaming at the top of my voice
Give me reason, but don't give me choice
'Cause I'll just make the same mistake again
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
Saw the world turning in my sheets (oh-ooh)
And once again, I cannot sleep (oh-ooh)
Walk out the door and up the street (oh-ooh)
Look at the stars (ah-ooh)
Look at the stars fall down (ah-ooh)
And wonder where (ah-ooh)
Did I go wrong?
And once again, I cannot sleep
Walk out the door and up the street
Look at the stars beneath my feet
Remember rights that I did wrong
So here I go
Hello, hello
There is no place I cannot go
My mind is muddy but
My heart is heavy, does it show?
I lose the track that loses me, so here I go
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
And so I sent some men to fight
And one came back at dead of night
Said he'd seen my enemy
Said he looked just like me
So I set out to cut myself
And here I go
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
I'm not calling for a second chance
I'm screaming at the top of my voice
Give me reason, but don't give me choice
'Cause I'll just make the same mistake again
Oh-ooh
And maybe someday we will meet
And maybe talk, and not just speak
Don't buy the promises, 'cause
There are no promises I keep
And my reflection troubles me
So here I go
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
I'm not calling for a second chance
I'm screaming at the top of my voice
Give me reason, but don't give me choice
'Cause I'll just make
The same mistake
I'm not calling for a second chance
I'm screaming at the top of my voice
Give me reason, but don't give me choice
'Cause I'll just make the same mistake again
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
Oh-ooh
Saw the world turning in my sheets (oh-ooh)
And once again, I cannot sleep (oh-ooh)
Walk out the door and up the street (oh-ooh)
Look at the stars (ah-ooh)
Look at the stars fall down (ah-ooh)
And wonder where (ah-ooh)
Did I go wrong?
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At first, I believed that James was singing this song to his ex-lover, and essentially trying to explain to her how he felt.
I believe it's a about a soldier deploying overseas, and his "mistake" is volunteering to be a soldier and by that profession, leaving behind his lover, as a result she leaves him,
"so i send some men to fight" implies that he is an officer who feels guilt for casualties he's taken
"said he'd seen my enemy, said he looked just like me", this can be taken a few different ways, 1) one of his soldiers blames him for their losses 2) he feels disgusted with himself for hurting his lovers feelings and he's soley to blame for them breaking up and for his affliction and 3) possably a observation about war, "he looked just like me" may suggest that we are all human, and infact, in this situation his "enemy" (an opposing army) would be a human being with the exact same profession as him. b) Of his experiences in Bosnia, he had to deal with stopping a genocide, so this could suggest he's lost all faith in the human condition
"cause i'll just make the same mistake again" suggests that his devotion to duty and self-sacrafice will overcome his selfish feelings of pre-maturely resigning from the army to stay with his lover