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.
He came from somewhere back in her long ago
The sentimental fool don't see
Trying hard to recreate what had yet to be created
Once in her life, she musters a smile for his nostalgic tale
Never coming near what he wanted to say
Only to realize it never really was
She had a place in his life
He never made her think twice
As he rises to her apology
Anybody else would surely know
He's watching her go
But what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be
Is always better than nothing
Than nothing at all keeps sending him
Somewhere back in her long ago
Where he can still believe there's a place in her life
Someday, somewhere, she will return
She had a place in his life
He never made her think twice
As he rises to her apology
Anybody else would surely know
He's watching her go
But what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be (if love can come and love can go, then why can't love return once more?)
Is always better than nothing
(Who got the power?)
Than nothing at all (oh, now)
What a fool believes he sees (I believe she's never gone away)
No wise man has the power
To reason away (to reason away)
What seems to be (oh, if love can come and love can go, oh, mama)
Is always better than nothing (better than nothing)
Than nothing at all (oh, I believe)
The sentimental fool don't see
Trying hard to recreate what had yet to be created
Once in her life, she musters a smile for his nostalgic tale
Never coming near what he wanted to say
Only to realize it never really was
She had a place in his life
He never made her think twice
As he rises to her apology
Anybody else would surely know
He's watching her go
But what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be
Is always better than nothing
Than nothing at all keeps sending him
Somewhere back in her long ago
Where he can still believe there's a place in her life
Someday, somewhere, she will return
She had a place in his life
He never made her think twice
As he rises to her apology
Anybody else would surely know
He's watching her go
But what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be (if love can come and love can go, then why can't love return once more?)
Is always better than nothing
(Who got the power?)
Than nothing at all (oh, now)
What a fool believes he sees (I believe she's never gone away)
No wise man has the power
To reason away (to reason away)
What seems to be (oh, if love can come and love can go, oh, mama)
Is always better than nothing (better than nothing)
Than nothing at all (oh, I believe)
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I agree with all above, except for these two lines:
"She had a place in his life" I think this is from her point of view. At one time long ago, she wanted to be with him and have a place in his life. This is also saying he never made the comittment to her.
"He never made her think twice" , and probably took her for granted. She eventually moved on,and he never gave her reason to think twice about leaving him, she felt there was no hope.
As time went by, the guy meets her again and thinks she will return, but he has never come to terms with the fact that she has moved on, and for him, it is better to believe they will someday get together, than to admit and realize there is nothing at all.
What a great song and lyrics.. I like the fact that the song can carry so many different meanings.
@mloma agree. very wise!<br /> <br /> <br />
@mloma This is how I see it as well.
@mloma - I disagree. These lines are about the man, specifically how the man felt long ago when they were together but also in how he would accommodate her in the future if she were to come back to him. "She had a place in his life" means he wanted her to be a part of his life, he saw a future together that she didn't want or take. "He never made her think twice" means he didn't waver or hedge he was fully committed to her. It was she who didn't care about the relationship. <br /> <br /> The next line after these two is "as he rises to her apology anybody else would surely know he's watching her go" - she's basically saying "sorry guy but I don't feel the same way" but he's a fool in love and can't accept she won't come back.
@mloma “She had a place in his life” is from his point of view, that is, he considered her to still be a part of his life. The second line is from her point of view. “He never made her think twice” is a clever, lyrical play on …”she never gave him a second thought”…as time went on, she never gave him a second thought…out of sight, out of mind.