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.
Lay down your head
And look to your window
Where do you go
When it's not where you're going?
And how do you see
When the light isn't shining?
Where you could be
If you worked out the timing
And how does it feel when the world comes on so real and true?
And how do you do the things you do to you?
If I were a king
And you were a lady
What would I sing
To say what I'm saying?
And would you believe
The verses left open?
The heart on my sleeve
The rhyming all broken
And how does it feel when the world comes on so real and true?
And how do you do the things you do to you?
Sell me a river
And I'll skate away
To the downstream
Where I did play
So easy minded
Like a hill on the skyline
Tripped up and blinded
Getting lost on the sidelines
And how does it feel when the world comes on so real and true?
And how do you do the things you do to you?
And how do you do the things you do to you?
And look to your window
Where do you go
When it's not where you're going?
And how do you see
When the light isn't shining?
Where you could be
If you worked out the timing
And how does it feel when the world comes on so real and true?
And how do you do the things you do to you?
If I were a king
And you were a lady
What would I sing
To say what I'm saying?
And would you believe
The verses left open?
The heart on my sleeve
The rhyming all broken
And how does it feel when the world comes on so real and true?
And how do you do the things you do to you?
Sell me a river
And I'll skate away
To the downstream
Where I did play
So easy minded
Like a hill on the skyline
Tripped up and blinded
Getting lost on the sidelines
And how does it feel when the world comes on so real and true?
And how do you do the things you do to you?
And how do you do the things you do to you?
Lyrics submitted by schadenfreude87
The Downstream Lyrics as written by Oscar Lloyd Harrison Damon Minchella
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I cant believe this hasn't been commented on............This is a beautiful song one of there best. I think it is about a female friend of simon fowlers who was going through something terrible and ws perhaps self harming or else ws just really down on her self.
it gives me a lot of comfort when im at my worst as i try to recover from an eating disorder. I know it sounds pathetic but i feel like he's singing to me :p
This is an amazing song and I agree it is one of their best. Ive seen them play 7 times and only once have I seen them play it live.....such a shame.
Dont think its pathetic you feel like that, I too play it when I'm at my worst I just seems like the lyrics just fit right for me, you know?
I feel the the song for me is all about "Nock Backs" and how we depsepetly keep moving forward, even though we sometimes feel theres no point.
It ends with him drifting back to his childhood when things were much more simpler and when we didnt have a care in the world. And then back into the corous (reality)
Great great song
I love this song. I play a bit t home for fun and did a cover of this this morning. I agree with the comments above. It has personal meaning to me of a similar vein.
Dunno if I can post links on here but this is my cover. youtube.com/watch
.