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.
Hello mama, hello mama it's me
How you feeling mama?
Hm-hmm, that's alright
I've got something I want to talk to you about
If you don't mind
And I ain't mad, mama, no, no no no
Wait a minute, listen mama
Look what they done to my song, ma
Look what they done to my song, ma
The only thing I could do half right and now it's turning out all wrong, mama
Look what they done to my song
Now listen if you please
Wish I could find a good book, I'd like to live in the thing now
Wish I could find a good book, now, hey hey hey
If I could find a real good book, you know I,
I'd never have to come out and look
At what they done to my song
Look what they done to my brain, ma
Look what they done to my brain
Oh mama, it's a shame, you won't believe this, but it's true
They picked it like a chicken bone and I'm-ah, just about to go insane mama
Look what they done to my brain
Now girls, if you don't mind, I'd like to hear that some French
Ils ont change ma chanson, ma
(ooh, not bad)
Ils ont change ma chanson
(uh-huh. Let me see here {franglish gibberish})
Ils ont change ma chanson
(My French must be pretty bad, I better do this in English)
Look what they done to my song, ma
Look what they done to my song ma
Put it in a plastic bag and they turned the bag upside down ma
Look what they done to my song
(scat)
Maybe it's alright
Maybe it's OK, I don't know
But I tell ya
If my tears were money, I'd be a millionaire today
You know, the only thing I get to have right, now it's turning out all wrong, mama
You can't believe what they've done to my song ma, that I wrote myself
They put it in a plastic bag and they turned the bag upside down, mama
Lord, if I could find a good book,
I'd never have to come out and look at, uh
What they trying to do to my brain
It's a shame mama, you see they
They done pick it like a chicken bone
And I'm-ah just about to go insane
I'm insane, insane, mama
I'm going crazy, mama, that's what it is
Lord knows I don't care what they done to my song
No, I don't care about that, but see
The main thing, mama
What they trying to do to me
You see, well they stole everything I had, mama
And they made a million with it, and you know that hurts
But oh, I'm gonna keep on working on the building,
Just like you taught me, mama
Whoah, yes I will, yes I will, yeah
How you feeling mama?
Hm-hmm, that's alright
I've got something I want to talk to you about
If you don't mind
And I ain't mad, mama, no, no no no
Wait a minute, listen mama
Look what they done to my song, ma
Look what they done to my song, ma
The only thing I could do half right and now it's turning out all wrong, mama
Look what they done to my song
Now listen if you please
Wish I could find a good book, I'd like to live in the thing now
Wish I could find a good book, now, hey hey hey
If I could find a real good book, you know I,
I'd never have to come out and look
At what they done to my song
Look what they done to my brain, ma
Look what they done to my brain
Oh mama, it's a shame, you won't believe this, but it's true
They picked it like a chicken bone and I'm-ah, just about to go insane mama
Look what they done to my brain
Now girls, if you don't mind, I'd like to hear that some French
Ils ont change ma chanson, ma
(ooh, not bad)
Ils ont change ma chanson
(uh-huh. Let me see here {franglish gibberish})
Ils ont change ma chanson
(My French must be pretty bad, I better do this in English)
Look what they done to my song, ma
Look what they done to my song ma
Put it in a plastic bag and they turned the bag upside down ma
Look what they done to my song
(scat)
Maybe it's alright
Maybe it's OK, I don't know
But I tell ya
If my tears were money, I'd be a millionaire today
You know, the only thing I get to have right, now it's turning out all wrong, mama
You can't believe what they've done to my song ma, that I wrote myself
They put it in a plastic bag and they turned the bag upside down, mama
Lord, if I could find a good book,
I'd never have to come out and look at, uh
What they trying to do to my brain
It's a shame mama, you see they
They done pick it like a chicken bone
And I'm-ah just about to go insane
I'm insane, insane, mama
I'm going crazy, mama, that's what it is
Lord knows I don't care what they done to my song
No, I don't care about that, but see
The main thing, mama
What they trying to do to me
You see, well they stole everything I had, mama
And they made a million with it, and you know that hurts
But oh, I'm gonna keep on working on the building,
Just like you taught me, mama
Whoah, yes I will, yes I will, yeah
Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned
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