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.
Katie you're a brave girl, and I know its only just started.
I'm gonna be there at 6, with some flowers on sticks
That were clipped just to make the weak strong.
And Katie, its a strange world when girls can get so broken hearted
If it were me and the universe, I'd get the worst of this gone.
Katie, Katie I'm sorry that in your condition
The sunshine's been missing but Katie,
Don't believe that it isn't there.
Oh and Katie, Katie be happy
This world can be ugly, but isn't it beautiful?
We're not really here, and we're really not there
We're really not there.
Katie you're a brave girl and courage is something I'll need now.
'Cause its been a hell of a day I've spent fading away
We all fade sometimes, I believe
And Katie its a strange world as I watch the tables get turned around
And you've got the strength that I've lost in a thought that would carry me.
And Katie, Katie I'm sorry that in your condition
The sunshine's been missing but Katie,
Don't believe that it isn't there.
Oh and Katie, Katie be happy
This world can be ugly, but isn't it beautiful?
We're not really here, and i'm really not there
Whoa
Whoa
And it's not the end of the world,
It's not the end of the world,
It's not the end of the world,
'Cause the cops wouldn't break up this party.
And Katie, Katie I'm sorry that in your condition
The sunshine's been missing but Katie,
Don't believe that it isn't there.
Oh and Katie, Katie be happy
This world can be ugly, but isn't it beautiful?
We're not really here, and we're really not there.
Oh Katie, Katie I'm sorry that in my condition
Your sunshine's been missing but Katie,
Don't believe that it isn't there
Oh Katie, Katie be happy
This world can be ugly but isn't it beautiful?
We're not really here, and we're really not there
We're really not there,
We're really not there.
Katie, you're a brave girl,
And I know its only just started.
I'm gonna be there at 6, with some flowers on sticks
That were clipped just to make the weak strong.
And Katie, its a strange world when girls can get so broken hearted
If it were me and the universe, I'd get the worst of this gone.
Katie, Katie I'm sorry that in your condition
The sunshine's been missing but Katie,
Don't believe that it isn't there.
Oh and Katie, Katie be happy
This world can be ugly, but isn't it beautiful?
We're not really here, and we're really not there
We're really not there.
Katie you're a brave girl and courage is something I'll need now.
'Cause its been a hell of a day I've spent fading away
We all fade sometimes, I believe
And Katie its a strange world as I watch the tables get turned around
And you've got the strength that I've lost in a thought that would carry me.
And Katie, Katie I'm sorry that in your condition
The sunshine's been missing but Katie,
Don't believe that it isn't there.
Oh and Katie, Katie be happy
This world can be ugly, but isn't it beautiful?
We're not really here, and i'm really not there
Whoa
Whoa
And it's not the end of the world,
It's not the end of the world,
It's not the end of the world,
'Cause the cops wouldn't break up this party.
And Katie, Katie I'm sorry that in your condition
The sunshine's been missing but Katie,
Don't believe that it isn't there.
Oh and Katie, Katie be happy
This world can be ugly, but isn't it beautiful?
We're not really here, and we're really not there.
Oh Katie, Katie I'm sorry that in my condition
Your sunshine's been missing but Katie,
Don't believe that it isn't there
Oh Katie, Katie be happy
This world can be ugly but isn't it beautiful?
We're not really here, and we're really not there
We're really not there,
We're really not there.
Katie, you're a brave girl,
And I know its only just started.
Lyrics submitted by awakeinyou
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
No Surprises
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Amazing
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
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 wish I had a cool brother like Andrew to write me songs.
it was said in an interview he did with I think MTV.com. I'm sure it'll be a song he'll play between projects. I just like the fact he's got a sister named Katie. It's not everyday one of my favorite artists writes a song for his sister who shares my name. :) his sister Katie is now a household name, thanks to Andrew's immortialization of her in these lyrics. An amazing man, an amazing song, an amazing story.... The lyrical prowess this man posesses is infinate, and this song is just another example.
Thank the Lord for Andrew McMahon.
But isnt this a SoCo Song?
@popbaby1 Nah, he wrote this after he had started performing under Jack's, but I don't think it was technically released as a Jack's Mannequin song. Just happened to be the band her was performing as at that time.
Definately not a SoCo song; it was written for Andrews sister after she was a positive donor for his bone marrow transplant as sort of a thank you
it is a soco song though; i heard its part of the new soco material he's been writing
@socolove It's not a soco song, he wrote it at the time he had started work on Everything in Transit, after he was diagnosed, as a thank-you to his sister for her life-saving marrow transplant. I guess it would technically just be an Andrew Mcmahon song, but Jack's Mannequin was the name/band he was performing under at the time so that probably why it is classified that way.
question: has anyone heard this song? if so, where? is it online somewhere?...i want to listen to it.
thanks
theres no studio version but you can hear it on youtube
i dont know andrew continues to do it but every song he writes impresses me. this one is beautiful
If you want to hear this song you can watch him play it live here: youtube.com/watch
brutal song
but as always beautiful
As Ototman14 said, it's brutal but beautiful. I heard this song last night at the show and...man. It's breathtaking. The way he sings it and the meaning pouring out of the music is enough to make a person shed a tear. hah.