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.
Ten years in the jailer's eye
An' I'm thinkin' 'bout my baby
Looking at my life go by
Falling in the streets I'm broke
An' I'm laughing at the poor man
Talking to the blind man
See the lady in the street car lights
Colour a la Toulouse
Television and the red red wine
So won't you tell me
Won't you tell me the truth
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough oo oo
Are you old enough oh oh
Time goes and here we stand
Laughing at the side show
Sinking in the quick sand
The other side of another world
Scratch my back go the coloured girls
Yeah, oh yeah
I just wanted to kiss someone
I got the moondog blues
You just happened to be standing there
So won't you tell me
Won't you tell me the truth
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough oo oo
Are you old enough oh oh
See the lady in the street car lights
Got a whole lot to lose
Television and the red red wine
So won't you tell me
Won't you tell me the truth
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough oo oo
Are you old enough oh oh
An' I'm thinkin' 'bout my baby
Looking at my life go by
Falling in the streets I'm broke
An' I'm laughing at the poor man
Talking to the blind man
See the lady in the street car lights
Colour a la Toulouse
Television and the red red wine
So won't you tell me
Won't you tell me the truth
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough oo oo
Are you old enough oh oh
Time goes and here we stand
Laughing at the side show
Sinking in the quick sand
The other side of another world
Scratch my back go the coloured girls
Yeah, oh yeah
I just wanted to kiss someone
I got the moondog blues
You just happened to be standing there
So won't you tell me
Won't you tell me the truth
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough oo oo
Are you old enough oh oh
See the lady in the street car lights
Got a whole lot to lose
Television and the red red wine
So won't you tell me
Won't you tell me the truth
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough
Are you old enough oo oo
Are you old enough oh oh
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You all presume the worst. It dont say how old she is and it dont say why he spent 10 years in jail. The girl might be 25 years old for all we know but he thinks she just too young compared to his age thats all. !!
The song writer...Paul Hewson, had seen a report on tv about a man who had just got out of jail. He was thinking about how that would feel and how would you know how old a girl is these days...but it's also metaphorical ...