God, Make Up Your Mind

1st comment ay? mmkay. here's what the band themselves had to say about this song on daytrotter.com:

"’God, Make Up Your Mind’ its about a Bobby Fischer-type kid, real smart, sensitive, listening to Nina Simone—he’s way ahead of his years, kind of freakishly ahead of his years. There’s a line ‘100 years of solitude and only 12 years old,’ which is like a way of saying that he’s known so much loneliness, even in his short life he has one of those huge capacities for human experience, his own and other peoples. So here he is on vacation with his mom and his new stepdad and his sister and he’s thinking about how unjust all of this is, the selfishness of adults, forgiveness, wrestling, talking to God about it. There’s a line ‘drew a picture of a cat laying dead in the street,’ which is my favorite, it’s a reference to this J.D. Salinger story ‘Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters,’ where I think Seymour is talking about this proverb that says that the most valuable thing in the world is a dead cat because you can’t put a price on it. So this kid was born out of these Salinger kids, who are notorious for being so smart and young and wise.”

I think "Daydream about Maria back in California" is actually "Daydream about my real Dad back in California"

Backseat of your family station wagon Listenin' to mom 100 years of solitude and only 12 years old

It's actually "Listening Nina Simone" [see album cover]

and

Mama's callin' out look at the grand canyon Camilla couldn't care less Gazin' to the home your stomach feels the emptiness

It's actually "Your mom is calling out 'Look at the Grand Canyon' Camilla couldn't care less Gaze into the hole Your stomach feels the emptiness of death"

and

"Daydream about Maria back in California"

"Daydream about my Real Dad back in California"

"Cause you tense up like a [?]"

"Armadillo" is the word you're searching for.

My last correction

"Why am a teacher on the street sign has done so much more than politicians than musicans"

"Why ain't my teacher on a street sign? He's done so much more than politicians, Dead musicians"

I love how this song is kind of schizophrenic in how the vocals and sound change so abruptly back and forth. Great song.

This song has great lyrics... (these lyrics are not correct... as noted by others) I think this song is about a kid who has gone threw so much more then anyone else in their life time. His parents devorced at a young age forced to make a choice between the two of them. He is obvosuly very smart and thinks about things more then most. He is confused about the way the world works and why people are the way they are. Even his parents. "Do you wanna play fair Or should I take what's mine? Like everyone else" When he thinks about everyone being selfish and full of greed he wonders if it will benifit him at all to be the same as others. And the fact that taking whats yours isent always fair your always going to be hurting someone. This is also shown in the line "You wanna help someone you gotta be a no one" Meaning if you never think about your self everyone else will benifit. "Why ain't my teacher on a street sign? He's done so much more than politicians, Dead musicians" This is also showing this. Teachers are a simbol of good non selfish people. All they try to do is better others around them and when they better themselfs they try and give that away too. Then for them to make refrence to politicians is the counter part, all lies and looking out for number one making the world all crazy. But then why do they get the fame and look like gods... because they take whats theirs and not care?

This whole song is about selfishness (in my opinion) Anyone else get anything else from this song?

i would really like to see the real lyrics...could someone fix these???

yeah i agree with "The Moo." did you also notice the line "Elephant in your brain Reminding you you've got to make a choice" also refers to another Salinger story? have you read "Teddy" from his book of short stories?also about a young boy, he talks about how an elephant is only big because we were taught that it is.if we weren't taught this,the elephant could've been anything we wanted. "Teddy" is one of his best stories!

i took the elephant line as referring to the phrase "the elephant in the room" as in something that no one wants to talk about but everyone knows is there. But all this makes me want to start reading salinger

This song is fantastic. Five stars on my iTunes :). The way it's sung is brilliant, sets the mood so perfectly for a shy, brilliant child lost, angry with God, threatening to take his life-! Just wonderful. This family vacation had gone all to hell, most likely the mom trying to incorporate a new dad into the family. This kid's thinking about his life, his schoolwork, his morbid thoughts, his father...cats are totally overpopulated, like people...maybe the cat is a symbol for his possible future? this dead cat, compared to his wanting to take his life (what's his...like everyone else) but the cat's in the street. it's vulnerable. And that last verse...man, i love that shit.

Here's the full lyrics:

Backseat of your family station wagon Listening Nina Simone 100 years of solitude And only 12 years old

God, make up your mind God, make up your mind Do you wanna play fair? Or should I take what's mine?

Your mom is calling out 'Look at the Grand Canyon' Camilla couldn't care less Gaze into the hole Your stomach feels the emptiness of death

God, make up your mind God, make up your mind Do you wanna play fair? Or should I take what's mine? Like everyone else

From New York to New Orleans, played alphabet Kansas to Boise, won the battleship Memorized the capitals, crossword puzzles Drew a picture of a cat laying dead in the street Daydream about my real dad back in California

Elephant in your brain Reminding you you've got to make a choice Wraps his arms around you slow, Cause you tense up like an armadillo

Why ain't my teacher on a street sign? He's done so much more than politicians, dead musicians You wanna help someone you gotta be a no one That's what I figured out the cat in the street meant You gotta make up your mind Make up your mind Make up your mind

i dont know if i see any salinger connection, with the cat, theres a chance, but in reference to "Teddy" and the elephant being big only because were taught that theyre big, i just dont see it.

...i really like his description about what the kid did throughout the long ride, you wouldnt think 'battleship' and 'crosswords' would be things found in great song lyrics but each makes this song great. i like his mentioning of his teacher being more impactful than any politician or musician was...a lot of teachers don't live up to the standards of what it means to truly teach. with the benefits and the diminishing lack of prestige tied to the position, it makes sense. but, to the teachers out there that do influence and lead, they make up for the majorities shortcomings. One quality teacher, at any age, gives hope to the academic institution. this is a cool way of giving them their due because you will never hear them asking for it.