Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
In this farewell
There's no blood, there's no alibi
'Cause I've drawn regret
From the truth of a thousand lies
So let mercy come and wash away
What I've done
I'll face myself to cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done
Put to rest what you thought of me
While I clean this slate
With the hands of uncertainty
So let mercy come and wash away
What I've done
I'll face myself to cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done
For what I've done
I start again
And whatever pain may come
Today this ends
I'm forgiving what I've done
I'll face myself to cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done
(Na-na na na, na-na na na, na-na na na)
What I've done
(Na-na na na, na-na na na, na-na na na)
Forgiving what I've done
(Na-na na na, na-na na na, na-na na na)
(Na-na na na, na-na na na, na-na na)
There's no blood, there's no alibi
'Cause I've drawn regret
From the truth of a thousand lies
So let mercy come and wash away
What I've done
I'll face myself to cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done
Put to rest what you thought of me
While I clean this slate
With the hands of uncertainty
So let mercy come and wash away
What I've done
I'll face myself to cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done
For what I've done
I start again
And whatever pain may come
Today this ends
I'm forgiving what I've done
I'll face myself to cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done
(Na-na na na, na-na na na, na-na na na)
What I've done
(Na-na na na, na-na na na, na-na na na)
Forgiving what I've done
(Na-na na na, na-na na na, na-na na na)
(Na-na na na, na-na na na, na-na na)
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He certainly did earn that reputation.
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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.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Wow, that's all I can say about this song. Phoenix how can you say this song is empty, I think it is much more deeper than their older stuff. Personally I'm kinda glad they ditched the rap-rock. It's a nice change, not that I'm in any way saying I ddn't like them before. I think people will start taking LP a little more seriously now that they've dropped the rapping more. Appearantly they will still be some on MTM but yea. And the video of this song is amazing too. it pretty much shows everything that's wrong with the world and how we should just start over on as other people said, a clean slate. All in all, in my opinion this song is a fucking orgasm.