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.
Chopping wood, chopping wood, chopping wood is so good.
I do it in my neighborhood, I do it every day, I chop that wood in every way.
I like to chop the wood, but one time I was trying it, and there was some one who said that I couldn't do it.
He tried to stop me, and so I chopped he.
Chopping wood, chopping wood, chopping wood is so good.
Chopping wood, chopping wood, chopping wood neighborhood.
How could you ever try and stop me?
Why would you ever try to stop me?
Chopping wood, chopping wood,chopping wood is so good.
Chopping wood, chopping wood,chopping wood is my favorite thing to do other than everything else that I like doing better.
And the angel came to me and said "you've done very good, there's a specially place for you in our neighborhood.
because you chopped the wood, like we knew you could.
everybody had faith in you, and what you could do."
Then I went to the river, and I cleansed my soul,
I was out of control, I didn't even know
it was against the law.
Because the police I saw, they said, "stop it man".
Chopping wood, chopping wood,chopping wood is so good.
Chop some wood, chop some wood for me, chop it for the children.
Chop it for the children: the future of America.
I don't think I've ever used the word carousel in any of my songs.
So now I have.
Unh.
Takin' it back to the midnight oil.
I don't know but I'm just gonna soil.
I'm gonna spoil.
All the secrets of the world, they're comin' to me now.
I'm gonna tell 'em out, I'm gonna find you out.
I'm gonna force it out, I'm gonna speak out, act out,
and there's nothing that you can do about.
The secrets of the world are mine to command, the secrets of the world are mine to tell, the secrets of the world are here at my fingertips.
You can't stop me, nobody can stop me.
I'm an unstoppable bull thing in the Bull Moose Party.
Uhm, and...
Rocket
soldier.
Rocket soldier on the field.
Rocket
soldier.
Rocket soldier keep it real,
rocket man.
Wasn't that an Elton John song?
If it wasn't then I'm happy, and if not than I guess that I just said a thing.
Rocketting back, rocketting in to the past.
Rocketting back, rocketting in to the past.
Rocketting back, rocketting in to your mind.
Rocketting back, rocketting all the time.
Why, why can't you see? What is gonna happen to me?
'Cause I know, and I know that it's not the same thing.
I know, I know that it's not the same thing.
And I know, I know I'm ripping off Soul Coughing right now, only I would call it ripping off more as using the words of and not really understanding what I'm doing anyway.
Inspector man, inspector what did you find? did you find the darkest corners of my mind?
My wrist really fucking hurts, in the outskirts of the town, they know what goes around and it doesn't make a sound.
The plastic explosives are getting closer.
I can smell 'em every minute.
They're gonna get here very soon.
We have to stop them before we go to far,
or else, we're toast.
Just like the ghost with nothing to boast about what he loast.
We didn't do it.
We didn't get to stop them.
It's Indians and Pilgrims all over again.
Can't wait for Thanksgiving.
Chopping wood, chopping wood, chopping wood, chopping wood.
Chopping wood, chopping wood, chopping wood is so good.
Chopping wood is our only escape.
Chopping wood
is our only hope.
It's our only chance
for survival
beyond this point.
We'll make it.
We're gonna make it.
We're almost there.
Now we're there.
I do it in my neighborhood, I do it every day, I chop that wood in every way.
I like to chop the wood, but one time I was trying it, and there was some one who said that I couldn't do it.
He tried to stop me, and so I chopped he.
Chopping wood, chopping wood, chopping wood is so good.
Chopping wood, chopping wood, chopping wood neighborhood.
How could you ever try and stop me?
Why would you ever try to stop me?
Chopping wood, chopping wood,chopping wood is so good.
Chopping wood, chopping wood,chopping wood is my favorite thing to do other than everything else that I like doing better.
And the angel came to me and said "you've done very good, there's a specially place for you in our neighborhood.
because you chopped the wood, like we knew you could.
everybody had faith in you, and what you could do."
Then I went to the river, and I cleansed my soul,
I was out of control, I didn't even know
it was against the law.
Because the police I saw, they said, "stop it man".
Chopping wood, chopping wood,chopping wood is so good.
Chop some wood, chop some wood for me, chop it for the children.
Chop it for the children: the future of America.
I don't think I've ever used the word carousel in any of my songs.
So now I have.
Unh.
Takin' it back to the midnight oil.
I don't know but I'm just gonna soil.
I'm gonna spoil.
All the secrets of the world, they're comin' to me now.
I'm gonna tell 'em out, I'm gonna find you out.
I'm gonna force it out, I'm gonna speak out, act out,
and there's nothing that you can do about.
The secrets of the world are mine to command, the secrets of the world are mine to tell, the secrets of the world are here at my fingertips.
You can't stop me, nobody can stop me.
I'm an unstoppable bull thing in the Bull Moose Party.
Uhm, and...
Rocket
soldier.
Rocket soldier on the field.
Rocket
soldier.
Rocket soldier keep it real,
rocket man.
Wasn't that an Elton John song?
If it wasn't then I'm happy, and if not than I guess that I just said a thing.
Rocketting back, rocketting in to the past.
Rocketting back, rocketting in to the past.
Rocketting back, rocketting in to your mind.
Rocketting back, rocketting all the time.
Why, why can't you see? What is gonna happen to me?
'Cause I know, and I know that it's not the same thing.
I know, I know that it's not the same thing.
And I know, I know I'm ripping off Soul Coughing right now, only I would call it ripping off more as using the words of and not really understanding what I'm doing anyway.
Inspector man, inspector what did you find? did you find the darkest corners of my mind?
My wrist really fucking hurts, in the outskirts of the town, they know what goes around and it doesn't make a sound.
The plastic explosives are getting closer.
I can smell 'em every minute.
They're gonna get here very soon.
We have to stop them before we go to far,
or else, we're toast.
Just like the ghost with nothing to boast about what he loast.
We didn't do it.
We didn't get to stop them.
It's Indians and Pilgrims all over again.
Can't wait for Thanksgiving.
Chopping wood, chopping wood, chopping wood, chopping wood.
Chopping wood, chopping wood, chopping wood is so good.
Chopping wood is our only escape.
Chopping wood
is our only hope.
It's our only chance
for survival
beyond this point.
We'll make it.
We're gonna make it.
We're almost there.
Now we're there.
Lyrics submitted by SpooktheHerd
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