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.
It's 2:45 the baby takes his first breath
The mother never knew he only had a few left
The father gets a call in the middle of the night
His breath gets short and his chest gets tight
But he's sixteen and he's driving too fast
Takes a turn to the left, it would be his last
The body knows what happens if he turns to the right
The body in the car wouldn't die that night
But he's thirty two and invincible
The cancer he had it was visceral
He never saw it coming
Thought he had his whole life
Sick in the morning and he died in the night
We're all so
We're on the line
We're all, we're all
We're wasted, no no no
We're all wasted
We're wasted, no no
We're all wasted
He's seven years old, got his bat in his hand
He's looking for his father and he doesn't understand
Cause dads too busy he's got some deals on the way
His son sits alone as the children play
And he's eighteen he couldn't wait to move out
His parents wonder what all the rush is about
They never bothered with his dreams only thinking of theirs
Wonder's why he doesn't call and why he doesn't care
But he's thirty two and invincible
Everything he is based on principle
He never had a truly happy moment in his life
He didn't want the kids and he didn't want his wife
We're wasted, no no no
We're all wasted
We're wasted, no no
We're all wasted
We're wasted
We're all wasted
We're all wasted, no no
We're all wasted
Twenty three now, got his life in his hands
He's looking all around and he doesn't understand
Cause life's too busy, things get in the way
We all feel alone every single day
Eighteen couldn't wait to move out
It's been five years and now he's starting to doubt
Whether all my dreams are just aimless stares
Looking out to someplace that isn't there
When I'm thirty two will I be miserable
With everything around based on principle
Well, I had a clue, wouldn't it be nice
To never be alone in this wasted life
We're wasted, no no no
We're all wasted
We're wasted, no no no
We're all wasted
We're wasted
We're all wasted
We're wasted, no no
We're all wasted
The mother never knew he only had a few left
The father gets a call in the middle of the night
His breath gets short and his chest gets tight
But he's sixteen and he's driving too fast
Takes a turn to the left, it would be his last
The body knows what happens if he turns to the right
The body in the car wouldn't die that night
But he's thirty two and invincible
The cancer he had it was visceral
He never saw it coming
Thought he had his whole life
Sick in the morning and he died in the night
We're all so
We're on the line
We're all, we're all
We're wasted, no no no
We're all wasted
We're wasted, no no
We're all wasted
He's seven years old, got his bat in his hand
He's looking for his father and he doesn't understand
Cause dads too busy he's got some deals on the way
His son sits alone as the children play
And he's eighteen he couldn't wait to move out
His parents wonder what all the rush is about
They never bothered with his dreams only thinking of theirs
Wonder's why he doesn't call and why he doesn't care
But he's thirty two and invincible
Everything he is based on principle
He never had a truly happy moment in his life
He didn't want the kids and he didn't want his wife
We're wasted, no no no
We're all wasted
We're wasted, no no
We're all wasted
We're wasted
We're all wasted
We're all wasted, no no
We're all wasted
Twenty three now, got his life in his hands
He's looking all around and he doesn't understand
Cause life's too busy, things get in the way
We all feel alone every single day
Eighteen couldn't wait to move out
It's been five years and now he's starting to doubt
Whether all my dreams are just aimless stares
Looking out to someplace that isn't there
When I'm thirty two will I be miserable
With everything around based on principle
Well, I had a clue, wouldn't it be nice
To never be alone in this wasted life
We're wasted, no no no
We're all wasted
We're wasted, no no no
We're all wasted
We're wasted
We're all wasted
We're wasted, no no
We're all wasted
Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes
Wasted Lyrics as written by Joseph Pepper William Pugh
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think I understand this song, but who really knows. It's just really touching. The first stanza, i think, refers to a baby being born at 2:45 but due to complications, he dies shortly after which is when his father gets a call in the middle of the night and the baby's breaths get short and his chest gets tight.
Second verse refers to a 16 year old who gets in a car accident because he was driving too fast and swerves to the left and dies.
Third verse is about a man who believed himself to be invincible the whole "it'll never happen to me" mindset. Then he found out he had visceral cancer, they caught it way too late and he was "sick in the morning and he died in the night."
The chorus refers to the fact that all of these people have wasted lives. They died young, maybe before they could do something great in their lives. So, maybe we're all wasted.
The next three stanzas are connected. They refer to a boy whose parents never payed attention to him. His father never showed up to his baseball games and the boy doesn't understand why. Then at age 18 he can't wait to move out of the house because his parents never cared about his dreams. However, the parents don't understand that so they wonder why he never calls once he moves out. The boy grows up to be 32 but he never wanted his kids or wife and he'd never actually been truly happy in his life. Which is why his life was "wasted." Because he was never happy with himself or anything he did.
The last couple stanzas are about Will, the lead singer of Cartel. He's 23 now and his life is so busy with all the tours and concerts and all those things that everything gets in the way. He graduated from The Heritage School in Noonan, GA and he was "18, couldn't wait to move out." And now, 5 years later he's beginning to doubt if all of his dreams were actually attainable. He wonders about if when he is 32 if he'll be miserable.
that was the longest thing ever, i'm really sorry. but hope i could help a little bit.
i love cartel! one of my fave bands :)