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.
Shepherds they came, stripped of their names
But we were all the daughters that fell from her to ground
Because she needed us, she needed love
But we're all gone to strip that ground
Shivered pores were caves, teeth were all decayed
Jutting, jagged, rising up like welts on backs in strain
Because she needed us, needed love
We're all gone to strip that ground
No man sleeps in the fields in the rain
I said, "oh lord", I said
We climbed up those banks from our place in the shade
Built us a fire but never knew what we made
It's not your mind, self, not your thoughts, not your soul
It's not your mind, self, not your thoughts, not your soul
We are that fire
We are that fire
We are that fire, we
Shepherds they came, stripped of their names
We were all the daughters that fell from her to ground
Because she needed us, she needed love
But we're all gone to strip that ground
Were you safe down in my hands?
The higher we climb
These shapes, shapes show
This place is more holy when nobody knows
Were you safe down in my hands? (Were you safe down in my hands?)
The higher we climb (the higher we climb)
These shapes, shapes show
This place is more holy when nobody knows
You're safe down in line? (Show me what you want)
The higher we climb (what you feel, really real)
These shapes, shapes show (I tell you, oh)
This place is more holy when nobody knows
We climbed up those banks from our place in the shade
Built us a fire but never knew what we made
It's not your mind, self, not your thoughts, not your soul
It's not your mind, self, not your thoughts, not your soul
We are that fire
We are that fire
We are that fire, we
Show me what you (everything is still free)
And I will tell you
It's not your mind, your self, not your thoughts, not your soul
But we were all the daughters that fell from her to ground
Because she needed us, she needed love
But we're all gone to strip that ground
Shivered pores were caves, teeth were all decayed
Jutting, jagged, rising up like welts on backs in strain
Because she needed us, needed love
We're all gone to strip that ground
No man sleeps in the fields in the rain
I said, "oh lord", I said
We climbed up those banks from our place in the shade
Built us a fire but never knew what we made
It's not your mind, self, not your thoughts, not your soul
It's not your mind, self, not your thoughts, not your soul
We are that fire
We are that fire
We are that fire, we
Shepherds they came, stripped of their names
We were all the daughters that fell from her to ground
Because she needed us, she needed love
But we're all gone to strip that ground
Were you safe down in my hands?
The higher we climb
These shapes, shapes show
This place is more holy when nobody knows
Were you safe down in my hands? (Were you safe down in my hands?)
The higher we climb (the higher we climb)
These shapes, shapes show
This place is more holy when nobody knows
You're safe down in line? (Show me what you want)
The higher we climb (what you feel, really real)
These shapes, shapes show (I tell you, oh)
This place is more holy when nobody knows
We climbed up those banks from our place in the shade
Built us a fire but never knew what we made
It's not your mind, self, not your thoughts, not your soul
It's not your mind, self, not your thoughts, not your soul
We are that fire
We are that fire
We are that fire, we
Show me what you (everything is still free)
And I will tell you
It's not your mind, your self, not your thoughts, not your soul
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i love this song & Portugal. The Man