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.
I tied the devil to the tracks
(Can you hear the train coming?)
I served him papers with a seal from the governor
The spoiler throwing voices
The vapors that they built this city on
But he don't write much for me anymore
When we keep hell in our hearts
We make no excuse for our genius
So what's my excuse now that hell has abandoned me?
I enticed the devil out with a bottle
But maybe it was he who lured me out instead
When we slept in penitent beds
We awoke in the loving arms of attrition
So what's my excuse now that hell isn't courting me?
Give me the strength to be widowed
Now that the honeymoon's over
Grant me the privileges saved for the sailors
Condemned with you all
Goddamn you all
Condemned with you all
Goddamn you all
I marched across the muddied stream
Illuminated from beneath
And the lock was picked with the church's key
We found on the belt of the veteran
And to open bar tabs in the taverns
Assembled in levels by the damned and fanatic for me
We never loved ourselves so well
As when we lusted after another
We hummed along to electric guitars
And the standard, whoa oh oh oh's
And we drank each other under the covers
I eased the devil back with the throttle
'Cause I'd rather live my life in regret than not take part in it
Ooh, if the devil don't mind, well it's alright with me
So what do I do when the devil don't notice me?
Give me the strength to be widowed
Now that the honeymoon's over
Grant me the privileges saved for the sailors
Condemned with you all
Goddamn you all
Condemned with you all
Goddamn you all
And in my 27th year
I was dragged kicking and screaming into light
And I looked at God in the face and I said
I said, ?God?, I said, I said [Incomprehensible]
I tied the devil to the tracks
Can you hear the train coming?
And I tied the tracks in a lover's knot
Around the finger of a beautiful girl
I'll keep hell, I'll keep hell
I'll keep hell if hell will have me
I'll keep hell, I'll keep hell
I'll keep hell if hell will have me
(Can you hear the train coming?)
I served him papers with a seal from the governor
The spoiler throwing voices
The vapors that they built this city on
But he don't write much for me anymore
When we keep hell in our hearts
We make no excuse for our genius
So what's my excuse now that hell has abandoned me?
I enticed the devil out with a bottle
But maybe it was he who lured me out instead
When we slept in penitent beds
We awoke in the loving arms of attrition
So what's my excuse now that hell isn't courting me?
Give me the strength to be widowed
Now that the honeymoon's over
Grant me the privileges saved for the sailors
Condemned with you all
Goddamn you all
Condemned with you all
Goddamn you all
I marched across the muddied stream
Illuminated from beneath
And the lock was picked with the church's key
We found on the belt of the veteran
And to open bar tabs in the taverns
Assembled in levels by the damned and fanatic for me
We never loved ourselves so well
As when we lusted after another
We hummed along to electric guitars
And the standard, whoa oh oh oh's
And we drank each other under the covers
I eased the devil back with the throttle
'Cause I'd rather live my life in regret than not take part in it
Ooh, if the devil don't mind, well it's alright with me
So what do I do when the devil don't notice me?
Give me the strength to be widowed
Now that the honeymoon's over
Grant me the privileges saved for the sailors
Condemned with you all
Goddamn you all
Condemned with you all
Goddamn you all
And in my 27th year
I was dragged kicking and screaming into light
And I looked at God in the face and I said
I said, ?God?, I said, I said [Incomprehensible]
I tied the devil to the tracks
Can you hear the train coming?
And I tied the tracks in a lover's knot
Around the finger of a beautiful girl
I'll keep hell, I'll keep hell
I'll keep hell if hell will have me
I'll keep hell, I'll keep hell
I'll keep hell if hell will have me
Lyrics submitted by black eye event
INRIhab Lyrics as written by Keith Michael Buckley Jordan Taylor Buckley
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Usually, the lyrics Keith writes are very figurative and cryptic, but this one seems to be very straightforward. To me, this song is about Keith adapting to his new life as a husband, having to let go of his hedonistic life style from before. There is a lot to be translated, but that's the fun part. I am willing to help anyone translate anything, just hit me up!
I've been thinking about getting the lyric "Give me the strength to be widowed now that the honeymoon's over." tattoo'd for a long time now. It has meant a lot to me especially in the past 8 months. I was wondering if you had any information about this line?
"And in my 27th year, I was dragged kicking and screaming into the light. And I looked God in the face and I said "God," I said, "I've (_____) in heaven the whole time"
correction- "I looked at god in the face and I said, I said god I said ' I thought I was in heaven the whole time'"
Fave song offa the new album.
fixed
I'm surprised no one's commented upon the religious elements in this song. INRIhab, the first part, is on the cross on which jesus hangs. It means, "Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm" in english :Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. I believe keith is commenting on escaping from darkness, and finding salvation, and making jokes upon faith.
Seems to me Keith is a pretty big fan of the darkness. INRIhab is a clear play on the cross that last honest man has pointed out; he'd rather go out and have the time of his life than worry about salvation and faith. He's being rehabbed from the light and is going back to the darkness, not the other way around... well, at least IMO.
Awesome song.
I completely concur. I've always thought that ETID, or at least Kieth(He is a big fan of Nietzsche BTW), was not religious. I read this as rehab from Jesus(or faith of any kind) not rehab via Jesus.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inri
in short what i got out of this song is that this dude really wants to live the life that would be easiest for him, which is probably touring and hanging out with random broads here and there building somewhat meaningfull relationships even though he's pretty much gonna be fucking around with a different broad in every city and the entire time of course he's partying and drinking but he's still conflicted with the allure of a normal life
"I marched across the muddied stream, illuminated from beneath. The lock was picked with the church's key we found on the belt of the veteran to open bar tabs in the taverns assembled in levels by the damned and fanatic for me."
I believe this part of the song is sang by Dallas Green from Alexisonfire and City and Colour
the song seems to be me about partying really hard all the time, and trying to ease off it, and finding it hard to return to normal life, which is something Keith talks about often in interviews
i thought it was dallas to juno... great song. i love how that initial riff isn't in a standard timing. makes it sound all wrong, but in every time i die's case, oh so right! "because I'd rather live my life in regret than not take part in it."