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.
Reckoner
You can't take it with yer
Dancing for your pleasure
You are not to blame for
Bittersweet distractors
Dare not speak its name
Dedicated to all human beings
Because we separate
Like ripples on a blank shore
(In rainbows)
Because we separate
Like ripples on a blank shore
Reckoner
Take me with yer
Dedicated to all human beings
You can't take it with yer
Dancing for your pleasure
You are not to blame for
Bittersweet distractors
Dare not speak its name
Dedicated to all human beings
Because we separate
Like ripples on a blank shore
(In rainbows)
Because we separate
Like ripples on a blank shore
Reckoner
Take me with yer
Dedicated to all human beings
Lyrics submitted by autrefois, edited by yusnotyus, Paymaan, erinek, rejesterd, gjkatko, folkieokie, Tom1234, twstdwrds, ReckonerInRainbows, ben1022565, TheRadioheadz
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Reckoner Can't take it with you Dancing for pleasure
You are not to blame for Bittersweet distractor Dare not speak its name Dedicated to all human beings
Because we separate Like ripples on a blank shore (in rainbows) Because we separate Like ripples on a blank shore
Reckoner Take it with you Dedicated to all human beings
from In Rainbows vinyl
I think you've got it, except that 'Because we separate/Like ripples on a BLACK shore' makes more sense to me when seen in context of the song itself, and Thom's world of imagery in general. If the 'Reckoner' is death and the repeated line 'Can't take it with you' is a reminder of the transitoriness of this world, then a black shore makes sense. Death is the great unknown, the undiscover'd country (to quote Hamlet), the darkness beyond life. Thom's preoccupation with death around the corner stretches back to the early tracks like Killer Cars (with a refrain in The Tourist), Street Spirit of course, and then newer ones like Reckoner and Videotape. Beyond that though, there is a beauty in these lines that is difficult to analyse or describe - like T.S. Eliot or dare I say it even Shakespeare's finest lines, they approach something holy. A 'blank' shore suggest that Thom's decided there is no life after death, but from the whole body of his lyrics I would conclude he is agnostic (death is an unknown) rather than atheist (death is the end).
That's a good way to look at it. It says "blank" on the sleeve...those lines sum up the whole concept of the album to me. The shore is blank (or calm), and ripples disturb the calm, causing chaos. But Thom is finding good in this chaos. We separate, but we separate "in rainbows." Beautiful! One of the greatest songs ever.