The General Specific

Being from the south myself I gave the lyrics a good listen to and I am positive that he is saying: "With a showing of hands, who's going back to the South? Where hungry 'necks that I know and running the blender in a lightning storm are disguised as a blessing, I'm sure."

"Hungry 'necks" and "running the blender in a lightning storm" are things Ben Bridwell cherishes from his life back in in the South. They are things he wants to enjoy again because, although to others it might not seem like much, to him they are blessings.

Definitely think it's about them getting out of Seattle and back to South Carolnia. He's saying he doesn't give a shit what the writer's say about an indie rock band moving AWAY from Seattle. It's what they want to do. And then he makes the point that they get to hang out in beautiful weather in December and be with the type of people they knew growing up.

But the reason I love their songs is that the meanings are sometimes really difficult to interpret, so it allows you to come to whatever conclusion you want to based on your own life's experiences.

For example. This song makes me think about the fact that I want to quit my day job and pursue things that would give me more freedom. And, yeah, people (the writers) might think I'm nuts for wanting to do it and things might not go as planned (fork in the road). But screw the people who judge, I'd be doing stuff I want to do when they are sitting in an office looking at the rain in Seattle.

Brilliant song.

Another correction: Going back to the south, we're hungry, next thing I know, you're running a blender..."

I thought it was "If the trials at hand are really getting you down."

A couple corrections "If your trials here are realling getting you down", and "the end of December, what's goin' on?"

Another correction: Going back to the south, we're hungry, next thing I know, you're running a blender..."

dude...General Specific was a character on Sheep in the Big City...not sure if it relates...haven't even really heard this song...but yeah...it was a rockin show.

i really love "down to the general store for nothing specific." good line, fun song.

There's a leit motif coursing through this album (evident in the liner pics as well) of homecoming (i.e., leaving the west coast for the east, and returning to the South, specifically to S. Carolina, which they did), particulary in this song:

If the trials at hand are really getting you down You had a close call I didn't even see it, then another one I hardly believed it at all

What the writers say - it means shit to me now Plants and animals We're on a bender when it's 80 degrees The end of December - what's going on? Only for you and me

In a showing of hands, "Who's going back to the South?" Where hungry necks that I know (been running a blender in a lightning storm) Are disguised as a blessing I'm sure

And knowing ahead, there comes a fork in the road Pants have got to go We're on an island on the fourth of July Looks like the tide is going home

In time I find a little way to your heart Now to the general store for nothing specific Going to wash my bones in the Atlantic shore Only for you and me

Correction to laurenphook's posted lyrics: It's not "Where hungry necks that I know", it's "We're hungry, next thing I know"