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.
Once upon a time in a warehouse near a Mississippi ravine,
There was a Theodore Roosevelt statue made of solid aquamarine.
I have hollowed out quite a comfy living space inside of his head,
They still don’t know I’m making the noise,
They think it’s Teddy’s spirit instead.
Here we go, oh no, top layer of cheese.
Oh no, big hornets and bees
Speaking Japanese.
I’m on fire, I’m on a grenade,
Going faster than the Christmas Day parade.
Without a doubt, and by far,
The greatest way to travel ain’t by car.
A E, I owe you sometimes, why? (Why not?)
Why not? You know me.
I like to disagree.
Once upon a time in Morocco, aliens came out of the sky.
They said they wanted chocolate coins, they would not tell the president why.
People gathered what they could and they put it all inside the alien craft,
But it was not enough for the aliens so they killed everybody and laughed.
Spring water, natural flavors,
Pyridoxine hydrochloride,
Citric acid, malic acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate,
And cyanocobalamin, yeah.
I’m on fire, I’m on a big train,
Going faster than Stephen Hawking’s brain.
There is no way I can win.
I won’t give up and that’s my only sin.
A E, I owe you sometimes, why?
Why not? You know why.
You know why.
So row your boat down the stream,
You know life is but a dream.
You may sense a running theme,
But it’s never what it seems to seem to be.
Or it’s not,
It’s exactly what you thought,
But by then you had forgotten
The reason you were on that stupid yacht.
(Chocolate coins, chocolate coins…)
There was a Theodore Roosevelt statue made of solid aquamarine.
I have hollowed out quite a comfy living space inside of his head,
They still don’t know I’m making the noise,
They think it’s Teddy’s spirit instead.
Here we go, oh no, top layer of cheese.
Oh no, big hornets and bees
Speaking Japanese.
I’m on fire, I’m on a grenade,
Going faster than the Christmas Day parade.
Without a doubt, and by far,
The greatest way to travel ain’t by car.
A E, I owe you sometimes, why? (Why not?)
Why not? You know me.
I like to disagree.
Once upon a time in Morocco, aliens came out of the sky.
They said they wanted chocolate coins, they would not tell the president why.
People gathered what they could and they put it all inside the alien craft,
But it was not enough for the aliens so they killed everybody and laughed.
Spring water, natural flavors,
Pyridoxine hydrochloride,
Citric acid, malic acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate,
And cyanocobalamin, yeah.
I’m on fire, I’m on a big train,
Going faster than Stephen Hawking’s brain.
There is no way I can win.
I won’t give up and that’s my only sin.
A E, I owe you sometimes, why?
Why not? You know why.
You know why.
So row your boat down the stream,
You know life is but a dream.
You may sense a running theme,
But it’s never what it seems to seem to be.
Or it’s not,
It’s exactly what you thought,
But by then you had forgotten
The reason you were on that stupid yacht.
(Chocolate coins, chocolate coins…)
Lyrics submitted by Fayiirah
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