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.
It's gonna swallow me whole
The ground'll open up and in I'll fall
Down down down
Mama set me up with a fine young thing
And he was gonna buy me everything
But he grabbed the hook and took out for deep water
And pretty soon that fish, he pulled me in
It's gonna follow me home
Somewhere in the shadows there's a place for me
In the cold cold ground
Trouble's right behind me there's hard times ahead
The devil's got his hammer he's poundin' on my bed
Lost most my money I'm on my last hand
I'm knockin' at hell's door with no weapon and no plan
Feelin' kinda timid like an egg without a shell
But if I've been just bluffing I ain't gonna tell
It's gonna swallow me whole
The ground'll open up and in I'll fall
Papa set me up with a sharp-eyed boy
And I was gonna have him for my toy
But he stole my heart and took out for deep water
And pretty soon that shark, he pulled me in
Sky's full of lightning the wind's spitting sand
Sun burning oh so hot it gave the earth a tan
The fish have all stopped jumping the bedbugs are asleep
I'll lay myself beside you and pray my soul to keep
I wish I had a needle as fine as I could sew
I'd stitch my baby to my side and down the road we'd go
My shovel struck sorrow
And the tears came running down
My shovel struck sorrow
And the tears came running down
My shovel struck sorrow
And the tears came running down
My shovel struck sorrow
And the tears came running down
Little fishes in the brook
Papa catch them with a hook
Brother clean it like a man
Mama fry it in the pan
The ground'll open up and in I'll fall
Down down down
Mama set me up with a fine young thing
And he was gonna buy me everything
But he grabbed the hook and took out for deep water
And pretty soon that fish, he pulled me in
It's gonna follow me home
Somewhere in the shadows there's a place for me
In the cold cold ground
Trouble's right behind me there's hard times ahead
The devil's got his hammer he's poundin' on my bed
Lost most my money I'm on my last hand
I'm knockin' at hell's door with no weapon and no plan
Feelin' kinda timid like an egg without a shell
But if I've been just bluffing I ain't gonna tell
It's gonna swallow me whole
The ground'll open up and in I'll fall
Papa set me up with a sharp-eyed boy
And I was gonna have him for my toy
But he stole my heart and took out for deep water
And pretty soon that shark, he pulled me in
Sky's full of lightning the wind's spitting sand
Sun burning oh so hot it gave the earth a tan
The fish have all stopped jumping the bedbugs are asleep
I'll lay myself beside you and pray my soul to keep
I wish I had a needle as fine as I could sew
I'd stitch my baby to my side and down the road we'd go
My shovel struck sorrow
And the tears came running down
My shovel struck sorrow
And the tears came running down
My shovel struck sorrow
And the tears came running down
My shovel struck sorrow
And the tears came running down
Little fishes in the brook
Papa catch them with a hook
Brother clean it like a man
Mama fry it in the pan
Lyrics submitted by IndigoSensor
Bedbugs Lyrics as written by Margaret Fiedler Guy Fixsen
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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