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.
Somewhere between prayer and revolution
Between Jesus and Huey P. Newton
That's where you find Jonny 5 shoot shootin'
Water guns at the audience while ya scootin'
Your glutenous max due to the fact that I'm tootin'
On the horn gonna warn you that I'm rootin'
For the other team in the culture wars
So I stab the beast belly while the vulture snores
Yo Joe!
Let it blow with convulsive force
Till walls fall off their false supports
Till Jericho's aircraft carriers alter course
And all brave young Americans are called ashore
Cause we've already lost the war they keep wagin'
Splattering the streets in battles that keep ragin'
Bloodyin' each page of the story that we're studying
Each day the same just the names keep changin'
[Chorus:]
Saying the same things over again
Repeatin' the same slogans we don't know where we've been
We've been all over the globe on our government's funds
Leavin' man woman and child dead bloody and numb
Saying the same things over again
Repeatin' the same slogans we don't know where we've been
We've been overthrowing leaders with legitimate views
Democratically elected but we didn't approve
How many times can the line divide
How many wars to uphold your pride
Fears uncontrolled just swoll the tide
Of blood in the streets while the people die
I'ma keep on tryin'
Longs as suffering's multiplyin'
And why not
Souls get tossed and left out to rot
My backs broad enough to help left your cross
As long as you help with mine
The process of healing will take some time
To see the pain on your face is the same as mine
Not a game or a race but the stake is high
We maintain our mistakes for the sake of sides
As long as it takes I"ll say it one more time
As long as it takes I'll say it one more time
As long as it takes I'll say it one more time
[Chorus]
We need money for health-care and public welfare
Free mumia and Leonard peltier
Human needs not corporate greed
Drop the debt and legalize weed
We say yes to grassroots organization
No to neoliberal globalization
Bring the troops back to the USA
And shut down Guantanamo Bay
The same things over again
My throat's so sore from shoutin' no war for the soldiers again
Lookin' for cloud cover when the explosions begin
Lookin' the crowd over wonder if you where we've been
We've been all over the globe Iran to Nicaragua
Guatamala Angola grenada
Dominican republic Haiti chile
It don't stop and it won't stop unless we keep say
[Chorus]
Who let'em overthrow Jacobo Arbenz
Who let'em overthrow Mohammad Mosaddeq
Who let'em assassinate Salvador Allende
I didn't let them but they did it anyway
Who let'em overthrow Kwame Nkrumah
Who let'em overthrow Aristide
Who let'em assassinate Oscar Romero
I didn't let'em but they did indeed!
Don't let them assassinate Hugo Chavez
Don't let them assassinate Evo Morales
Bring back Martin,, Malcolm, Medgar, Hampton, Goodman, Schwerner, Chaney
Between Jesus and Huey P. Newton
That's where you find Jonny 5 shoot shootin'
Water guns at the audience while ya scootin'
Your glutenous max due to the fact that I'm tootin'
On the horn gonna warn you that I'm rootin'
For the other team in the culture wars
So I stab the beast belly while the vulture snores
Yo Joe!
Let it blow with convulsive force
Till walls fall off their false supports
Till Jericho's aircraft carriers alter course
And all brave young Americans are called ashore
Cause we've already lost the war they keep wagin'
Splattering the streets in battles that keep ragin'
Bloodyin' each page of the story that we're studying
Each day the same just the names keep changin'
[Chorus:]
Saying the same things over again
Repeatin' the same slogans we don't know where we've been
We've been all over the globe on our government's funds
Leavin' man woman and child dead bloody and numb
Saying the same things over again
Repeatin' the same slogans we don't know where we've been
We've been overthrowing leaders with legitimate views
Democratically elected but we didn't approve
How many times can the line divide
How many wars to uphold your pride
Fears uncontrolled just swoll the tide
Of blood in the streets while the people die
I'ma keep on tryin'
Longs as suffering's multiplyin'
And why not
Souls get tossed and left out to rot
My backs broad enough to help left your cross
As long as you help with mine
The process of healing will take some time
To see the pain on your face is the same as mine
Not a game or a race but the stake is high
We maintain our mistakes for the sake of sides
As long as it takes I"ll say it one more time
As long as it takes I'll say it one more time
As long as it takes I'll say it one more time
[Chorus]
We need money for health-care and public welfare
Free mumia and Leonard peltier
Human needs not corporate greed
Drop the debt and legalize weed
We say yes to grassroots organization
No to neoliberal globalization
Bring the troops back to the USA
And shut down Guantanamo Bay
The same things over again
My throat's so sore from shoutin' no war for the soldiers again
Lookin' for cloud cover when the explosions begin
Lookin' the crowd over wonder if you where we've been
We've been all over the globe Iran to Nicaragua
Guatamala Angola grenada
Dominican republic Haiti chile
It don't stop and it won't stop unless we keep say
[Chorus]
Who let'em overthrow Jacobo Arbenz
Who let'em overthrow Mohammad Mosaddeq
Who let'em assassinate Salvador Allende
I didn't let them but they did it anyway
Who let'em overthrow Kwame Nkrumah
Who let'em overthrow Aristide
Who let'em assassinate Oscar Romero
I didn't let'em but they did indeed!
Don't let them assassinate Hugo Chavez
Don't let them assassinate Evo Morales
Bring back Martin,, Malcolm, Medgar, Hampton, Goodman, Schwerner, Chaney
Lyrics submitted by BearsNBullsBabygirl
Same Thing Lyrics as written by Jamie Laurie Andrew Guerrero
Lyrics © Bluewater Music Corp.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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@[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.
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Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
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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.
DNPinthePP, their songs may be liberal. but its not bullshit or blatant. hm, possibly you're a republican and you don't agree to everything they're saying in the songs?