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.
ain't life strange; ain't it funny
nothing matters much but love & money
things don't work out the way you reckon
money comes first & the love comes second
cigarettes make the sun come up; whisky makes the sun go down
& in-between you do a lot of standing around
it's all i can do to make it through the day
she wrapped it all in darkness, & i cant find my way
& i'm walking down the sidewalks of l.a.
wishing I had worn a jacket and leaves are falling down
i'm just another man with an empty handed heart, in an empty hearted town
it started out all right, ended up all wrong
should a done, should a done, but that's my song
now the night is falling hard & fast, all dressed up for the masquerade
& the light of the city stretch as far as the eye can see
look what wonders man has made, look what wonders man has made
i'm walking down the sidewalks of L.A.
wishing i had worn a jacket & leaves are falling down
& i'm just another man with an empty handed heart, in an empty hearted town
i'm walking down the sidewalks of L.A.
wishing I had a warmer jacket & something more to say
nothing matters much but love & money
things don't work out the way you reckon
money comes first & the love comes second
cigarettes make the sun come up; whisky makes the sun go down
& in-between you do a lot of standing around
it's all i can do to make it through the day
she wrapped it all in darkness, & i cant find my way
& i'm walking down the sidewalks of l.a.
wishing I had worn a jacket and leaves are falling down
i'm just another man with an empty handed heart, in an empty hearted town
it started out all right, ended up all wrong
should a done, should a done, but that's my song
now the night is falling hard & fast, all dressed up for the masquerade
& the light of the city stretch as far as the eye can see
look what wonders man has made, look what wonders man has made
i'm walking down the sidewalks of L.A.
wishing i had worn a jacket & leaves are falling down
& i'm just another man with an empty handed heart, in an empty hearted town
i'm walking down the sidewalks of L.A.
wishing I had a warmer jacket & something more to say
Lyrics submitted by 3ChordSpeed, edited by br0valtine
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"I'm walking down the sidewalks of L.A. wishing I had worn a jacket and leaves are falling down"
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Another great song by WZ. I'm not sure why he rejected it from his proper debut, though it is a bit wordy and would have benefited from some editing. That said, it is an excellent portrait of loneliness in a big city, specifically LA. By the way, the second line in the chorus is "wishing I had a warmer jacket," not "wishing I had worn a jacket," which is far less poetic than what WZ wrote.
I saw that too.
"Wishing I had a warmer jacket" are the correct lyrics.
Terrific song.