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.
Under my love
Wake up to your window
The day calls in billows
It's echoing moonlight on to the blue nightmare of your heart
In cosy red rainbow
It's shaking off halos
And the memory of our sacred so and so's
Oh take my hand sweet
Complete your release and bury your feet
And married we'll be
Alone in receiving ours is a feeling not that they would see
They don't know that we could be
That way your cradle escaped the sea
?
Were laying in the shadow of your family tree
Your haunted heart and me
Brought down by an old idea whose time has come
And in the shadow of the gallows of your family tree
There's a hundred hearts soar free
Pumping blood to the roots of evil to keep it young
I'll be your mind
Is it safe to say that we've waited patiently
Call me on time
And well go over to nanas place disgracefully
Fall into line
There's the garden grave and a place they've saved for you
I'll fall by your side
?
Were laying in the shadow of your family tree
Your haunted heart and me
Brought down by an old idea whose time has come
And in the shadow of the gallows of your family tree
There's a hundred hearts soar free
Pumping blood to the roots of evil to keep it young
And now we'll gather in the shadow of your family tree
In haunted harmony
Brought down by an old idea whose time has come
And in the shadow of the valley of your family tree
There's a hundred hearts soar free
Pumping blood to the roots of evil to keep us young
Wake up to your window
The day calls in billows
It's echoing moonlight on to the blue nightmare of your heart
In cosy red rainbow
It's shaking off halos
And the memory of our sacred so and so's
Oh take my hand sweet
Complete your release and bury your feet
And married we'll be
Alone in receiving ours is a feeling not that they would see
They don't know that we could be
That way your cradle escaped the sea
?
Were laying in the shadow of your family tree
Your haunted heart and me
Brought down by an old idea whose time has come
And in the shadow of the gallows of your family tree
There's a hundred hearts soar free
Pumping blood to the roots of evil to keep it young
I'll be your mind
Is it safe to say that we've waited patiently
Call me on time
And well go over to nanas place disgracefully
Fall into line
There's the garden grave and a place they've saved for you
I'll fall by your side
?
Were laying in the shadow of your family tree
Your haunted heart and me
Brought down by an old idea whose time has come
And in the shadow of the gallows of your family tree
There's a hundred hearts soar free
Pumping blood to the roots of evil to keep it young
And now we'll gather in the shadow of your family tree
In haunted harmony
Brought down by an old idea whose time has come
And in the shadow of the valley of your family tree
There's a hundred hearts soar free
Pumping blood to the roots of evil to keep us young
Lyrics submitted by Crab Botherer, edited by randalldmcc
Family Tree Lyrics as written by David Andrew Sitek Babatunde Omoroga Adebimpe
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Wow, years later and these lyrics are still not corrected. Anyway, I was listening to this tune and thought it'd be easier to just look up the lyrics rather than open up the gatefold and wade through how densely they're presented on the record art. Anyway, I wanted to check the missing lines here and found quite a few mistakes.
Here are the lyrics as printed on the record's gatefold cover
Anda, My love Wake up to your window. The day calls in billows. It's echoing moonlight onto the blue night. Mare of your heart. In cozy red rainbows It's sharking off hallows And the memory of our sacred so and so.
Oh take my hand sweet. Complete your release. Unbury your feet. And married we'll be. Alone in receiving. Ours is a feeling. Not that they would see. They don't know that we could be. Down where your cradle escaped the sea And your raven haired mama. Caught told you-so's.
We're hanging in the shadow of your family tree. Your haunted heart and me. Brought down by an old idea whose time has come. And in the shadow of the gallows of your family tree. There's a hundred hearts or three. Pumping blood to the roots of evil to keep them young.
Ah me all mine. Is it safe to say that we've waited patiently? Call me on time. And recall the tune that has placed us gracefully all into line. There's a garden grave and a place there saved for me. I fall by your side though your silver haired mama throws told you-so's.
We're hanging in the shadow of your family tree. Your haunted heart and me. Brought down by an old idea whose time has come. And in the shadow of the valley of your family tree. There's a hundred hearts or three. Pumping blood to the roots of Eden to keep us young.