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.
William holds his palm out proud
Upon the Bible, lays it down
And solemnly swears against it
That every word is true
Searching through the faceless crowd
In the hallowed auditorium
He sees that everyone is turned against him
And his endless pursuit
The saga that he spells out
Has mothers grabbing children
Grown men twisting mustaches
As priests smooth out their suits
But William hammers right along
And ignores the banging gavel of
The judges plea for order
In the chaos of the room
Outside my cell
There is an oak that grows
Through the fence line
And towards the sun
They built a barrier of barbs
Flush but against it's bark
And still it's burls unfurl
And the branch's strong
The silver thorns that hem in my hole
Snare me here through sun and snow
While barbs may scar
They cannot stop the mighty Oak
Burgeoning upward and out
This figure made out
The persistence that'd been made
Stopped by it's daggered escape route
Once it finally stands tall
The limbs will make the fence fall
The slowest getaway called
And the guard ever saw
The warden scratches his bald patches
Raise his arms in the air
And wonders how this happened
Despite his decades to prepare
In this I found the fate-
You'd see my sentence a mistake
Discharge me from this place
And reinstate me in your grace
The truth will set you free one day
My father promised me
But I'd never thought
The truth would come this way, quite honestly
William holds his palm out proud
Upon the Bible, lays it down
And solemnly swear against it
That every word is true
Searching through the faceless crowd
In the hallowed auditorium
He sees that everyone is turned against him
And his endless pursuit
If you'd a told me back then
That the words from my pen
Would end up bein' a pain of mine
I'd never change a damn thing
I'm so shocking to your ears
That the treaties you revere
Would suffer such assessment
At the status of _______
But I am more than well aware
Of how you all were unprepared
To stare into the sun
As it means to pick up on it's flares
Converted in question
And career upon the line
I suffer your reckless sanctions
With a clarity of mind
The charges that you lay
Against my character are faith full
And burden you with shame
When you face the gruesome paradise
And he knows as well as I
That the heralds can carol fight songs
The refrain rate's familiar
But the words just seem a tad wrong
God is just a breath away
He lives a kiss from your lips
With a message _____ _______
Drifts from mountains chiseled tips
So this is it
My suffer'n sings it's swan song
Suspicion sets me sovereign
From restriction of your sad bonds
You edit me from existence
For continuity
Where it will be always in your footsteps
To document your lunacy
William holds his palm out proud
Upon the Bible, lays it down
And solemnly swears against it
That every word is true
Searching through the faceless crowd
In the hallowed auditorium
He sees that everyone is turned against him
And his endless pursuit
The saga that he spells out
Has mothers grabbing children
Grown men twisting mustaches
As priests smooth out their suits
But William hammers right along
And ignores the banging gavel of
The judges plea for order
In the chaos of the room
Upon the Bible, lays it down
And solemnly swears against it
That every word is true
Searching through the faceless crowd
In the hallowed auditorium
He sees that everyone is turned against him
And his endless pursuit
The saga that he spells out
Has mothers grabbing children
Grown men twisting mustaches
As priests smooth out their suits
But William hammers right along
And ignores the banging gavel of
The judges plea for order
In the chaos of the room
Outside my cell
There is an oak that grows
Through the fence line
And towards the sun
They built a barrier of barbs
Flush but against it's bark
And still it's burls unfurl
And the branch's strong
The silver thorns that hem in my hole
Snare me here through sun and snow
While barbs may scar
They cannot stop the mighty Oak
Burgeoning upward and out
This figure made out
The persistence that'd been made
Stopped by it's daggered escape route
Once it finally stands tall
The limbs will make the fence fall
The slowest getaway called
And the guard ever saw
The warden scratches his bald patches
Raise his arms in the air
And wonders how this happened
Despite his decades to prepare
In this I found the fate-
You'd see my sentence a mistake
Discharge me from this place
And reinstate me in your grace
The truth will set you free one day
My father promised me
But I'd never thought
The truth would come this way, quite honestly
William holds his palm out proud
Upon the Bible, lays it down
And solemnly swear against it
That every word is true
Searching through the faceless crowd
In the hallowed auditorium
He sees that everyone is turned against him
And his endless pursuit
If you'd a told me back then
That the words from my pen
Would end up bein' a pain of mine
I'd never change a damn thing
I'm so shocking to your ears
That the treaties you revere
Would suffer such assessment
At the status of _______
But I am more than well aware
Of how you all were unprepared
To stare into the sun
As it means to pick up on it's flares
Converted in question
And career upon the line
I suffer your reckless sanctions
With a clarity of mind
The charges that you lay
Against my character are faith full
And burden you with shame
When you face the gruesome paradise
And he knows as well as I
That the heralds can carol fight songs
The refrain rate's familiar
But the words just seem a tad wrong
God is just a breath away
He lives a kiss from your lips
With a message _____ _______
Drifts from mountains chiseled tips
So this is it
My suffer'n sings it's swan song
Suspicion sets me sovereign
From restriction of your sad bonds
You edit me from existence
For continuity
Where it will be always in your footsteps
To document your lunacy
William holds his palm out proud
Upon the Bible, lays it down
And solemnly swears against it
That every word is true
Searching through the faceless crowd
In the hallowed auditorium
He sees that everyone is turned against him
And his endless pursuit
The saga that he spells out
Has mothers grabbing children
Grown men twisting mustaches
As priests smooth out their suits
But William hammers right along
And ignores the banging gavel of
The judges plea for order
In the chaos of the room
Lyrics submitted by lorshmore
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I believe this song to be based on the story of William Robertson Smith.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Robertson_Smith
"If you'd a told me back then That the words from my pen Would end up bein' a pain of mine I'd never change a damn thing
I'm so shocking to your ears That the treaties you revere Would suffer such assessment At the status of ___"
Should be:
If you'd've told me back then That the words of my pen Would've branded me a paynim I'd've never changed a damn thing
It must shocking to your ears That the treatise you revere Would suffer such assessment At the stylus of a confrere
"Converted in question And career upon the line I suffer your reckless sanctions With a clarity of mind
The charges that you lay Against my character are faith full And burden you with shame When you face the gruesome paradise"
Should be:
Covenant in question And career upon the line I'll suffer your reckless sanctions With a clarity of mind
The charges that you lay against My character and faith Will burden you with shame When you face the Prince in Paradise.
I feel like its about sticking to your guns.
God is just a breath away He lives a kiss from your lips With a message _ ___ Drifts from mountains chiseled tips
Should be:
God is just a breath away He lives a kiss from your lips With a message can mutate as it Drifts from mouth to chisel tips