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.
There's a vulture perching right off screen
And it's bitter and whispers chaotic things
And it reached in quick ain't it worrying
It's so easy to see, everyone can agree, stop listening
I know you've heard it before
But then it wasn't enough
You don't wanna be held back from the substitution
I know you've seen this before
And now enough is too much
You don't wanna be set back when the substitution comes
I'm sorry
You're a marionette in the center of
All the twisting strings coming from above
It may seem too deep to recover from
It's so easy to see, everyone can agree, just let it go
I know you've heard it before
But then it wasn't enough
You don't wanna be held back from the substitution
I know you've seen this before
And now enough is too much
You don't wanna be set back when the substitution comes
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
When the voices start spinning just be aware
I have brought enough stones for us to share
That one's grinning that one's burning, aim for the throat
Let him choke on the stones that we are to throw
It's the great downfall
Not the overthrow
If you shoot them down
It'll make you soar
When reactions turn into hurricanes
And the middle course seems a little tame
Whether full or empty it's all the same
It's so easy to see, everyone can agree, you're not to blame
I know you've heard it before
But then it wasn't enough
You don't wanna be held back from the substitution
I know you've seen this before
But now enough is too much
You don't wanna be set back when the substitution comes
I'm sorry
And it's bitter and whispers chaotic things
And it reached in quick ain't it worrying
It's so easy to see, everyone can agree, stop listening
I know you've heard it before
But then it wasn't enough
You don't wanna be held back from the substitution
I know you've seen this before
And now enough is too much
You don't wanna be set back when the substitution comes
I'm sorry
You're a marionette in the center of
All the twisting strings coming from above
It may seem too deep to recover from
It's so easy to see, everyone can agree, just let it go
I know you've heard it before
But then it wasn't enough
You don't wanna be held back from the substitution
I know you've seen this before
And now enough is too much
You don't wanna be set back when the substitution comes
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
When the voices start spinning just be aware
I have brought enough stones for us to share
That one's grinning that one's burning, aim for the throat
Let him choke on the stones that we are to throw
It's the great downfall
Not the overthrow
If you shoot them down
It'll make you soar
When reactions turn into hurricanes
And the middle course seems a little tame
Whether full or empty it's all the same
It's so easy to see, everyone can agree, you're not to blame
I know you've heard it before
But then it wasn't enough
You don't wanna be held back from the substitution
I know you've seen this before
But now enough is too much
You don't wanna be set back when the substitution comes
I'm sorry
Lyrics submitted by combatwaffle
Substitution Lyrics as written by Christopher Andrew Guanlao Brian Nolan Kalei Aubert
Lyrics © Word Collections Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
One of the more confusing songs on the album, and I'd really like to know what "substitution" refers to. But from what I can gather it seems to be about a breakup, and the singer feels bad about how things went down.