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.
Comes a time when you get turned around and
Life itself just wears you out but
You keep getting ready for the big parade
Ah, you shine your shoes and you fake a smile
Salute the players with that famous style
'Cause keeping up has kept you in chains
I was thinking that if you know a way out
Then I'd like to go with you
And we can burn out like candles
Under that paper moon
They just don't know anything at all
They just don't know anything at all
You'll fight traffic jams and big TVs and
Hipsters trapped in their own irony but
You'll finally think about settling down
Oh, you quit your job and you sell your car
You'll burn your clothes and pray to the stars 'cause
You swore to God that you'd never end up this way
I was thinking that if you know a way out
Then I'd like to go with you
And we can burn out like candles
Under that paper moon
They just don't know anything at all
They just don't know anything at all
At all, at all, at all, at all
Comes a time when you get turned around
Life itself just wears you out
You keep getting ready for that big parade
Life itself just wears you out but
You keep getting ready for the big parade
Ah, you shine your shoes and you fake a smile
Salute the players with that famous style
'Cause keeping up has kept you in chains
I was thinking that if you know a way out
Then I'd like to go with you
And we can burn out like candles
Under that paper moon
They just don't know anything at all
They just don't know anything at all
You'll fight traffic jams and big TVs and
Hipsters trapped in their own irony but
You'll finally think about settling down
Oh, you quit your job and you sell your car
You'll burn your clothes and pray to the stars 'cause
You swore to God that you'd never end up this way
I was thinking that if you know a way out
Then I'd like to go with you
And we can burn out like candles
Under that paper moon
They just don't know anything at all
They just don't know anything at all
At all, at all, at all, at all
Comes a time when you get turned around
Life itself just wears you out
You keep getting ready for that big parade
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Plastic Bag
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“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I feel that this song is about feeling trapped by the demands set by society. An increasing number of young people don't philosophically believe in wasting their lives away stuck in an office. They feel that there is a lot to enjoy in the world, and that spending eight hours each day for five days per week sitting behind a desk is a sin. Unfortunately, the standards and expectations set by generations before us and maintained by consumerism leave some of us feeling trapped, especially in young urban communities and elite circles where there's a lot of pressure to have stylish clothes, a nice ride, and a sweet crib. If you don't see this where you live, take a trip to the hip metro areas in the U.S. and check out how many guys are walking around in pairs of $75 Express Jeans when it's over 90*F outside.
The line, "They just don't know anything at all," explains that the singer feels as if those around him (and probably especially the older generations) are also trapped, but they don't have a clue or realize that they're wasting their lives away. While their ignorance is bliss, the singer's enlightenment and realization that they're so caught up in the materialistic standards of society has them feeling dragged down and beaten. They're seeking refuge if anyone knows a way out.
I love this song, yet haven't quite nailed down the meaning. Perhaps it's something along the lines of wanting to lose yourself...?
Anyways.
Kudos to this song, and the phenomenal lyrics:
Youll fight traffic jams and big TVs, and Hipsters trapped in their own irony, but Youll finally think about settling down Oh you quit your job and you sell your car Youll burn your clothes and pray to the stars, cause You swore to God that you'd never end up this way
This song hits home for me personally in so many ways. I will write about them all. Probably for the next issue of Target Audience Magazine since we have been responsible for the release of this song. The youtube video came from an interview done here: targetaudiencemagazine.com/music.php5<br /> <br /> Come listen to the 45 minute interview with Raine. I'll be "getting ready for the big parade"
That interview is so amateurish it's not even funny. I like how you guys considered that a CD review, when it was four tracks, and the interviewee just sucked up to Raine the whole time.
I think its about coming to realize who you really are people get so caught up in everyday things they kind of forget what makes them unique and now he's looking to get away to be himself
I could have worded ^ that better
I agree, I love "pray to the stars cause you swore you'd never end up this way"...amazing!
absolutely love this song!!!
Yep I think you're all about right on this one. It's about being stuck in that boring job doing boring things just to fit in with society: the exact thing you promised yourself you'd never do when you were 15-20-25 years old... All those dreams and grand ambitions have been toned down over time.
Somehow the song reminds me of the book Generation X by Douglas Coupland (a Canadian author btw, most of his books are quirky and worth a read!). Roughly: the characters (born in the 60s and 70s) are jaded young adults trying to find some extraordinary thing to do with their lives. But they're kinda stuck in a rut and having to conform to make it trhough. OLP are GenX, and somehow I think they would have read the book, and identified to it. 'Cause I kinda did too.
It's as if the last song on the album is balancing out the first song (which I thought was pret-ty bad).
OLP continues to have some of the best lyrics regardless of their actual musical direction, if you ask me, and this song proves it. "Youll burn your clothes and pray to the stars, cause You swore to God that youd never end up this way"
Love it.
(Also, I have no idea how my brain drew a comparison between Miley Cyrus and Raine's voice in the choruses.)
Gah, I meant verses, not choruses. That doesn't even make sense.
I went to see Our Lady Peace in concert last night here in Montreal. (AMAZING btw) Anyway, before playing this song Raine said that it was about the huge, white moon that's so vivid and clear over the Canadian prairies. They've toured Canada a lot, and he was inspired one time while they were in the prairies. He said it's the same moon Neil Young wrote a song about, and they wanted to write one too.
So there you go.
Thanks for posting the lyrics. This song is amazing, This song should shut all the whiny people up that want old OLP back.. This song does it.
You can hear it here: youtube.com/watch
I disagree, this isn't much like the old OLP, it's a lot like the songs on the last album.<br /> I enjoy it, though. They're growing and reshaping their music and style.<br /> <br /> Although, the thing I miss the most is Raine's falsetto [which only appears for 2 words in this entire album, both words are in this song - "Like" and "That"]. That was a gigantic part of the OLP sound, in my opinion, and it feels like the songs are missing something with out it now.<br /> <br /> I also really miss Mike Turner's guitar parts. I liked the progressive rock feel of Naveed, the most, but I've pretty much loved everything since [in fact it was Gravity that got me into the band].<br /> <br /> Regardless, this band is what they are now and I love them just the same. They'll hopefully continue to make music in any style they feel inspired to make.
Thanks so much! I couldn't word what it was that I missed about his singing and that just did it. I kept saying "it's like he's not going all out as much or something..." It's totally the falsetto. And spiritual machines is what got me into them and I consider myself a uge fan since they're my favorite band. =)