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.
When you've hitched every highway
And rode all the rails
You're no longer afraid of the dark
You get tougher than leather and harder than nails
When you've earned all the scars on your heart
Hobos and heroes, bankers and bums
In some ways we're all the same
We all have to pay for the deeds that we've done
And wind up just dragging those chains
Life paints a picture that time can't erase
And sometimes it cuts like a knife
Sooner or later one way or another
We all wear the tattoos of life
The glory in living
Is just running the race
Not whether you win or you fail
The lines like a road map
Will show on your face
And your eyes tell the rest of the tale
Life paints a picture that time can't erase
And sometimes it cuts like a knife
Sooner or later one way or another
We all wear the tattoos of life
The tattoos of life
And rode all the rails
You're no longer afraid of the dark
You get tougher than leather and harder than nails
When you've earned all the scars on your heart
Hobos and heroes, bankers and bums
In some ways we're all the same
We all have to pay for the deeds that we've done
And wind up just dragging those chains
Life paints a picture that time can't erase
And sometimes it cuts like a knife
Sooner or later one way or another
We all wear the tattoos of life
The glory in living
Is just running the race
Not whether you win or you fail
The lines like a road map
Will show on your face
And your eyes tell the rest of the tale
Life paints a picture that time can't erase
And sometimes it cuts like a knife
Sooner or later one way or another
We all wear the tattoos of life
The tattoos of life
Lyrics submitted by BleedorBreathe
Tattoos of Life Lyrics as written by Steve Noel Wariner Max Duane Barnes
Lyrics © COPYRIGHT SOLUTIONS, Universal Music Publishing Group, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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