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.
Well I pulled up there at the gate
Had to come and keep a date
With ten thousand of my friends
Here to right some wrongs and make amends
Folks came in buses, bikes and cars
With voices, fiddles and guitars
All kinds of people, shapes and styles
Burned those frequent flyer miles
First thing I see's a singing nun
At the frisky age of ninety-one
She's here fresh out of jail
Told the judge "I ain't got no bail
I'm bearing witness right here and now
'Cause we've got to change the world somehow
So with you all right here I pray
We'll shut down the SOA"
There's this year's crop from Oberlin
And there's the folks from Warren-Wilson
But they're not all eighteen to twenty-two
They brought along their neighbors too
There's grandpa, baby, mom and dad
An ARA kid, fighting mad
What are we gonna do today?
We'll shut down the SOA
There's some in pink, some in black
There's one wrapped in a coffee sack
There's t-shirts, stickers, pins and more
Saying we don't want your oil war
There's a labor lawyer from Walla Walla
With some Mayan folks from Guatemala
See, north and south the people say
We'll shut down the SOA
Pouring blood, crossing lines
Holding crosses, making signs
There's priests and punks in groups and pairs
Along with a gang in wheelchairs
There's Josh and Abi, Bill and Sue
Charlie, Tao and you know who
Giant puppets, paper-mâché
Sayin' we'll shut down the SOA
Yes, we'll keep coming to this town
Til this torture school's shut down
Then we'll march as we intone
You do not walk alone
To the next symbol in our sights
In the global fight for human rights
But for now we're here in this Georgia clay
Sayin' we'll shut down the SOA
Had to come and keep a date
With ten thousand of my friends
Here to right some wrongs and make amends
Folks came in buses, bikes and cars
With voices, fiddles and guitars
All kinds of people, shapes and styles
Burned those frequent flyer miles
First thing I see's a singing nun
At the frisky age of ninety-one
She's here fresh out of jail
Told the judge "I ain't got no bail
I'm bearing witness right here and now
'Cause we've got to change the world somehow
So with you all right here I pray
We'll shut down the SOA"
There's this year's crop from Oberlin
And there's the folks from Warren-Wilson
But they're not all eighteen to twenty-two
They brought along their neighbors too
There's grandpa, baby, mom and dad
An ARA kid, fighting mad
What are we gonna do today?
We'll shut down the SOA
There's some in pink, some in black
There's one wrapped in a coffee sack
There's t-shirts, stickers, pins and more
Saying we don't want your oil war
There's a labor lawyer from Walla Walla
With some Mayan folks from Guatemala
See, north and south the people say
We'll shut down the SOA
Pouring blood, crossing lines
Holding crosses, making signs
There's priests and punks in groups and pairs
Along with a gang in wheelchairs
There's Josh and Abi, Bill and Sue
Charlie, Tao and you know who
Giant puppets, paper-mâché
Sayin' we'll shut down the SOA
Yes, we'll keep coming to this town
Til this torture school's shut down
Then we'll march as we intone
You do not walk alone
To the next symbol in our sights
In the global fight for human rights
But for now we're here in this Georgia clay
Sayin' we'll shut down the SOA
Lyrics submitted by concreteblues
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
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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."
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.