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.
I used to wake and run with the moon
I lived like a rake and a young man
I covered my lovers with flowers and wounds
my laughter the devil would frighten
The sun she would come and beat me back down
but every cruel day had its nightfall
I'd welcome the stars with wine and guitars
full of fire and forgetful
My body was sharp my dark hair clean
and outrage my joyful companion
whisperin' women how sweet did they seem
kneelin' for me to command them
And time was like water but I was the sea
I'd have never noticed it passin'
except for the turnin' of night into day
and the turnin' of day into cursin'
You look at me now, and don't think I don't know
what all your eyes are a sayin'
Does he want us to believe these ravings and lies
they're just tricks that his brains been a playin'?
A lover of women he can't hardly stand
he trembles he's bent and he's broken
I've fallen it's true but I say unto you
hold your tongues until after I've spoken
I was takin' my pride in the pleasures I'd known
I laughed and thought I'd be forgiven
but my laughter turned 'round eyes blazing and
said my friend, we're holdin' a wedding
I buried my face but it spoke once again
the night to the day we're a bindin'
and now the dark air is like fire on my skin
and even the moonlight is blinding
I lived like a rake and a young man
I covered my lovers with flowers and wounds
my laughter the devil would frighten
The sun she would come and beat me back down
but every cruel day had its nightfall
I'd welcome the stars with wine and guitars
full of fire and forgetful
My body was sharp my dark hair clean
and outrage my joyful companion
whisperin' women how sweet did they seem
kneelin' for me to command them
And time was like water but I was the sea
I'd have never noticed it passin'
except for the turnin' of night into day
and the turnin' of day into cursin'
You look at me now, and don't think I don't know
what all your eyes are a sayin'
Does he want us to believe these ravings and lies
they're just tricks that his brains been a playin'?
A lover of women he can't hardly stand
he trembles he's bent and he's broken
I've fallen it's true but I say unto you
hold your tongues until after I've spoken
I was takin' my pride in the pleasures I'd known
I laughed and thought I'd be forgiven
but my laughter turned 'round eyes blazing and
said my friend, we're holdin' a wedding
I buried my face but it spoke once again
the night to the day we're a bindin'
and now the dark air is like fire on my skin
and even the moonlight is blinding
Lyrics submitted by whiteyjohnson
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It goes "I lived like a rake IN a young man". A rake is a debauched man(like adeyar wrote), an immoral person, commonly used to mean a male slut.
In the beginning he's living this great nightlife and only having to deal with the consequences during the day: "The sun she would come and beat me back down but every cruel day had its nightfall I'd welcome the stars with wine and guitars full of fire and forgetful"
He's young, lives in the moment, and he doesn't anticipate his lifestyle ever catching up with him. "And time was like water but I was the sea I'd have never noticed it passin' except for the turnin' of night into day and the turnin' of day into cursin'".
Now he's old and feeble and young people are incredulous of his stories of debauchery. "You look at me now, and don't think I don't know what all your eyes are a sayin' Does he want us to believe these ravings and lies they're just tricks that his brains been a playin'? A lover of women he can't hardly stand he trembles he's bent and he's broken"
He thought he would get away with it:"I was takin' my pride in the pleasures I'd known I laughed and SAID I'd be forgiven"
and that at the worst he'd have to settle down someday. "but my laughter turned 'round eyes blazing and said my friend, we're holdin' a wedding".
But it takes it's toll on his life because the consequences catch up to him:"I buried my face but it spoke once again, the night to the day we're a bindin' and now the dark air is like fire on my skin and even the moonlight is blinding".
The marriage of night and day is the morphing of daily hangovers and nightly pleasures into a wholesale downgrading of his life.
@seanmft You nailed it. Thank you.