I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
If this is redemption, why do I bother at all
There's nothing to mention, and nothing has changed
Still I'd rather be working at something, than praying for the rain
So I wander on, till someone else is saved
I moved to the coast, under a mountain
Swam in the ocean, slept on my own
At dawn I would watch the sun cut ribbons through the bay
I'd remember all the things my mother wrote
That we don't eat until your father's at the table
We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust
Never once has any man I've met been able to love
So if I were you, I'd have a little trust
Two thousand years, I've been in that water
Two thousand years, sunk like a stone
Desperately reaching for nets
That the fishermen have thrown
Trying to find, a little bit of hope
Me I was holding, all of my secrets soft and hid
Pages were folded, then there was nothing at all
So if in the future I might need myself a savior
I'll remember what was written on that wall
That we don't eat until your father's at the table
We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust
Never once has any man I've met been able to love
So if I were you, I'd have a little trust
Am I an honest man and true
Have I been good to you at all
Oh I'm so tired of playing these games
We'd just be running down
The same old lines, the same old stories of
Breathless trains and, worn down glories
Houses burning, worlds that turn on their own
So we don't eat until your father's at the table
We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust
Never once has any man I've met been able to love
So if I were you my friend, I'd learn to have just a little bit of trust
There's nothing to mention, and nothing has changed
Still I'd rather be working at something, than praying for the rain
So I wander on, till someone else is saved
I moved to the coast, under a mountain
Swam in the ocean, slept on my own
At dawn I would watch the sun cut ribbons through the bay
I'd remember all the things my mother wrote
That we don't eat until your father's at the table
We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust
Never once has any man I've met been able to love
So if I were you, I'd have a little trust
Two thousand years, I've been in that water
Two thousand years, sunk like a stone
Desperately reaching for nets
That the fishermen have thrown
Trying to find, a little bit of hope
Me I was holding, all of my secrets soft and hid
Pages were folded, then there was nothing at all
So if in the future I might need myself a savior
I'll remember what was written on that wall
That we don't eat until your father's at the table
We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust
Never once has any man I've met been able to love
So if I were you, I'd have a little trust
Am I an honest man and true
Have I been good to you at all
Oh I'm so tired of playing these games
We'd just be running down
The same old lines, the same old stories of
Breathless trains and, worn down glories
Houses burning, worlds that turn on their own
So we don't eat until your father's at the table
We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust
Never once has any man I've met been able to love
So if I were you my friend, I'd learn to have just a little bit of trust
Lyrics submitted by kariboetje, edited by Sinako
We Don't Eat Lyrics as written by James Mcmorrow
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
I'm surprised no one else has commented on this song yet. I think it's just awesome. To me, it's about someone whose been searching for faith in God throughout their life and then goes on to talk about humanity searching for the last 2000 years for God. I think the statements about "We don't eat until your father's at the table, We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust" is about doing things with faith/trust even though we don't entirely understand it. Anyone else have ideas about this song?
^Agreed :) Think everyone can relate to this, theist or not. Everyone has a different experience of life, and I don't think many if any, ever end up fully comprehending it or ever finding an answer as to why? But deep down, I think we all perhaps do things in the faith and hope that theres a bigger reason for us doing them. Still, thats what makes life, life I guess; the variety and the unknown.
i think its also about growing up and no longer just believing what your parents told you, but discover how and what to believe yourself. And, in doing so, i think the song describes how often you tend to go back to 'what was written on that wall', e.g.; your heart. Without playing games or rake up the same old lines and stories, and not believing them truly for yourself. But cause you see the truth behind it.<br /> <br /> PS. Could the 'devil turn to dust' bit, mean 'prayer'? I tend to think so.
SHE HAS BEEN IN A PSYCH WARD BEFORE DID SHE TELL YOU THAT? YOU THINK ME OR ALO ARE CRAZY? SHES A WHOLE NOTHER CRAZY BUT YOU KNOW HER SO YOU OBVIOUSLY KNOW THAT. I FUCKING HATE YOU AND HOPE TEH WROSE FOR YOU
AHE GOT IN ONE OF HER PSYCHOTIC EPISODES AND WAS DIRVING 90 MILES DOWN THE FREEWAY. YANKING THE WHEEL BACK AND FORTH LIKE SHE WAS GOING TO RUN TINO ANOTHER CAR OR LANE WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. OUR FATHER BEGGED HER TO STOP AND SHE SAI/ ARE YOU GUYS SCARED YET? ILL KILL US ALL. BECAUSE SHE WAS AGGREVATED. SHE IS CLINICALLY INSANE
SHE IS OBSESSED WITH HER PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AND THATS THE ONLY THING SHE THINKS IS IMPORTANT. SHE SAID TO MY 10 YEAR OLD NIECE THAT YOUR JEAOULS BECAUSE IM PRETTIER AND SKINNER THAN YOU. SHE IS A NUTJOB AND I WOULDNT TRUST HER ALONE WITH MY CHILD
AND IF YOUR READING THIS RIGHT NOW. I WHIPPED YOUR ASS AND SHOULD OF WHIPPED YORU ASS EVERYTIME OYU PUNCHED ME, BIT ME, SMACKED ME OR GOT PHSYCIAL WITH ME. bUT I WAS ALWAYS THE BETTER PERSON BECAUSE I FELT SORRY FOR YOU. JUST LIKE YORU WHOLE FAMILY DOES. EVERYONE KNWS AND THINKS YORU CRAZY AND HAS ALWAYS FELT OSRRY FOR YOU. bUT I KNOW YORU JUST EVIL. STAY OUT OF MY LIFE AND OYU WIL NEVER SEE YORU NIECE AGAIN
I think it has to deal with his father struggling with alcohol and how his mother held everything together. Maybe this is a loose tie. For me, it's about he realizes his mother had known all along. He hits that same point "running down the same old lines" with "houses burning" kind of referring to how alcohol can tear houses apart. Hmm.
i agree in full 17gentner..<br /> he is taking a journey