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.
A boy upon a tireless trail with the wind at his back
he's becoming one, 'coming one. He's becoming one.
The birds, the bees, the wild trapeze, symbiotic heart attack
he's becoming one, 'coming one. He's becoming one.
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight.
No borders, no empires, no inquisitions point or blame
he's becoming one, 'coming one. He's becoming one.
Up North, down South, back East and out West they're saying his bright eyed name
he's becoming one, 'coming one. He's becoming one.
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand... still like the hummingbird in flight.
Armed only with an old guitar, broken in on wit and whim
he's becoming one, 'coming one. He's becoming one.
Hummingbird up in an April sky observed and said of him,
"He's becoming one. Yeah, he's coming home."
he's becoming one, 'coming one. He's becoming one.
The birds, the bees, the wild trapeze, symbiotic heart attack
he's becoming one, 'coming one. He's becoming one.
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight.
No borders, no empires, no inquisitions point or blame
he's becoming one, 'coming one. He's becoming one.
Up North, down South, back East and out West they're saying his bright eyed name
he's becoming one, 'coming one. He's becoming one.
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand still like the hummingbird in flight
Stand... still like the hummingbird in flight.
Armed only with an old guitar, broken in on wit and whim
he's becoming one, 'coming one. He's becoming one.
Hummingbird up in an April sky observed and said of him,
"He's becoming one. Yeah, he's coming home."
Lyrics submitted by echo421
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"Stand still like the hummingbird in flight"
Thanks to Clew for the input on 'enlightenment'. I really don't believe my own interpretation, but there aren't any other interpretations, so I'm sharing my own:
The wild trapeze probably represents an unstable road forward, like a problem. The more you try to go on, the more you're likely to fall. What you are supposed to do is to "Stand still like the hummingbird in flight" until you get your shit together.
The last paragraph may be talking of the boy who has given up, his wits and whim broken. He leaves the wild trapeze because it's too scary.
I still don't know what the guitar has to do with it.