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.
In the city
Where I'm from
There are lovers till the dawn
And you stayed up to see the sun
I couldn't wait that long
Who's gonna get up after we're gone?
Who's gonna get up after we've fallen?
Who's gonna pick up what we've done wrong?
Who's gonna get up after we're gone?
In the city
Where I'm from
Lions in cages just for fun
But you will pace around your cage
And wait for night to come
In the city
Where I'm from
They shoot you down
If you run
But we don't stop to check the time
'Cause time keeps moving on and on and on
Who's gonna get up after we're gone?
Who's gonna get up after we've fallen?
Who's gonna pick up what we've done wrong?
Who's gonna get up after we're gone?
I see you in another place
I expect a familiar face
The city joins us with hands of grace
Hands free there are no constraints
Just ignore all that you see
The illusion of you and me
Illusions come illusions go
And if I leave you'll never grow old
In the city
Where I'm from
There are lovers till the dawn
And you stayed up to see the sun
I couldn't wait that long
Who's gonna get up after we're gone?
Who's gonna get up after we've fallen?
Who's gonna pick up what we've done wrong?
Who's gonna get up after we're gone?
The city joins us with hands of grace
Hands free there are no constraints
Illusions come illusions go
And if I leave you'll never grow old
Where I'm from
There are lovers till the dawn
And you stayed up to see the sun
I couldn't wait that long
Who's gonna get up after we're gone?
Who's gonna get up after we've fallen?
Who's gonna pick up what we've done wrong?
Who's gonna get up after we're gone?
In the city
Where I'm from
Lions in cages just for fun
But you will pace around your cage
And wait for night to come
In the city
Where I'm from
They shoot you down
If you run
But we don't stop to check the time
'Cause time keeps moving on and on and on
Who's gonna get up after we're gone?
Who's gonna get up after we've fallen?
Who's gonna pick up what we've done wrong?
Who's gonna get up after we're gone?
I see you in another place
I expect a familiar face
The city joins us with hands of grace
Hands free there are no constraints
Just ignore all that you see
The illusion of you and me
Illusions come illusions go
And if I leave you'll never grow old
In the city
Where I'm from
There are lovers till the dawn
And you stayed up to see the sun
I couldn't wait that long
Who's gonna get up after we're gone?
Who's gonna get up after we've fallen?
Who's gonna pick up what we've done wrong?
Who's gonna get up after we're gone?
The city joins us with hands of grace
Hands free there are no constraints
Illusions come illusions go
And if I leave you'll never grow old
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My thoughts as far as meaning of the song was that you are lost and confused about your purpose, and you feel trapped within a confined space because we can't all be someone, but you want to be someone so you pray for your outlook/goals of your life in hopes you find that direction to go in...tell me if I'm wrong!
Love the misinterpretation, 'Hands free there are no 'castrates' (instead of 'constraints'). LOL. No young boys were castrated to produce a unique singing voice for THIS song! Yeah, I know it's techinically 'castratos', but it was so close, I had to laugh. :-P
To me this songs about a guy in love with a significant other He sings about the object of his affections waiting up to see the sun: she (or he?) wants to stay with him after making love ("there are lovers till the dawn") meaning that they want something more. But the guy "cant wait that long" so he leaves/is unable to commit. This is a combination of his insecurities and unwillingness to break out of his own cage, which he describes as his city. This is why he keeps wondering "who's gonna get up after (insert horrible event here)?" He doesn't believe that it will work out if he leaves his city or breaks out of his routine. He knows he is trapped in his city (his cage) but he rationalizes that everyone stays in their cages "just for fun" He paces around his cage (goes through the mundane 9 to 5 of life in the city) waiting for the night to come (so he can have some fun and forget about the pain of being trapped in his cage) He is fearful that if he makes a leap of faith to break his routine (his cage) that he will be shot down "They shoot you down If you run" He rejects his love as an illusion "the illusion of you and me" and rationalizes that pursuing this illusion would be pointless "illusions come illusions go" and time will just keep moving on, leaving him behind. However, if he leaves now, the object of his affections will forever remain a pleasant memory in his mind of what could have been "And if I leave you'll never grow old" Thats why when he sees her in another place he expects a familiar face. He is telling her to ignore this illusion of you and me as he has already given up on trying. In other words, the guy is lion in a cage of his own making, choosing to go back to the familiarity of his cage instead of facing the unknown because in his mind the relationship is just doomed to failure anyway so why try. Better to just spare us both the heartbreak and just leave now.
he is saying that time is always moving and at the end of all of this and even at the end of you, life will go on. Life will always continue to go on. He is also saying that love comes and goes but if you leave now you'll never know what could have been. Basically, the entire song is about seizing your life and the understanding of our impermanence.
at the beginning of the song he is saying that he can't wait long- like he can't be put in a cage like lions are- and he thinks the city is wrong for almost like locking people in cages as well as being so judgemental when he says 'they shoot you down if you're wrong' but no one tries to fix this or break out of their cage because life keeps going no matter what.