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 am fueled by all forms of failure
I paid the price, so I'll take what's mine
I bet you didn't see that one comin'
'Cause I do as I please and apologize for nothing
My time is flying but I'm still second to none
Always shining the brightest when I'm placed under the gun
So here I stand
The only son of a working class man
I won't be held back
I can't be held down
Where were you
When my walls came falling down? (They came falling down)
You tried to hide, you stood close by
And didn't make a sound (say something)
Find you some paper and I'll go grab you a pen
You can start taking notes on this all starting again
Been dead last but found my way to the front
Said my inspirational quotes on why I never gave up
Where were you
When my walls came falling down? (They came falling down)
You tried to hide, you stood close by
And didn't make a sound
Where were you
When it all came back around? (It comes back around)
The reasons why you passed me by
Will always hold you down (say something)
If you can't stand the pressure
Stay the fuck out of my way (I know my place)
This one goes out to everyone who's lied to my face
My heart is filled with hate
I'm making a difference
I'm taking a chance (a chance)
You can say what you want about me
But no one can tell me I can't
Where were you
When my walls came falling down? (They came falling down)
You tried to hide, you stood close by
And didn't make a sound
Where were you
When it all came back around? (It comes back around)
The reasons why you passed me by
Will always hold you down (say something)
I paid the price, so I'll take what's mine
I bet you didn't see that one comin'
'Cause I do as I please and apologize for nothing
My time is flying but I'm still second to none
Always shining the brightest when I'm placed under the gun
So here I stand
The only son of a working class man
I won't be held back
I can't be held down
Where were you
When my walls came falling down? (They came falling down)
You tried to hide, you stood close by
And didn't make a sound (say something)
Find you some paper and I'll go grab you a pen
You can start taking notes on this all starting again
Been dead last but found my way to the front
Said my inspirational quotes on why I never gave up
Where were you
When my walls came falling down? (They came falling down)
You tried to hide, you stood close by
And didn't make a sound
Where were you
When it all came back around? (It comes back around)
The reasons why you passed me by
Will always hold you down (say something)
If you can't stand the pressure
Stay the fuck out of my way (I know my place)
This one goes out to everyone who's lied to my face
My heart is filled with hate
I'm making a difference
I'm taking a chance (a chance)
You can say what you want about me
But no one can tell me I can't
Where were you
When my walls came falling down? (They came falling down)
You tried to hide, you stood close by
And didn't make a sound
Where were you
When it all came back around? (It comes back around)
The reasons why you passed me by
Will always hold you down (say something)
Lyrics submitted by Dreadnaut9871
Sticks & Bricks Lyrics as written by Jeremy Wade Mckinnon Alexander Thomas Shelnutt
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I took a different view on the lyrics. I thought it was about VanguardX27 said earlier, but after listening to it nonstop during working out, I came up with this:
This obviously has to do with self improvement. The first four lines are definitely saying that he's fucked up so many times AND risen from it, that he takes the success he deserves, even from those who were "above him" at a point before. The next 4 I took as him saying something along the lines of "I've come such a long way, but I'm only going up from here." The rest of the non-chorus parts of the song pretty much do the same thing.
The chorus was the only part I feel like I take differently than everyone else. Walls can represent a lot of things in songs; the two that stood out the most were forms of support (ie everything around me falling apart) or barriers (ie things keeping me enclosed).
Both can make sense, but I like the 2nd take better. It applies more to my life :) This way, its like he's saying "Why weren't you there when things started getting better for me? You could have shared this with me, but instead, you hid when things started changing" Fact