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.
Psychotherapist once claimed I had acute neurosis
Well I only said a couple words and he made his diagnosis
He said I could say whatever I want because I never chose this
So I spat, grinned, then I looked at him and I blew him a glass cold kiss behind
Knows just when I let a bottom be dead
Never too sure if it's the truth or a lie
I'm not asking for your pity, woe is me sarcastically
I'm not losing sleep pathetically while waxing so poetically
But I'm waning waiting alphabetically
As I keep dropping bombs
Dropping bombs
Dropping bombs apologetically
It was a wicked whimpering winter plagued night
When my tongue grew wings and took to flight
The thought had never crossed my mind before that moment
Is the truth so bent, it can't be broken
Jealousy got the best of me and had a conference with the rest of me
And said if this is all that's left for me then there's so little room for regret
Little voice
Little voice
Little voice inside
Said if you don't regret nothing then you might as well be dead
Might as well be dead
So I apologize, mostly to the four of my guys
Who stand behind me on the stage every night
As the mic starts to whisper
And the words start to blister in my mouth, that I know aren't right
I gotta get back to who I was before my last ten years on auto-pilot
It's the mask that quite often starts to eat into your face
So wear it lightly like a cap that can quickly be replaced
I gotta get back to who I was before my last ten years on auto-pilot
So tell me again how my life should have been before I was spineless
Before I gave in
Because everybody thinks it's timeless
Well time's running out
One thing I'll never regret is I never shed my face
Well I only said a couple words and he made his diagnosis
He said I could say whatever I want because I never chose this
So I spat, grinned, then I looked at him and I blew him a glass cold kiss behind
Knows just when I let a bottom be dead
Never too sure if it's the truth or a lie
I'm not asking for your pity, woe is me sarcastically
I'm not losing sleep pathetically while waxing so poetically
But I'm waning waiting alphabetically
As I keep dropping bombs
Dropping bombs
Dropping bombs apologetically
It was a wicked whimpering winter plagued night
When my tongue grew wings and took to flight
The thought had never crossed my mind before that moment
Is the truth so bent, it can't be broken
Jealousy got the best of me and had a conference with the rest of me
And said if this is all that's left for me then there's so little room for regret
Little voice
Little voice
Little voice inside
Said if you don't regret nothing then you might as well be dead
Might as well be dead
So I apologize, mostly to the four of my guys
Who stand behind me on the stage every night
As the mic starts to whisper
And the words start to blister in my mouth, that I know aren't right
I gotta get back to who I was before my last ten years on auto-pilot
It's the mask that quite often starts to eat into your face
So wear it lightly like a cap that can quickly be replaced
I gotta get back to who I was before my last ten years on auto-pilot
So tell me again how my life should have been before I was spineless
Before I gave in
Because everybody thinks it's timeless
Well time's running out
One thing I'll never regret is I never shed my face
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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,
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If you have been to protest show you know exactly what this is about. I am curious what the line " It was a wicked whimpering Winnipeg night,". What happened in Winnipeg that caused so much regret it became a song???
can you elaborate? Like what happened??