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.
One of America's great national pastimes
Is drinking a Coke
Taking a smoke
Telling a joke
One of America's great national pastimes
Is playing ball
Taking it all
And thinking so small
Ah, but the great taste of Coke has refreshed players
The hot and the tired the weary and the sore
The great taste of Coke has refreshed players
The hot and the tired the weary and the sore
One of America's great national pastimes
Is chocolate fudge
Carrying a grudge
Bribing a judge
One of America's great national pastimes
Is poisoning rain
Acting insane
Inflicting pain
Ah, but the great taste of Coke has refreshed players
The hot and the tired the weary and the sore
The great taste of Coke has refreshed players
The hot and the tired the weary and the
One of America's great national pastimes
Is the worship of speed
Planting the seeds
Taking more than she needs
One of America's great national pastimes
Is cutting the grass
Grabbing some ass
Living too fast
Ah, but the great taste of Coke has refreshed players
The hot and the tired the weary and the sore
The great taste of Coke has refreshed players
The hot and the tired the weary and the
Is drinking a Coke
Taking a smoke
Telling a joke
One of America's great national pastimes
Is playing ball
Taking it all
And thinking so small
Ah, but the great taste of Coke has refreshed players
The hot and the tired the weary and the sore
The great taste of Coke has refreshed players
The hot and the tired the weary and the sore
One of America's great national pastimes
Is chocolate fudge
Carrying a grudge
Bribing a judge
One of America's great national pastimes
Is poisoning rain
Acting insane
Inflicting pain
Ah, but the great taste of Coke has refreshed players
The hot and the tired the weary and the sore
The great taste of Coke has refreshed players
The hot and the tired the weary and the
One of America's great national pastimes
Is the worship of speed
Planting the seeds
Taking more than she needs
One of America's great national pastimes
Is cutting the grass
Grabbing some ass
Living too fast
Ah, but the great taste of Coke has refreshed players
The hot and the tired the weary and the sore
The great taste of Coke has refreshed players
The hot and the tired the weary and the
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
America's Great National Pastime Lyrics as written by Skip Battin Kim Fowley
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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No comments for this great song? This isn't a typical Byrds song, as it was written by Skip Battin, who was only in the group for a short time.
This song paints two portraits of the good old USA. One that loves its baseball, Coca Cola, fast cars, and apple pie. The side effect of this is that America tends to live vicariously through this materialism and ends up losing sight of why it was created in the first place. Liberty soon becomes tyranny.
@degree7 I agree about this song's greatness. I also think that all of the Skip Battin and Kim Fowley songs the Byrds recorded were some of their best. Weirdly, they're all given short thrift by not only the public at large but Byrds aficionados as well. As the saying goes, there's no accounting for taste.<br /> <br /> I'm still a little confused by the line "the great taste of coke has refreshed players, the hot and tired the weary and the sore". D'you have any ideas about what refreshed players may be and their relevance within what I feel is your accurate perception of the song's meaning?
Possibly that the perceived materialistic devil that is the Coca Cola company will be responsible for refreshing those ground down by materialism?!