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.
Is anyone there I can talk to?
Give us a sign if you're with me
Can't you see that I'm dying to hear you
Everyone else has lost interest
And I'm all alone in this dream house
Though you're gone
I don't feel like crying
Romeo is calling you
Knock once or twice if you're out there
Send me a message my sweetheart
When I'm out and about I'll be coming to see you
It isn't easy to live with this matronly face
At the window
Try to contact me, if you can see how I'm suffering
Romeo is calling you
Scatter the paper and thimbles
You can take care of the candles
An unplugged radio plays. she is close now
Me and my hand-holding baby walking the floor and the
Ceiling
This is the song she dictated this evening.
Romeo is calling you
Romeo is calling you
Give us a sign if you're with me
Can't you see that I'm dying to hear you
Everyone else has lost interest
And I'm all alone in this dream house
Though you're gone
I don't feel like crying
Romeo is calling you
Knock once or twice if you're out there
Send me a message my sweetheart
When I'm out and about I'll be coming to see you
It isn't easy to live with this matronly face
At the window
Try to contact me, if you can see how I'm suffering
Romeo is calling you
Scatter the paper and thimbles
You can take care of the candles
An unplugged radio plays. she is close now
Me and my hand-holding baby walking the floor and the
Ceiling
This is the song she dictated this evening.
Romeo is calling you
Romeo is calling you
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Romeo's Seance Lyrics as written by Elvis Costello Michael Henry Thomas
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.