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 had a partner named Courtney
Dead, pulled by a van, blood gone from his head
I had another partner named Terry
Dead, he tried to flee the scene before they hit 'em wit the left
My grandma always said
When it rains it pours
So they're dying like flies
Got me kinda scared to go outdoors
I had a cousin named Ant
Dead, they say the young man only died by the head
The streets all we got it
Boys gon' be boys, me in ya hype
Teach your son to like guns with toys
Now what we supposed to do
When you know you gotta get ya kid enrolled in school?
So you start hanging 'round with the local crew
Have a smoke or two
Start kicking 'em a joke or two
Tell me what the parent's supposed to do?
Go tell momma
(Go tell momma)
To go ask daddy
(To go ask daddy)
That since when was the last time
We were a family
Like we supposed to be
Brothas and sistas
(Brothas and sistas)
Achi cousins I love you
(Achi cousins I love you)
And sometimes we as family
We don't do what we supposed to
So I say
Family, yeah, family
Family, yeah
1979 that's when my momma had me
2006, her oldest son is a daddy
Check it, I got two daughters of my own
They say I degrade women
But they degrade they self
They didn't have help, growing up
She had a dead beat momma
And a dead beat dad
She go and shake, shakes quick in the club
Drop it like it's hot
I tell my kids what to do
And what to do not
I'm a grown and
I gotta feed my kids
So I teach them the right
And wrong way to live
If you feel bad
You need to stop shaking, shaking
And your parents won't be so mad
Might smile at you
If you keep shaking your *** in the club
Ying Yang gon' show you love
Listen, I keep stressing to my daughters stay in school
Learn all you can, yes, I'm a real family man
Go tell momma
(Go tell momma)
To go ask daddy
(To go ask daddy)
That since when was the last time
We were a family
Like we supposed to be, family
Brothas and sistas
(Brothas and sistas)
Achi cousins I love you
(Achi cousins I love you)
And sometimes we as family
We don't do what we supposed to
So I say
Family, yeah, family
Family, yeah
Check this out
I wanna break the music down for a minute
I wanna say something to us
You know I say us 'cause we are a people
We all are equal
If you love your sister, your brother
Your father, your mother
Clap yo' hands
Clap yo' hands
Clap yo' hands
Clap yo' hands
Family, family
Family, family, family
Go tell momma
(Go tell momma)
To go ask daddy
(To go ask daddy)
That since when was the last time
We were a family
Like we supposed to be
Brothas and sistas
(Brothas and sistas)
Achi cousins I love you
(Achi cousins I love you)
And sometimes we as family
We don't do what we supposed to
So I say
Family, family
Family, yeah
Dead, pulled by a van, blood gone from his head
I had another partner named Terry
Dead, he tried to flee the scene before they hit 'em wit the left
My grandma always said
When it rains it pours
So they're dying like flies
Got me kinda scared to go outdoors
I had a cousin named Ant
Dead, they say the young man only died by the head
The streets all we got it
Boys gon' be boys, me in ya hype
Teach your son to like guns with toys
Now what we supposed to do
When you know you gotta get ya kid enrolled in school?
So you start hanging 'round with the local crew
Have a smoke or two
Start kicking 'em a joke or two
Tell me what the parent's supposed to do?
Go tell momma
(Go tell momma)
To go ask daddy
(To go ask daddy)
That since when was the last time
We were a family
Like we supposed to be
Brothas and sistas
(Brothas and sistas)
Achi cousins I love you
(Achi cousins I love you)
And sometimes we as family
We don't do what we supposed to
So I say
Family, yeah, family
Family, yeah
1979 that's when my momma had me
2006, her oldest son is a daddy
Check it, I got two daughters of my own
They say I degrade women
But they degrade they self
They didn't have help, growing up
She had a dead beat momma
And a dead beat dad
She go and shake, shakes quick in the club
Drop it like it's hot
I tell my kids what to do
And what to do not
I'm a grown and
I gotta feed my kids
So I teach them the right
And wrong way to live
If you feel bad
You need to stop shaking, shaking
And your parents won't be so mad
Might smile at you
If you keep shaking your *** in the club
Ying Yang gon' show you love
Listen, I keep stressing to my daughters stay in school
Learn all you can, yes, I'm a real family man
Go tell momma
(Go tell momma)
To go ask daddy
(To go ask daddy)
That since when was the last time
We were a family
Like we supposed to be, family
Brothas and sistas
(Brothas and sistas)
Achi cousins I love you
(Achi cousins I love you)
And sometimes we as family
We don't do what we supposed to
So I say
Family, yeah, family
Family, yeah
Check this out
I wanna break the music down for a minute
I wanna say something to us
You know I say us 'cause we are a people
We all are equal
If you love your sister, your brother
Your father, your mother
Clap yo' hands
Clap yo' hands
Clap yo' hands
Clap yo' hands
Family, family
Family, family, family
Go tell momma
(Go tell momma)
To go ask daddy
(To go ask daddy)
That since when was the last time
We were a family
Like we supposed to be
Brothas and sistas
(Brothas and sistas)
Achi cousins I love you
(Achi cousins I love you)
And sometimes we as family
We don't do what we supposed to
So I say
Family, family
Family, yeah
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Family Lyrics as written by Jerry Duplessis Michael Antoine Crooms
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.