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.
Lonely, lonely, undefined
You say you take your time, I say you hide away
Lonely, lonely, hard to shine when they don't notice you at all
Sink further every day
You're only so lonely, and I never had a doubt,
You don't even know me, still you pass your judgement out
When you belong, you're just a face in the crowd,
You're only lonely, so lonely, like everybody else
Lonely, lonely, little fly, you say they pay no mind
I say there's no better way
You hang yourself in your own web, drawn and quartered out
The more you hurt, the more you heal, the more you'll figure out
You're only so lonely and I never had a doubt,
You don't even know me, still you pass your judgement out
When you belong, you're just a face in the crowd,
You're only lonely, so lonely, like everybody else
You are not a diamond, you are not a shining star
It doesn't mean that you're not perfect exactly as you are
You're only so lonely, and I never had a doubt,
You don't even know me, still you pass your judgement out
When you belong, you're just a face in the crowd,
You're only lonely so lonely, like everybody else
You are not a diamond,
You are not a shining star,
It doesn't mean that you're not perfect exactly as you are
You say you take your time, I say you hide away
Lonely, lonely, hard to shine when they don't notice you at all
Sink further every day
You're only so lonely, and I never had a doubt,
You don't even know me, still you pass your judgement out
When you belong, you're just a face in the crowd,
You're only lonely, so lonely, like everybody else
Lonely, lonely, little fly, you say they pay no mind
I say there's no better way
You hang yourself in your own web, drawn and quartered out
The more you hurt, the more you heal, the more you'll figure out
You're only so lonely and I never had a doubt,
You don't even know me, still you pass your judgement out
When you belong, you're just a face in the crowd,
You're only lonely, so lonely, like everybody else
You are not a diamond, you are not a shining star
It doesn't mean that you're not perfect exactly as you are
You're only so lonely, and I never had a doubt,
You don't even know me, still you pass your judgement out
When you belong, you're just a face in the crowd,
You're only lonely so lonely, like everybody else
You are not a diamond,
You are not a shining star,
It doesn't mean that you're not perfect exactly as you are
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loving this song!
Pretty certain the ???? parts are "like everyone/everybody else"
Thank you! I hear that now :).
Love this song, too.
you're welcome :).
Any idea what it is about?
Personally I think the songs about someone who struggled to open themselves up to the world and other people. Possibly in a relationship sense or maybe just people in general. At least that's how I relate to the words.
Despite being lonely and wanting to be noticed and loved, they just don't have enough confidence in themselves and feel bitterness or resentment towards the rest of the world. Hence without even knowing someone they pass judgement.
Seems like the song is aimed at trying to make that person see that they are worth something and to stop being their own worst enemy
Just my 2 cents :)
I read that Gustav sees this album as more slanted to his personal feelings as a kid (especially in Broadfields), compared to All Our Kings Our Dead which was directed to his father who left them at a young age I think.
I get the feeling this song is written towards how Gustav was as a kid i.e. reflection on himself when he was younger. So in effect, it's all about hindsight. But then because he can look back on it, the lines 'you are not a diamond, you are not a shining star, it doesn't mean that you're not perfect exactly as you are' show that as a kid he wasn't anything special, but he was just right for someone in his situation; there was nothing actually wrong with him or his childhood. It goes in tandem with Marky101's comments that they ARE worth something, I think.