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.
Rotterdam, goddamn
This starving go against
And then tar mulling up the opposed modernity
And I heard them scream
We are many, we are many, we are
And in the Hague, I did proclaim
'Cause then I'll find god in the gutter
You'll catch the dead and bury them with old words
When the hours begin to flee I will sing
Recover me
We are many
We are many
We are dust
We are many
We are many
We are dust
Into dust we will all return
Oh I, whole night, I heard you sing
Only dreamers, dead times, and dirty kings
Oh I, whole night, I heard you sing
O death, where is thy sting?
Does it feed on eager limbs?
How will the body know?
I was caught in the eye with a nightingale
Hold the water, let it burn
Some lives may dig deep but my cold crime is clean
If I show you my hands, will you carry the beast?
We are many
We are many
We are dust
Into dust we will all return
This starving go against
And then tar mulling up the opposed modernity
And I heard them scream
We are many, we are many, we are
And in the Hague, I did proclaim
'Cause then I'll find god in the gutter
You'll catch the dead and bury them with old words
When the hours begin to flee I will sing
Recover me
We are many
We are many
We are dust
We are many
We are many
We are dust
Into dust we will all return
Oh I, whole night, I heard you sing
Only dreamers, dead times, and dirty kings
Oh I, whole night, I heard you sing
O death, where is thy sting?
Does it feed on eager limbs?
How will the body know?
I was caught in the eye with a nightingale
Hold the water, let it burn
Some lives may dig deep but my cold crime is clean
If I show you my hands, will you carry the beast?
We are many
We are many
We are dust
Into dust we will all return
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Sounds very biblical. "We are dust, and to dust we shall all return."
There's a line in the Bible similar to it...
Genesis 3:19
"By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return."
I'm not sure if there is a connection, although it definitely feels like there is!