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.
Look at the names carved into us
Look at the days when they were lit up
Brushing my head and I feel their rage
Years of radiance, years of rain
And the world stops spinnin’ when you stop spinnin’
Sighs when you sigh when you sigh
I’m coming home so leave the light on for me
I’m drawing over the moon on this fell
When I’ll get in I will see you all there
I’m drawing on the great exhale
Certain grounds are water more likely
Translating names of lost families
Somebody’s sleeping and you should not wake
Drifting whispers over their grave
And the world stops spinnin’ when you stop spinnin’
Sighs when you sigh when you sigh
I’m coming home so leave the light on for me
I’m drawing over the moon on this fell
When I’ll get in I will see you all there
I’m drawing on the great exhale
Wide and open spaces
In a sleep along with time
Come to waiting places
Come tonight like all the dreams
I’m coming home so leave the light on for me
I’m drawing over the moon on this fell
When I’ll get in I will see you all there
I’m drawing on the great exhale
I’m soling in on the great exhale
Look at the days when they were lit up
Brushing my head and I feel their rage
Years of radiance, years of rain
And the world stops spinnin’ when you stop spinnin’
Sighs when you sigh when you sigh
I’m coming home so leave the light on for me
I’m drawing over the moon on this fell
When I’ll get in I will see you all there
I’m drawing on the great exhale
Certain grounds are water more likely
Translating names of lost families
Somebody’s sleeping and you should not wake
Drifting whispers over their grave
And the world stops spinnin’ when you stop spinnin’
Sighs when you sigh when you sigh
I’m coming home so leave the light on for me
I’m drawing over the moon on this fell
When I’ll get in I will see you all there
I’m drawing on the great exhale
Wide and open spaces
In a sleep along with time
Come to waiting places
Come tonight like all the dreams
I’m coming home so leave the light on for me
I’m drawing over the moon on this fell
When I’ll get in I will see you all there
I’m drawing on the great exhale
I’m soling in on the great exhale
Lyrics submitted by Cyberghost, edited by ThomasKemper, Marixpress, aud82
The Great Exhale Lyrics as written by Anthony Dekker
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
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.
I find this to be a sublime reference to remembering ancient peoples who occupied the land. You can imagine caves where "they were lit up", as the writer feels the walls and imagines ghosts that "whisper over damp clay," and he gives them their due respect for passing, being careful that he "should not wake" them.
I also believe this is a song about the fragility of life, and our imminent passing away from this realm. But there is hope in it: he is drawing the "luminous veil" aside, like a glowing, beautiful curtain between this world and the next. He's coming home, soaring in on the last breath of his life, and expecting to see all those who have made the transition. He is drawing a great lesson from that "great exhale".
Beautifully written, and sublimely performed.
I could be wrong but there are some adjustments I'd make to the lyrics.
"Look at the names carved into rocks"
"Brushing my head and I feel their age"
"Drifting whispers over damp clay"
"Somebody's sleeping that you should not wake"
"Im coming home so leave the light on for me. Im drawing in on the luminous veil."
"I'm soaring in on the great exhale"
At first I had one lyric change in mind but then saw many other mistakes. Please delete my multiple posts! I can't seem to find a delete button or l procedure.
I could be wrong but there are some adjustments I'd make to the lyrics.
"Look at the names carved into rocks..."
"Brushing my head and I feel their age..."
"I'm coming home so leave the light on for me. Im drawing in on the luminous veil..."
"Somebody's sleeping that you should not wake. Drifting whispers over damp clay."
"Wide open spaces. In a sleep a long time (?) Punctuating places (?) Coming out like old teeth."
"I'm soaring in on the great exhale."
Also, the line "Certain grounds are water more likely" seems highly suspect.