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'm pulling wings off insects
I'm peeling back my sunburnt skin
I'll wait outside your bedroom
I, I hope they let me in
I'm filling your prescriptions
The orange bottles stare me down
They're standing at attention
An army on your windowsill
We're all waiting for good news
Hoping you can come home soon
We're all waiting for good news
I've been acting like I'm strong
But the truth is, I've been losing ground
To a hospital too crowded,
A summer winding down
I hadn't seen a heartbreak until now
I hadn't felt a heartbreak until now
I grew up on your back porch
And I watched the storms light up the clouds
They hung like paper lanterns
To guide the way back toward your house
I've been putting off long flights
Hoping that you'll be alright
And I'll be there in the meantime
I've been acting like I'm strong
But the truth is, I've been losing ground
To a hospital too crowded,
A summer winding down
I hadn't seen a heartbreak until now
I hadn't felt a heartbreak until now
If I'm in an airport
And you're in a hospital bed
Well then what kind of man does that make me?
If I'm in an airport
And you're in a hospital bed
Well then what kind of man does that make me?
If I'm in an airport
If I'm in an airport
What kind of man does that make me?
What kind of man does that make me?
I've been acting like I'm strong
But the truth is, I've been losing ground
To a hospital too crowded,
A summer winding down
I hadn't seen a heartbreak until now
I hadn't felt a heartbreak until now
Hadn't felt a heartbreak until now
Hadn't felt a heartbreak
Oh the hospital's too crowded
The summer's winding down
I haven't seen a heartbreak until now
Well, I haven't felt a heartbreak until now
I'm peeling back my sunburnt skin
I'll wait outside your bedroom
I, I hope they let me in
I'm filling your prescriptions
The orange bottles stare me down
They're standing at attention
An army on your windowsill
We're all waiting for good news
Hoping you can come home soon
We're all waiting for good news
I've been acting like I'm strong
But the truth is, I've been losing ground
To a hospital too crowded,
A summer winding down
I hadn't seen a heartbreak until now
I hadn't felt a heartbreak until now
I grew up on your back porch
And I watched the storms light up the clouds
They hung like paper lanterns
To guide the way back toward your house
I've been putting off long flights
Hoping that you'll be alright
And I'll be there in the meantime
I've been acting like I'm strong
But the truth is, I've been losing ground
To a hospital too crowded,
A summer winding down
I hadn't seen a heartbreak until now
I hadn't felt a heartbreak until now
If I'm in an airport
And you're in a hospital bed
Well then what kind of man does that make me?
If I'm in an airport
And you're in a hospital bed
Well then what kind of man does that make me?
If I'm in an airport
If I'm in an airport
What kind of man does that make me?
What kind of man does that make me?
I've been acting like I'm strong
But the truth is, I've been losing ground
To a hospital too crowded,
A summer winding down
I hadn't seen a heartbreak until now
I hadn't felt a heartbreak until now
Hadn't felt a heartbreak until now
Hadn't felt a heartbreak
Oh the hospital's too crowded
The summer's winding down
I haven't seen a heartbreak until now
Well, I haven't felt a heartbreak until now
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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
This song is about decisions and how they can't always make everyone happy. The song starts off with Soupy coming back from Warped Tour 2011 and sitting in the waiting room of hospital.His Grandfather had to go through triple bypass surgery.
"I'm pulling wings off insects I'm peeling back my sunburnt skin I'll wait outside your bedroom I hope they let me in"
Then it talks about his family waiting for good news about the surgery so he can come home. "We're all waiting for good news Hoping you can come home soon We're all waiting for good news"
Reference to his grandfather. "I grew up on your back porch And I watched the storms light up the clouds They hung like paper lanterns To guide the way back toward your house"
A couple of days after the surgery, Soupy is suppose to go the UK for a tour but he won't go if his grandfather is no doing well. "If I'm in an airport And you're in a hospital bed Well, then, what kind of man does that make me?"
So Soupy realizes that if he goes then he is letting down his family if he doesn't go he is letting down the fans, label, band member, etc.
PS His grandfather kicked the s*** out of the surgery. Listen to Gunz Show for more
Best song ever omg
I believe that this song is about two friends that grew up together and one got an illness and is in the hospital for most of his days and the other friend visits and waits for him to come home well and safe and everytime he visits he acts like hes strong and he tells him that everything's going to be okay but he relizes that he can only stay for the summer and its ending so the last day hes there he goes to the hospital but its too crowded so he goes to the airport heart broken and his friend dies. (correct me if im wrong i could be way off)
I think you're right for the most part, but I'd say it's not a friend but a relative. That would explain why he's the one filling the prescriptions. Also, I think it's mostly about the struggle of having someone close being hospitalized, not so much that the individual died. Hospitals are always crowded so there's no privacy to vent or cry. The song is about the emotional struggle he has to face. He has to be strong, but can't stand to leave for more than a few days. At least that's what I think, but I could be way off too :) Either way, it's a beautiful song and it can mean what we want it to.
I wonder if it's at all a reference to Constructive Summer by The Hold Steady. Sort of opposite song titles and all.