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.
Mary steers clear of the men from space
Back alley kid with an American face
She wants the wine
He brings a case
To carry them on through
You know what I know about the bedroom boys
Undercover Russians in a pink Rolls-Royce
They bang the drum
She sets the beat
They carry Miss America out into the street
She sings "Snowman! Scarecrow! John Doe! Buffalo!"
I wish you wouldn't go
I got the arms to reach you
I am the scarecrow
I guess you ought to know
I got the hands to teach you
I am the scarecrow
Snowman sideshow
I fell out of love in the snowbound days
Riding the subway in a Valium haze
I need the whites
She gets the blues
It carries us on through
All these American boys at the Park 'n' Shop
Selling their memories for a dollar a pop
Ivan the ancient spaceman race fan
Corners the market on American tastes
And says "Spaceman! Scarecrow! Peepshow! Freakshow!"
I wish you wouldn't go
But I got the arms to reach you
I am a scarecrow
I guess you ought to know
That I got the hands to teach you
I am the scarecrow
Punk rock video
All the sudden light inside you dies
Maybe you're going on alone
Maybe you're going all alone
She dreams of sunlight
Sings of smaller things
White sugar bowls and wedding rings
You're going on from me alone
You're going on
You're on your own
She was married alive in a Moscow surgery
Hoping to die in a cold war nursery
All of the kids back home believe in much more than we do
It's a memory play where the memory fades
Into pictures you took
Into records we played
Spy vs Spy
Scarecrow and I
Out across the darkness where the bomberjets fly
Singing "Spaceman! Smokeshow! Scarecrow! Geronimo!"
I wish you wouldn't go
I got the arms to reach you
I am a scarecrow
I guess you ought to know
I got the hands to teach you
I am the scarecrow
Snowman Freakshow
I wish you wouldn't go but I got the arms to reach you
I am the scarecrow
I guess you ought to know
That I got the hands to teach you
I am the scarecrow
Listen on the midnight radio
Back alley kid with an American face
She wants the wine
He brings a case
To carry them on through
You know what I know about the bedroom boys
Undercover Russians in a pink Rolls-Royce
They bang the drum
She sets the beat
They carry Miss America out into the street
She sings "Snowman! Scarecrow! John Doe! Buffalo!"
I wish you wouldn't go
I got the arms to reach you
I am the scarecrow
I guess you ought to know
I got the hands to teach you
I am the scarecrow
Snowman sideshow
I fell out of love in the snowbound days
Riding the subway in a Valium haze
I need the whites
She gets the blues
It carries us on through
All these American boys at the Park 'n' Shop
Selling their memories for a dollar a pop
Ivan the ancient spaceman race fan
Corners the market on American tastes
And says "Spaceman! Scarecrow! Peepshow! Freakshow!"
I wish you wouldn't go
But I got the arms to reach you
I am a scarecrow
I guess you ought to know
That I got the hands to teach you
I am the scarecrow
Punk rock video
All the sudden light inside you dies
Maybe you're going on alone
Maybe you're going all alone
She dreams of sunlight
Sings of smaller things
White sugar bowls and wedding rings
You're going on from me alone
You're going on
You're on your own
She was married alive in a Moscow surgery
Hoping to die in a cold war nursery
All of the kids back home believe in much more than we do
It's a memory play where the memory fades
Into pictures you took
Into records we played
Spy vs Spy
Scarecrow and I
Out across the darkness where the bomberjets fly
Singing "Spaceman! Smokeshow! Scarecrow! Geronimo!"
I wish you wouldn't go
I got the arms to reach you
I am a scarecrow
I guess you ought to know
I got the hands to teach you
I am the scarecrow
Snowman Freakshow
I wish you wouldn't go but I got the arms to reach you
I am the scarecrow
I guess you ought to know
That I got the hands to teach you
I am the scarecrow
Listen on the midnight radio
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What does this song mean? Need an interpretation soon. Thanks
@jasonwilliam1900 .... As with every work of art ... the meaning is entirely up to you. I am a Huge fan of music that is lyrically meaningful and poetic. Counting Crows offers that in there music ... along with other artist like Sting. As an artist myself ... I can share my personal thought on this song. I am Scarecrow ... I have arms that can reach you ... What is a scarecrows one and only job? To frighten off birds that come and eat the crops ... I have arms that can reach you ... "give you what you need" ... so you don't have to come take the crops. Reach you ... comfort you ... feed you ... it can go on and on from there. -Richie's Insight to the meaning of this song in SHORT-
@jasonwilliam1900 .... As with every work of art ... the meaning is entirely up to you. I am a Huge fan of music that is lyrically meaningful and poetic. Counting Crows offers that in there music ... along with other artist like Sting. As an artist myself ... I can share my personal thought on this song. I am Scarecrow ... I have arms that can reach you ... What is a scarecrows one and only job? To frighten off birds that come and eat the crops ... I have arms that can reach you ... "give you what you need" ... so you don't have to come take the crops. Reach you ... comfort you ... feed you ... it can go on and on from there. -Richie's Insight to the meaning of this song in SHORT-