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.
Intro:
Young people today could probably benefit from my 12 years in college so here's some advice: If you're a young person who writes poetry, throw it away right now
Hook:
Tut, tut, tongue-clucking grammarian, yo
Tut, tut, check your punctuation
Tut, tut, tongue-clucking grammarian, yo
Tut, tut
Tut, tut
Verse 1:
Anybody, wonder what you’re up against?
You get clucked at. Dense: your best defense
You jest. Relent! You’re too bright not to do it
I go “foopth” on that, an onomato-poo-ic
And while I’m on the topic of Frontalot’s tongue
I should mention that it’s knotted but it comes undone
And as it unravels, the cluck emits
The discipline in your ear, stuck in your head like a hit (goes,)
Bridge (x4):
Tut, Tut!
Tut, Tut!
Verse 2:
Listening to hit records led to your sad state
You ought to take talk seriously. Put it to pate
And it’ll seep in. That’s my supposition
And I suppose, in subjunction, if it did, I’d listen
To what you said next for once
It’s imperative! Take off the hat! The dunce
Needs it back and Front’s on track to your brain
Seek now to retrain. The nerdcore refrain (goes,)
Hook (x2):
Tut, tut, tongue-clucking grammarian, yo
Tut, tut, check your punctuation
Tut, tut, tongue-clucking grammarian, yo
Tut, tut
Tut, tut
Bridge (x4):
Tut, Tut!
Tut, Tut!
Verse 3:
Quit arguing! You need your verbs to agree
With their subjects’ relative plurality
And I cannot believe grad school let you go
When flunking is the only present participle that you know
Setting my flow by the modal auxiliary, yo:
I should, shall and ought to aim the artillery
So high overhead. Struggle to rise
One day, issue. The syllable that I emphasize (goes):
Bridge (x4):
Tut, Tut!
Tut, Tut!
Verse 4:
I will throw tuts at inelegant couplets
You want to talk at me? You need more than luck, wits
And charm when the tongue comes clucking
Every line you lay down, every error you tuck in
It’s true I’ve been guilty on more than a song
I don’t preach how I practice, and that’s lifelong
If it’s mine, I’m gone; can’t reverse engineer it
But when y’all fuck it up, me and I get to hear it
Hook (x2):
Tut, tut, tongue-clucking grammarian, yo
Tut, tut, check your punctuation
Tut, tut, tongue-clucking grammarian, yo
Tut, tut
Tut, tut
Young people today could probably benefit from my 12 years in college so here's some advice: If you're a young person who writes poetry, throw it away right now
Hook:
Tut, tut, tongue-clucking grammarian, yo
Tut, tut, check your punctuation
Tut, tut, tongue-clucking grammarian, yo
Tut, tut
Tut, tut
Verse 1:
Anybody, wonder what you’re up against?
You get clucked at. Dense: your best defense
You jest. Relent! You’re too bright not to do it
I go “foopth” on that, an onomato-poo-ic
And while I’m on the topic of Frontalot’s tongue
I should mention that it’s knotted but it comes undone
And as it unravels, the cluck emits
The discipline in your ear, stuck in your head like a hit (goes,)
Bridge (x4):
Tut, Tut!
Tut, Tut!
Verse 2:
Listening to hit records led to your sad state
You ought to take talk seriously. Put it to pate
And it’ll seep in. That’s my supposition
And I suppose, in subjunction, if it did, I’d listen
To what you said next for once
It’s imperative! Take off the hat! The dunce
Needs it back and Front’s on track to your brain
Seek now to retrain. The nerdcore refrain (goes,)
Hook (x2):
Tut, tut, tongue-clucking grammarian, yo
Tut, tut, check your punctuation
Tut, tut, tongue-clucking grammarian, yo
Tut, tut
Tut, tut
Bridge (x4):
Tut, Tut!
Tut, Tut!
Verse 3:
Quit arguing! You need your verbs to agree
With their subjects’ relative plurality
And I cannot believe grad school let you go
When flunking is the only present participle that you know
Setting my flow by the modal auxiliary, yo:
I should, shall and ought to aim the artillery
So high overhead. Struggle to rise
One day, issue. The syllable that I emphasize (goes):
Bridge (x4):
Tut, Tut!
Tut, Tut!
Verse 4:
I will throw tuts at inelegant couplets
You want to talk at me? You need more than luck, wits
And charm when the tongue comes clucking
Every line you lay down, every error you tuck in
It’s true I’ve been guilty on more than a song
I don’t preach how I practice, and that’s lifelong
If it’s mine, I’m gone; can’t reverse engineer it
But when y’all fuck it up, me and I get to hear it
Hook (x2):
Tut, tut, tongue-clucking grammarian, yo
Tut, tut, check your punctuation
Tut, tut, tongue-clucking grammarian, yo
Tut, tut
Tut, tut
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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