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.
Who killed the eskimos
Who understood the rules of happiness?
One step up the hedonic treadmill
One slip back on the ugly snakeskin
Who raped the great banana
Growing on the tree of happiness?
One point for the dark Satanic mills
One up on the noble savage
Everything we need is here
Stop trying to succeed
One point for the dark Satanic mills
One down for the noble savage
Who owns the pop machine
The polyester seed?
Who owns the pepper mills that
Spice up the prickly cabbage?
Down by the willow tree I joined you where you fell
You said, staring at the sky, I never knew it was that high
Don't know you very well, you're just another girl
Never mind, you stupid cow, I wish you hadn't said that now
Down by the willow tree
There's nothing that could make me happier
One step up the hedonic treadmill
One slip back on the ugly snakeskin
Stop trying to succeed
Stop running round your human hamster wheel
One point for the dark Satanic mills
One up on the noble savage
Who drank the pussy milk
Who bunged the chalk in the frigid buttercup?
One step up the hedonic treadmill
One slip back on the ugly snakeskin
Just exactly how long
Do we have to wait for the trees
To chop the Nazi axes up?
And help the frigid buttercup
Weep me and I'll weep you back
The willow seemed to say
Swing with the Goodiepal
Race Pat Pat off the rocks
Down by the willow tree I joined you where you fell
You said, staring at the sky, I never knew it was that high
Don't know you very well, you're just another girl
Never mind, you stupid cow, I wish you hadn't said that now
Down by the willow tree I joined you where you fell
You said, staring at the sky, I never knew it was that high
Don't know you very well, you're just another girl
Never mind, you stupid cow, I wish you hadn't said that now
Down by the willow tree I joined you where you fell
You said, staring at the sky, I never knew it was that high
Don't know you very well, you're just another girl
Never mind, you stupid cow, I wish you hadn't said that now
Down by the willow tree I joined you where you fell
You said, staring at the sky, I never knew it was that high
Don't know you very well, you're just another girl
Never mind, you stupid cow, I wish you hadn't said that now
Who understood the rules of happiness?
One step up the hedonic treadmill
One slip back on the ugly snakeskin
Who raped the great banana
Growing on the tree of happiness?
One point for the dark Satanic mills
One up on the noble savage
Everything we need is here
Stop trying to succeed
One point for the dark Satanic mills
One down for the noble savage
Who owns the pop machine
The polyester seed?
Who owns the pepper mills that
Spice up the prickly cabbage?
Down by the willow tree I joined you where you fell
You said, staring at the sky, I never knew it was that high
Don't know you very well, you're just another girl
Never mind, you stupid cow, I wish you hadn't said that now
Down by the willow tree
There's nothing that could make me happier
One step up the hedonic treadmill
One slip back on the ugly snakeskin
Stop trying to succeed
Stop running round your human hamster wheel
One point for the dark Satanic mills
One up on the noble savage
Who drank the pussy milk
Who bunged the chalk in the frigid buttercup?
One step up the hedonic treadmill
One slip back on the ugly snakeskin
Just exactly how long
Do we have to wait for the trees
To chop the Nazi axes up?
And help the frigid buttercup
Weep me and I'll weep you back
The willow seemed to say
Swing with the Goodiepal
Race Pat Pat off the rocks
Down by the willow tree I joined you where you fell
You said, staring at the sky, I never knew it was that high
Don't know you very well, you're just another girl
Never mind, you stupid cow, I wish you hadn't said that now
Down by the willow tree I joined you where you fell
You said, staring at the sky, I never knew it was that high
Don't know you very well, you're just another girl
Never mind, you stupid cow, I wish you hadn't said that now
Down by the willow tree I joined you where you fell
You said, staring at the sky, I never knew it was that high
Don't know you very well, you're just another girl
Never mind, you stupid cow, I wish you hadn't said that now
Down by the willow tree I joined you where you fell
You said, staring at the sky, I never knew it was that high
Don't know you very well, you're just another girl
Never mind, you stupid cow, I wish you hadn't said that now
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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