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.
It was quite early one morning
Hit me without warning
I went to hear the general speak
I was standing for the anthem
Banners all around him
Confetti made it hard to see
Put my footsteps on the pavement
Starved for entertainment
Four seasons of revolving doors
So sick of being honest
I'll die like Dylan Thomas
A seizure on the barroom floor
I'm getting greedy with this private hell
I'll go it alone, but that's just as well
These cats are scared and feral
The flag pins on their lapels
The truth is anybody's guess
These talking heads are saying
"The king is only playing a game of four dimensional chess"
There's flowers in the rubble
The weeds are gonna tumble
I'm lucid but I still can't think
I'm strapped into a corset
Climbed into your corvette
I'm thirsty for another drink
If it's advertised, we'll try it
And buy some peace and quiet
And shut up at the silent retreat
They say you've gotta fake it
At least until you make it
That ghost is just a kid in a sheet
I'm getting used to these dizzy spells
I'm taking a shower at the Bates Motel
I'm getting greedy with this private hell
I'll go it alone, but that's just as well
Hit me without warning
I went to hear the general speak
I was standing for the anthem
Banners all around him
Confetti made it hard to see
Put my footsteps on the pavement
Starved for entertainment
Four seasons of revolving doors
So sick of being honest
I'll die like Dylan Thomas
A seizure on the barroom floor
I'm getting greedy with this private hell
I'll go it alone, but that's just as well
These cats are scared and feral
The flag pins on their lapels
The truth is anybody's guess
These talking heads are saying
"The king is only playing a game of four dimensional chess"
There's flowers in the rubble
The weeds are gonna tumble
I'm lucid but I still can't think
I'm strapped into a corset
Climbed into your corvette
I'm thirsty for another drink
If it's advertised, we'll try it
And buy some peace and quiet
And shut up at the silent retreat
They say you've gotta fake it
At least until you make it
That ghost is just a kid in a sheet
I'm getting used to these dizzy spells
I'm taking a shower at the Bates Motel
I'm getting greedy with this private hell
I'll go it alone, but that's just as well
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
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
wow. Poor Caitlin. Rage against the dark.