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 built a friend
With three pieces of plastic and a pen
I made him on the table in the den
I gave him my old cell phone for a head, for a head
And we spent holidays in my house
And we left presents in a stocking
And we bought bolts and things and strings
And a new watch, that's what he got
And we had so much fun together
We knew we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
Then I left for college in September
And we wept 'cause we can't be together
So I kept pictures to remember my old friend, my old friend
Then I met this girl at graduation
And forget my oldest creation
And I guess I'll see him next vacation
Send my best, I send my best
And we had so much fun together
We knew we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
I came home to find him on the table
With a note, scribbled out in pencil
And he wrote, that he just wasn't stable all alone, all alone
Next to him, an empty glass of water
That he spilled, all over the body
That I built, it fizzled and it popped
And then it killed, and then it killed
And we had so much fun together
We thought we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
I built a friend
With three pieces of plastic and a pen
I made him on the table in the den
I gave him my old cell phone for a head, for a head
And we spent holidays in my house
And we left presents in a stocking
And we bought bolts and things and strings
And a new watch, that's what he got
And we had so much fun together
We knew we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
Then I left for college in September
And we wept 'cause we can't be together
So I kept pictures to remember my old friend, my old friend
Then I met this girl at graduation
And forget my oldest creation
And I guess I'll see him next vacation
Send my best, I send my best
And we had so much fun together
We knew we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
I came home to find him on the table
With a note, scribbled out in pencil
And he wrote, that he just wasn't stable all alone, all alone
Next to him, an empty glass of water
That he spilled, all over the body
That I built, it fizzled and it popped
And then it killed, and then it killed
And we had so much fun together
We thought we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
I built a friend
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”
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
I assume it means something like this (this is my opinion, though):
I 'built' a friends means I made a friend. He probably made friends with this person when he was young as well. He got older and left for college but for whatever reason his friend isn't going with him. He then meets a girl and forgets to talk to his friend. The friend is unstable without his best friend around anymore. He comes home to find his friend had committed suicide.
ok this is a pretty short explanation but here you go
The way I interpreted it is that the friend that he built is a representation of his childhood, how he had fun and would resort back to his inner child on Christmas (hence the bolts and strings to ‘fix’ or tinker the robot that represents his childhood). When he left for college he grew up and forgot about how much fun it was to be a kid, and he met a girl. For a while he forgets about his childhood, then maybe he comes home and sees all of the memories, pictures, things he left behind, and remembers it all. The suicide of the robot I think is his way of saying the child left inside of him is gone, and that he has the mentality of an adult with no fun left to have.