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.
Sun, stare, don't care with my head in my hands
Thinking of a simpler time
Like Sun Ra, feel small but I
Had it under control every time
When I was a waitress
Wearing a white dress
Look how I do this
Look how I got this
I was a waitress
Working the night shift
You were my man
Felt like I got this
Down at the men in music business conference
Down in Orlando, I was only nineteen
Down at the men in music business conference
I only mention it 'cause it was such a scene
And I felt seen
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
Summer, sizzling, listening to
Jazz out on the lawn
Listened to white stripes
When they were white-hot
Listening to rock all day long
When I was a waitress
Wearing a tight dress
Handling the heat
I wasn't famous
Just listening to Kings of Leon to the beat
Like look how I got this
Look how I got this
Just sing in the street
Down at the men in music business conference
I felt free 'cause I was only nineteen
Hey hey
Such a scene
Summer's, summer's almost gone
We were talkin' 'bout life
We were sitting outside 'til dawn
But I would still go back
If I could do it all again I'd fly
Because it made me feel
Made me feel like a god
'Cause it made me feel
Made me feel like a god
Somehow it made me feel
Made me feel like a god
When I was a waitress
Wearing a white dress
Look how I do this
Look how I got this
When I was a waitress
Working the night shift
You were my man
Felt like I got this
Down at the men in music business conference
Down in Orlando, I was only nineteen
Down at the men in music business conference
I only mention it 'cause it was such a scene
And I felt seen
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
When I was a waitress
Wearing a tight dress
Like look how I do it
Look how I got this
I was a waitress
Wearing a tight dress
Like look how I do this
Look how I got this
Made me feel
Made me feel like a god
It kinda makes me feel
Like maybe I was better off
Because it made me feel
Made me feel like a god
Kinda makes me feel
Like maybe I was better off
Thinking of a simpler time
Like Sun Ra, feel small but I
Had it under control every time
When I was a waitress
Wearing a white dress
Look how I do this
Look how I got this
I was a waitress
Working the night shift
You were my man
Felt like I got this
Down at the men in music business conference
Down in Orlando, I was only nineteen
Down at the men in music business conference
I only mention it 'cause it was such a scene
And I felt seen
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
Summer, sizzling, listening to
Jazz out on the lawn
Listened to white stripes
When they were white-hot
Listening to rock all day long
When I was a waitress
Wearing a tight dress
Handling the heat
I wasn't famous
Just listening to Kings of Leon to the beat
Like look how I got this
Look how I got this
Just sing in the street
Down at the men in music business conference
I felt free 'cause I was only nineteen
Hey hey
Such a scene
Summer's, summer's almost gone
We were talkin' 'bout life
We were sitting outside 'til dawn
But I would still go back
If I could do it all again I'd fly
Because it made me feel
Made me feel like a god
'Cause it made me feel
Made me feel like a god
Somehow it made me feel
Made me feel like a god
When I was a waitress
Wearing a white dress
Look how I do this
Look how I got this
When I was a waitress
Working the night shift
You were my man
Felt like I got this
Down at the men in music business conference
Down in Orlando, I was only nineteen
Down at the men in music business conference
I only mention it 'cause it was such a scene
And I felt seen
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
When I was a waitress
Wearing a tight dress
Like look how I do it
Look how I got this
I was a waitress
Wearing a tight dress
Like look how I do this
Look how I got this
Made me feel
Made me feel like a god
It kinda makes me feel
Like maybe I was better off
Because it made me feel
Made me feel like a god
Kinda makes me feel
Like maybe I was better off
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
White Dress Lyrics as written by Jack Antonoff Elizabeth Woolridge Grant
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I guess it's pretty obvious that this is about her life at a younger age, when things were, as she describes, simpler, so she handled them well.
Most of us can relate to that, as it seems like when we're younger we think we know it all and things, indeed, seem easier in retrospect, after having endured much harder situations.
But the real powerful interpretation comes if you watch the video. It starts with a Lana in a white dress alone roller skating on a highway.
Then she's slowly brought up to the present time, when people start to appear in masks.
And that's what broke me, as it hit me that we are living in hard times.
I really love how waitress and white dress sound alike. I just love everything about this song. I'm obsessed!
At my first listen, I loved the piano but then I was like, "what the heck? what's that breaking voice?", but as i listened again, it started talking to me, and then I got the voice. I really got everything. Or, rather, everything got me.