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.
We passed upon the stair
We spoke of was and when
Although I wasn't there
He said I was his friend
Which came as a surprise
I spoke into his eyes
I thought you died alone
A long, long time ago
Oh no, not me
We never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world
I laughed and shook his hand
And made my way back home
I searched for form and land
For years and years, I roamed
I gazed a gazeless stare
We walked a million hills
I must have died alone
A long, long time ago
Who knows?
Not me
I never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world
Who knows?
Not me
We never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world
"Thanks, that was a David Bowie song"
"What's next?"
"I didn't screw it up, did I?
Okay, but here's another one I could screw up"
"What is it?"
"Am I going to do this by myself?"
"Do it by yourself"
"Okay, well, I think I'll try it in a different key
I'll try it in the normal key
And if it sounds bad, these people are just gonna have to wait"
We spoke of was and when
Although I wasn't there
He said I was his friend
Which came as a surprise
I spoke into his eyes
I thought you died alone
A long, long time ago
Oh no, not me
We never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world
I laughed and shook his hand
And made my way back home
I searched for form and land
For years and years, I roamed
I gazed a gazeless stare
We walked a million hills
I must have died alone
A long, long time ago
Who knows?
Not me
I never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world
Who knows?
Not me
We never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world
"Thanks, that was a David Bowie song"
"What's next?"
"I didn't screw it up, did I?
Okay, but here's another one I could screw up"
"What is it?"
"Am I going to do this by myself?"
"Do it by yourself"
"Okay, well, I think I'll try it in a different key
I'll try it in the normal key
And if it sounds bad, these people are just gonna have to wait"
Lyrics submitted by bonj, edited by RaY4451, Mellow_Harsher, LivieP
The Man Who Sold The World [MTV Unplugged In New York] Lyrics as written by David Bowie
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Great version of a great song,
In his youth a man was happy, ambitious, eager to embrace the world around him. Everything was going for him. Pretty much just a normal typical young boy. As he grew older he fell into depression, drugs, etc. Washed his life away. His world has ended and he's stuck in his own despair. A deep deep depression that is unbelievably hard to break the grasp of.
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