St. Andrew's Fall Lyrics
I got a couple of plam trees on each side of my cheek
And it's a bright blue Saturday
And the rummage sells the rubbish to me
Over this bed of mine
If I could climb these vines
And maybe see what you're seein'
Into the eyes of Jesus Christ
I got sewage fruit and it's growing out back from roots
I don't know if they belong to me
But if I could buy the sky that's hangin'
And if I could climb these vines
and maybe see what you're seein'
Twenty stories below,
A' twenty stories below
Twenty stories below
Twenty stories below
And viewed my life today, but I can tell you
I don't think that I can find easier way
So if I see you walking hand in hand in hand
With a three armed man, you know I'll understand
Can't piece together my day
So I pose myself this question
Maybe sleeps gonna get me in the shade
I got my head buried in this pillow
I got my head buried in this pillow
So low...)
You should have been in my shoes yesterday

Check this out... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Had_Three_Arms
The third arm in the play represents "the discovery and development of genius or talent in an otherwise unremarkable individual."
So, if he sees the the one cares deeply for walking with her new love interest (an otherwise unremarkable person whom she has found remarkable qualities)...he'll understand. It's only recently that he's come to accept the situation...thus "but, you shoulda been in my shoes yesterday".

I got sewage fruit growing out back from roots but I dont know if they belong to me....
That means that he is being overgrown with "BS" and he doesnt know if it is coming from him, but it is dug in deep.
I figured Id throw that in too along with the 3 armed girl not being compatible with the one footed man.

Im glad you asked about the 3 armed man! This is one of my favorite verses in all of music. To appreciate this line even more you should do what you can to hear the version of off the Nico album which is almost exactly the same except for the title- St Andrews Hall, instead of Fall. And more importantly, he goes from saying shoes to shoe in the last verse....SO:
You have an ex lover walking hand in hand in hand with a 3 armed man....she must have 3 arms too.
But you should have been in my shoe yesterday....He has only one foot.
He is recognizing that his ex love has found a better fit for herself by moving on....and is coming to grips with it and accepting it...
Such great lyrics on all of the Blind Melon albums...we lost alot when Shannon died.

It's about a man who commits suicide. The band sees this person jumpin from a 20 floor building. They just can wish him the best, and think about, waht could had happen to him for commit this action

What's the three armed man thing mean? Is that possibly a reference to the father, son and holy spirit?

Well, the thing is, "you should have been in my SHOE yesterday" were the lyrics to the original version of this song, "St. Andrew's Hall." When they redid this song and changed the title, they changed the lyrics to shoes. I've always wondered why they did that. Any explanations?

I've heard the three armed man reference a few times in my life...each time they were referring to God. Shannon is simply stating. He's thought his life over quite a bit and doesn't blame the man for jumping.
"I can't tell you how many ways that I've sat, And viewed my life today, but I can tell you I don't think that I can find easier way So if I see you walking hand in hand in hand With a three armed man, you know I'll understand"
I feel the same way. The people I know that have committed suicide...I don't blame them. Sure some may say its selfish, but if you look at it another way..its selfish to want them to stay alive and suffer even more. You would just have to be in their shoes......yesterday. (yesterday = past tense....nothing can be done now)