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.
Dis empowered, the scattering flock
Dances in a fever at the castle rock
Dust-devil cypress and ripening fruit
Ascending quick into the author's bathroom
Fawn, Jo and Tootsie are out on a wire
Lettuce-toothed junkies all full of desire
Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude
And there's nothing I can do
Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude
And there's nothing I can do
And there's nothing I can say to you
I've got a lot of work to do
I guess I'll leave it up to you
Uninvited, we'll stay if we want
Searching through your closets for your grandfather's gun
We will swim in your kidney, kidney-shaped pool
Scratching at the bottom for another clue, yeah
Fawn, Jo and Tootsie are out on a wire
Lettuce-toothed junkies all full of desire
Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude
And there's nothing I can do
Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude
And there's nothing I can do
(Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude)
And there's nothing I can say to you
(Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude)
And there's nothing I can do
And there's nothing I can say to you
I've got a lot of work to do
I guess I'll leave it up to you
Dances in a fever at the castle rock
Dust-devil cypress and ripening fruit
Ascending quick into the author's bathroom
Fawn, Jo and Tootsie are out on a wire
Lettuce-toothed junkies all full of desire
Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude
And there's nothing I can do
Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude
And there's nothing I can do
And there's nothing I can say to you
I've got a lot of work to do
I guess I'll leave it up to you
Uninvited, we'll stay if we want
Searching through your closets for your grandfather's gun
We will swim in your kidney, kidney-shaped pool
Scratching at the bottom for another clue, yeah
Fawn, Jo and Tootsie are out on a wire
Lettuce-toothed junkies all full of desire
Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude
And there's nothing I can do
Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude
And there's nothing I can do
(Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude)
And there's nothing I can say to you
(Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude)
And there's nothing I can do
And there's nothing I can say to you
I've got a lot of work to do
I guess I'll leave it up to you
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Actually, I've been pondering the meaning of this song for a while, and I've only come to one possible meaning so far... An average Joe wanting some kind of revenge on a rock star (Rick James), who has all that he wants.
In the first verse, a concert scene is being described, "the scattering flock" being fans. "Ascending quick into the author's bathroom" could mean the celebrity's dressing room, just an assumption, though. This basically represents what Rick James has, and the other man does not.
"Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude (new?) And there's nothing I can do" -- Rick James has the girl that he wants, and he got her easily. There's nothing else he can really do, since Rick James is famous, and he doesn't stand a chance.
The second verse kind of sounds like describing the actual ac of revenge, possibly a break-in ("Uninvited, we'll stay if we want"), possibly to get blackmail on the celebrity ("searching through your closets for your grandfather's gun" and "scratching at the bottom for another clue")
Anyhow, just my humble opinion, and I'm afraid this has turned into a bit of a rant, anyway.