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.
burn the books they´ve got too many names and psychoses
all this incriminating evidence would surely haunt me
if someone broke into my house
suits in the living room
do you realize guys I was born in 1974
we´ve got someone here to explain your publishing
we know how much you love to be in front of audiences
hopeful you are
schoolbound you are
naive you are
driven you are
take a trip to new york with your guardian
and your fake identification
when they said is there something anything
you´d like to know young lady?
you said yes i´d like to know what kind of people
i´ll be dealing with
precocious you are
headstrong you are
terrified you are
ahead of your time you are
don´t mind our staring but
we´re surprised you´re not in a far-gone asylum
we´re surprised you didn´t crack up
lord knows that we would´ve
we would´ve liked to have been there
but you keep pushing us away
resilient you are
big time you are
ruthless you are
precious you are
all this incriminating evidence would surely haunt me
if someone broke into my house
suits in the living room
do you realize guys I was born in 1974
we´ve got someone here to explain your publishing
we know how much you love to be in front of audiences
hopeful you are
schoolbound you are
naive you are
driven you are
take a trip to new york with your guardian
and your fake identification
when they said is there something anything
you´d like to know young lady?
you said yes i´d like to know what kind of people
i´ll be dealing with
precocious you are
headstrong you are
terrified you are
ahead of your time you are
don´t mind our staring but
we´re surprised you´re not in a far-gone asylum
we´re surprised you didn´t crack up
lord knows that we would´ve
we would´ve liked to have been there
but you keep pushing us away
resilient you are
big time you are
ruthless you are
precious you are
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
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"Some and now none of you"
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This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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Blink-182
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I believe this song is about young Alanis' start in entertainment world. There are "suits in the living room", probably either TV or music executives and she has a "guardian" when she goes to New York. I think it's probably about how overwhelming things can be when you're young and getting a start in the business.
I think it's obvious that Shari has captured the meaning...I always assumed it to be about her early days in the industry... "do you realise guys i was born in 1974?" people shocked by her level of maturity at such a young age. "we know how much you love to be in front of audiences", true about a young alanis. "take a trip to N.Y with your guardian and your fake I.D", travelling with minders/agents/publicists. when they said "is there something anything you'd like to know young lady?" you said "yes i'd like to know what kind of people i'll be dealing with" - another sign of alanis' early maturity. What i especially love is the last verse: "we're surprised you're not in a far-gone asylum we're surprised you didn't crack-up lord knows that we would've"- i see this as refering to her Jagged Little Pill comeback- fans and friends surprised that she hadn't fallen victim to the fate of many child stars.
I don't know what it is about this song that I just love...the meaning is kinda murky (well what do you expect from Alanis? lol) but its a catchy one!
I believe she once explained that she wrote ther song about herself, means with "u r" she means herself. She used it as a kinda reflection upon herself.
and because she's singing about herself, it almost feels like you're singing about yourself too, or like she's singing about you.... it feels so personal, you can't help but identify yourself the way she indentifies herself.
excellent song, once again!!!
it is possible that she's talkin about some girl that's unknown and she wants to go to the big city to become a music star
I totally agree with dandeman and Shari, it definitely always seemed to me to be about Young Alanis' start, all of her music is so personal...perhaps why she has such a huge following, because she takes personal feelings and makes the relateable to a general audience. The last verse is my favorite and something I can relate to very well on a personal level!
It could be about young Alanis and probably is, but I could definetely recognize the feeling this song evokes in many people who move to the big city where everything is so new and everybody at home is cheering for them. :)
i love this song its just sonically nice. its nice to listen to.
i also think its about herself. one thing i find funny about this song is that instead of saying "you are... ___" she says it backwards. it just reminds me of yoda. lol
For some reason, I associate this song intimately with a gay friend of mine, especially with the 'Don't mind our staring'. He's very much of an exhibitionist ('love to be in front of audiences') as well.