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.
Unsealed
On a porch a letter sat
Then you said I want to leave it again
Once I saw him
On a beach of weathered sand
And on the sand I want to leave it again
On a weekend want to wish it all away
And they called and I said that I want what I said
And then I call out again
And the reason oughta leave her calm, I know
I said, I don't know whether I'm the boxer or the bag
Oh yeah, can you see them?
Out on the porch
Ah, but they don't wave
I see them
'Round the front way, yeah
And I know and I know
I don't want to stay
Make me cry
I see
Oh, I don't know, there's something else
I want to drum it all away
And I said
"I don't, I don't know whether I was the boxer or the bag"
Oh yeah, can you see them?
Out on the porch
Yeah, but they don't wave
I see them
'Round the front way, yeah
And I know and I know
I don't want to stay at all
I don't want to stay
I don't want to stay
I don't want to stay
I don't, oh-ooh, yeah
Ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh-oh oh oh
On a porch a letter sat
Then you said I want to leave it again
Once I saw him
On a beach of weathered sand
And on the sand I want to leave it again
On a weekend want to wish it all away
And they called and I said that I want what I said
And then I call out again
And the reason oughta leave her calm, I know
I said, I don't know whether I'm the boxer or the bag
Oh yeah, can you see them?
Out on the porch
Ah, but they don't wave
I see them
'Round the front way, yeah
And I know and I know
I don't want to stay
Make me cry
I see
Oh, I don't know, there's something else
I want to drum it all away
And I said
"I don't, I don't know whether I was the boxer or the bag"
Oh yeah, can you see them?
Out on the porch
Yeah, but they don't wave
I see them
'Round the front way, yeah
And I know and I know
I don't want to stay at all
I don't want to stay
I don't want to stay
I don't want to stay
I don't, oh-ooh, yeah
Ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh-oh oh oh
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For the most part the lyrics in this song are irrelevant. The song was written by Mike McCready and Eddie just made up the words as he went along. Eddie's voice is supposed to be more of an instrument by using improvised words, the words are never the same in concert. Ledbetter refers to Eddie's friend from Chicago named Tim Ledbetter. If there is any meaning to the lyrics I think the letter in the beginning of the song refers to the telegrams that we sent to the families of soldiers KIA in WWII. The telegrams were so distinct that many families didn't have to open them to know what they said. In the song I see a family sitting on a porch when a man comes to deliver a telegram and the family is so devestated about their loss that they cannot even bear to open it.
Matzy seems to be the correct but I read somewhere that the person who recieved the letter was a friend of Vedder's and upon recieving the letter, his friend couldn't bare to see it sitting on his porch table so she and Vedder went on a walk through the neigborhood. Aparantly Vedder's buddy had a bit of an alternative style and upon passing a family as they sat on their porch, Vedder'd friend saluted their raised flag, however, due to her grungy style, the family didn't wave or acknowledge her.<br /> <br /> As they walked, Vedder and his friend conjured up the lyrics.
I think the song was written by a ghost of a father. His children stand on the porch, but he doesn't want to stay(even if he could), because it's too painful for him there. Reminds me of the song "Black", for the same reasons, but I suppose it was written to fit each life differently.
wow
@Matzy94 True or not the lyrics on this site tell a story.<br /> Someone received a letter they didn't want to read and had to pick a box or bag. A decision they wanted to just go away and made them cry.
@Matzy94 Does the song not have any connection to the other "Ledbetter" renditions? It's a blues song recovered and revised by many blues artists. This is just their version.