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.
Giving into love and sharing my time
Letting someone into my misery
I told it all step by step
How I landed on the island
And how I swam across the sea
And it crosses my mind
That I may wake to a knife in me
No more breath in my hair
Or ladies' underwear
Tossed up over the alarm clock
Blood dripping from the bed
To a neatly written poem
A heartfelt last line reading
There is no more mystery
It it going to happen my love
It's all in your head she said
Morning after nightmare
You're building a wall she said
Higher than the both of us
So try living life
Instead of hiding in the bedroom
Show me a smile
And I'll promise not to leave you
It happened under a rainy cloud
Passing through the dark south
We went into a big house
And slept in a small bed
I didn't know you then
As well as you of me
We talked of our sad lives
And we went off separately
I found your overseas souvenirs
Holiday greeting cards
And some long forgotten high school fears
It's all in my head I said
Banging a piano
I've not been so alone I thought
Since kicking in the womb
I drank so much tea
I wrote my letters in kanji
Around the block I walked and walked
Pretending you were with me
Not wanting to die out here
Without you
The hurting never ends
Like birthdays and old friends
We forget what is flesh blood and bone is human
Turning phone lines to airlines
Unwilling to face
The love is found on the inside not the outside
And like a medicine bottle
In the cabinet I'll keep you
And like a medicine bottle
In my hand I will hold you
And swallow you slowly
As to last me a lifetime
Without holding too tight
I do not want to lose
The thrill that it gives me
To look out from my window
And scowl at the houses
From my world in the bedroom
It's all in my head she read
In her girlfriend's self-help book
It's all his own making
A war with himself
Like two sides of a wall
That separates two countries
He shuts out the world
And wants only to love you
Not wanting to die out here
Without you
Letting someone into my misery
I told it all step by step
How I landed on the island
And how I swam across the sea
And it crosses my mind
That I may wake to a knife in me
No more breath in my hair
Or ladies' underwear
Tossed up over the alarm clock
Blood dripping from the bed
To a neatly written poem
A heartfelt last line reading
There is no more mystery
It it going to happen my love
It's all in your head she said
Morning after nightmare
You're building a wall she said
Higher than the both of us
So try living life
Instead of hiding in the bedroom
Show me a smile
And I'll promise not to leave you
It happened under a rainy cloud
Passing through the dark south
We went into a big house
And slept in a small bed
I didn't know you then
As well as you of me
We talked of our sad lives
And we went off separately
I found your overseas souvenirs
Holiday greeting cards
And some long forgotten high school fears
It's all in my head I said
Banging a piano
I've not been so alone I thought
Since kicking in the womb
I drank so much tea
I wrote my letters in kanji
Around the block I walked and walked
Pretending you were with me
Not wanting to die out here
Without you
The hurting never ends
Like birthdays and old friends
We forget what is flesh blood and bone is human
Turning phone lines to airlines
Unwilling to face
The love is found on the inside not the outside
And like a medicine bottle
In the cabinet I'll keep you
And like a medicine bottle
In my hand I will hold you
And swallow you slowly
As to last me a lifetime
Without holding too tight
I do not want to lose
The thrill that it gives me
To look out from my window
And scowl at the houses
From my world in the bedroom
It's all in my head she read
In her girlfriend's self-help book
It's all his own making
A war with himself
Like two sides of a wall
That separates two countries
He shuts out the world
And wants only to love you
Not wanting to die out here
Without you
Lyrics submitted by ThreeMilesDown, edited by siwamies, punstress
Medicine Bottle Lyrics as written by Mark Edward Kozelek
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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,
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
i love this song. i think it's about a guy who's really depressed and melancholy and falls in love with a girl who's pretty happy. she keeps trying to get him to see past his depression, but he can't and it causes problems between them. these lines pretty much point that out : it's all in your head she said morning after nightmare you're building a wall she said higher than the both of us so try living life instead of hiding in the bedroom show me a smile and i'll promise not to leave you they seperate for the last time in the second verse "it's all in my head i said banging a piano i've not been so alone i thought since kicking in the womb i drank so much tea i wrote my letters in kanji around the block i walked and walked pretending you were with me not wanting to die out here without you" He misses her alot. The part about the medicine bottle, he's going to hold onto her memory and "swallow her you slowly" or in other take it all in. at the same time, he wants her back so much and he doesn't care about anything else "it's all his own making a war with himself like two sides of a wall that separates two countries he shuts out the world and wants only to love you" Oh yeah, and instead of him being depressed, he could also be struggling with a drug addiction.
I know your post is eight years old and that you personally probably won't come back to reply, but I get the vibe that the girl is in the wrong. As if, she's the cause of his depression while she's telling him to stop being depressed. Kind of a cruel circle of emotions.
I disagree that they separate in the song. I think that verse ("I've not been so alone...") emphasizes his dependance on her; it's not that they broke up but just that when she's not around he feels so alone and walks around pretending she's with him. This builds up to the medicine bottle confession– that he needs her like a drug that makes life tolerable but with too much he'll lose himself, or perhaps the part of himself which is so isolated.<br /> <br /> I also don't think this song is written as a narrative. It's more of a stream of thoughts, feelings and reflections, maybe memories, that are all connected. Brilliant song writing really. What makes it so great is that it's not all there. The song is like a still from a movie or a page from a diary. It leaves so much to the imagination but at the same time it's very direct and clear, not to mention powerful.<br /> <br /> and im aware this post is 11 years old, it was just a prompt to me
I love how there are no really difficult metaphors and the like in this and it is just him expressing his emotions.
Fascinating song, but who's heard of the band?
Formed in 1989. Here are the band's albums:<br /> Down Colorful Hill (1992)<br /> Red House Painters aka Rollercoaster (1993)<br /> Red House Painters aka Bridge (1993)<br /> Ocean Beach (1995)<br /> Songs for a Blue Guitar (1996)<br /> Old Ramon (2001)[1]
This is the song I always put on to cry to. The image of a sad boy in his room scowling out at the world through his depression just breaks my heart because I feel such a kindred spirit to Mark.
i have trouble listening to this song as it is too close to home sometimes
Such a difficult song to listen to. It's amazing.
very powerful song
I wonder if he could even be schizophrenic, based on the line about his mind being divided like two countries. Either way, it's so fucking upsetting.
I would wager both addiction and depression, Matrix.
From the very little I know about the lyricist's life, he struggled with pill popping from a young age...though I don't think it's ever been specified what exactly he took. I've also read somewhere there was a period of his life he almost never left his room. It would not surprise me if parts of this song were taken directly from Mark Kozelek's own life.
"It's all in your head she said," -->She's trying to get him to 'lighten up' for lack of better words. She doesn't want him to be so miserable all the time.
"It's all in my head I said" --> He's trying to convince himself he doesn't need to be miserable all the time.
"It's all in his head she read from the girlfriend's self help book" --> His girlfriend is trying to cope with an extremely intense sadness he possesses.
I heard this song performed live. It's pretty obvious how personal it is to him' and also obvious why he refuses to perform it live anymore.
Pure gold. I can sleep to this.
There is NO ESCAPE from this worst gangster police state, using ALL of the deadly gangster Frankenstein controls!