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.
I know the feeling
It is the real thing
The essence of the soul
The perfect moment
That golden moment
I know you feel it too
I know the feeling
It is the real thing
You can't refuse the embrace
No
It's like the pattern below the skin
You gotta reach out and pull it all in
And you feel like you're too close
But you swallow another dose
The pinnacle of happiness
Filling up your soul
You don't think you can take any more
You never wanna let go
To touch the roots of experience
The most basic ingredients
To see the unseen glitter of life
And feel the dirt, grief, anger and strife
Cherish the certainty of now
It kills you a bit at a time
Cradle the inspiration
It will leave you writhing on the floor
This is so unreal, what I feel
This nourishment, life is bent
Into a shape I can hold
A twist of fate, all my own
Just grit your teeth, make no sound
Take a step away and look around
Just clench your fist and close your eyes
Look deep inside, hypnotize
The whisper is but a shout
That's what it is all about
Yes, the ecstasy, you can pray
You will never let it slip away
Like the sacred song that someone sings you, through you
Like the flesh so warm that the thorn sticks into, into
Like the dream you know one day will come to life, life
Try to hold on just a little longer, longer, stronger, stronger
It's the jewel of victory
The chasm of misery
And once you have bitten the core
You will always know the flavor
The split second of divinity
You drink up the sky
All of heaven is in your arms
You know the reason why
It's right there, all by itself
And what you are, there is nothing else
You're growing a life within a life
The lips of wonder kiss you inside
And when it's over the feeling remains
It all comes down to this
The smoke clears, I see what it is
That made me feel this way
I know the feeling
It is the real thing
The essence of the soul
The perfect moment
That golden moment
I know you feel it too
I know the feeling
It is the real thing
You can't refuse the embrace
This is so unreal, what I feel
Flood, sell your soul, feel the blood
Pump through your veins, can't explain
The element that's everything
Just clench your fist and close your eyes
Look deep inside, hypnotize
Yes, the ecstasy, you can pray
You will never let it slip away
Yes, the ecstasy, you can pray
You will never let it slip away
You will never let it slip away
You will never let it slip away
Like the echoes of your childhood laughter, ever after
Like the first time love urged you to take it's guidance, in silence
Like your heartbeat when you realize you're dying, but you're trying
Like the way you cry for a happy ending, ending, ending
Ending, ending, ending
It is the real thing
The essence of the soul
The perfect moment
That golden moment
I know you feel it too
I know the feeling
It is the real thing
You can't refuse the embrace
No
It's like the pattern below the skin
You gotta reach out and pull it all in
And you feel like you're too close
But you swallow another dose
The pinnacle of happiness
Filling up your soul
You don't think you can take any more
You never wanna let go
To touch the roots of experience
The most basic ingredients
To see the unseen glitter of life
And feel the dirt, grief, anger and strife
Cherish the certainty of now
It kills you a bit at a time
Cradle the inspiration
It will leave you writhing on the floor
This is so unreal, what I feel
This nourishment, life is bent
Into a shape I can hold
A twist of fate, all my own
Just grit your teeth, make no sound
Take a step away and look around
Just clench your fist and close your eyes
Look deep inside, hypnotize
The whisper is but a shout
That's what it is all about
Yes, the ecstasy, you can pray
You will never let it slip away
Like the sacred song that someone sings you, through you
Like the flesh so warm that the thorn sticks into, into
Like the dream you know one day will come to life, life
Try to hold on just a little longer, longer, stronger, stronger
It's the jewel of victory
The chasm of misery
And once you have bitten the core
You will always know the flavor
The split second of divinity
You drink up the sky
All of heaven is in your arms
You know the reason why
It's right there, all by itself
And what you are, there is nothing else
You're growing a life within a life
The lips of wonder kiss you inside
And when it's over the feeling remains
It all comes down to this
The smoke clears, I see what it is
That made me feel this way
I know the feeling
It is the real thing
The essence of the soul
The perfect moment
That golden moment
I know you feel it too
I know the feeling
It is the real thing
You can't refuse the embrace
This is so unreal, what I feel
Flood, sell your soul, feel the blood
Pump through your veins, can't explain
The element that's everything
Just clench your fist and close your eyes
Look deep inside, hypnotize
Yes, the ecstasy, you can pray
You will never let it slip away
Yes, the ecstasy, you can pray
You will never let it slip away
You will never let it slip away
You will never let it slip away
Like the echoes of your childhood laughter, ever after
Like the first time love urged you to take it's guidance, in silence
Like your heartbeat when you realize you're dying, but you're trying
Like the way you cry for a happy ending, ending, ending
Ending, ending, ending
Lyrics submitted by jt, edited by DodgerFuckYou
The Real Thing Lyrics as written by James Blanco Martin Bill Gould
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Great version of a great song,
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This song is my favorite by the band. I like to think it's about a near-death experience, or maybe just having a deeply spiritual/religious experience. It's big. It's understanding the meaning of life, it's everything. It's the real thing. I love it.
@giordano1000 .. I love how everyone gets butt hurt that it's not about drugs maybe it is maybe it's not but why would he say you swallow another dose..lol.. a dose of what caffeine or spring water that seems pretty laughable like I said it's either about someone taking acid or ecstasy or pain medication and it also sounds like someone trying to numb himself after a horrible break-up
@john110039<br /> <br /> Not saying you're right or wrong as Patton himself has not disclosed his inspiration or meaning for these lyrics and, like so many other art forms, lyrics can be incredibly subjective. But, I'll ask you to think outside the box a little further if you can as these lyrics are brilliantly laced with symbolic metaphor. For example, I could take another 'dose' of arguing with my mother as it can be like a poison that I kill myself with or another dose of my mundane life by going in for yet another shift at my meaningless job etc... There are many drug use words and phrases in this song but, like many others, I suspect they're being used to describe something much more profound and meaningful than what appears on the surface