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.
you reached out, you got burned, made tough by the lessons you learned
you never thought they could be so mean,
be so hard and cause you so much pain
like a fool you tried again, you really wanted to be their friend
but looking back you see they just wasted your time (3x)
self loathing, the anger inside, you covered it up with pride, you always
found a way to
blame it on yourself, on yourself, blame it on yourself
looking back you get yourself together...
looking back you get to go on...
looking back you see that you
get to change your mind about yourself and you get to go on...
so mad, so mean, the pain remained unseen
all that time pent up wanting to explode (3x)
what they did, the things the said, you wished that you were dead
anything not to have to deal with them (3x)
they made you hate, you couldn't wait to go out and do something great
turn around and throw it right back in their face (4x)
looking back you get yourself together
looking back you see all the hatred inside
now you see that you get to change your mind about yourself
and you get to go on, so go on..!
looking back you see you just wasted your time
buying into the talk and the lies
looking back you see all you've got is yourself
you can tell by the look in their eyes
alien man, I'm an alien man, I'm an alien man, I'm an alien man... yeah!
now you see how you are, the wisdom mixed it with all the scars
go on out and watch all the fools pass themselves on by
they never knew, they never do, it was always up to you
you gotta go out and get it for yourself (3x)
you never were one of them, they could have never been your friends
the best revenge is to always survive yourself [repeat bunch of times]
you never thought they could be so mean,
be so hard and cause you so much pain
like a fool you tried again, you really wanted to be their friend
but looking back you see they just wasted your time (3x)
self loathing, the anger inside, you covered it up with pride, you always
found a way to
blame it on yourself, on yourself, blame it on yourself
looking back you get yourself together...
looking back you get to go on...
looking back you see that you
get to change your mind about yourself and you get to go on...
so mad, so mean, the pain remained unseen
all that time pent up wanting to explode (3x)
what they did, the things the said, you wished that you were dead
anything not to have to deal with them (3x)
they made you hate, you couldn't wait to go out and do something great
turn around and throw it right back in their face (4x)
looking back you get yourself together
looking back you see all the hatred inside
now you see that you get to change your mind about yourself
and you get to go on, so go on..!
looking back you see you just wasted your time
buying into the talk and the lies
looking back you see all you've got is yourself
you can tell by the look in their eyes
alien man, I'm an alien man, I'm an alien man, I'm an alien man... yeah!
now you see how you are, the wisdom mixed it with all the scars
go on out and watch all the fools pass themselves on by
they never knew, they never do, it was always up to you
you gotta go out and get it for yourself (3x)
you never were one of them, they could have never been your friends
the best revenge is to always survive yourself [repeat bunch of times]
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death, edited by simon74187
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truth though, - best revenge is to survive yourself
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Henry's talking about trying to fit in. In the end he realizes he's fine because he was always true to himself while all the other assholes were trying to fit in. Something like that. makes sense to me lol
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