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.
This tired city was somebody's dream
Billboard horizons as black as they seem
Four level highways across the land
We're building a home for the family of man
And it's so hard whatever we are coming to
Yes it's so hard with so little time
And so much to do
Time running out for the family of man
One man to lead us with so much to say
Moving the mountains that got in our way
Prayer books and meetings to find a plan
Deciding the fate of the family of man
Memories replacing the loves that we've lost
Burning our bridges as soon as they're crossed
Factories built where the rivers ran
And time running out for the family of man
Billboard horizons as black as they seem
Four level highways across the land
We're building a home for the family of man
And it's so hard whatever we are coming to
Yes it's so hard with so little time
And so much to do
Time running out for the family of man
One man to lead us with so much to say
Moving the mountains that got in our way
Prayer books and meetings to find a plan
Deciding the fate of the family of man
Memories replacing the loves that we've lost
Burning our bridges as soon as they're crossed
Factories built where the rivers ran
And time running out for the family of man
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No Surprises
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
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“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
This tired city was somebody's dream Billboard horizons as black as they seem And four level highways across the land We're building a home for the family of man
Prices are rising, the devil's to pay Moving the mountain that got in the way Prayer books and meetings, define the plan Deciding the fate of the family of man
It's so hard whatever we are coming to Yes it's so hard with so little time And so much to do
Memories replacing the love that we've lost Burning our bridges as soon as they're crossed Factories built where the rivers ran Time's running out for the family of man
@42 steps \r\n"Moving the mountain that got in the way" - I like this wording better. Such meaning here too.\r\n
I always picture this song as The Collapse of Eden via Manifest Destiny.
It's so hard whatever we are coming to Yes it's so hard with so little time And so much to do
An almost religous fervor to conquer and develop (so much to do) has now created a world where we have to work so hard to save what's left of our natural environment.
"One man to lead us with so much to say" is the Paul Williams original version. Three Dog Night is actually "Crisis arising, the devil to pay".
So there are 2 different lines listed as the first line of verse 2. One as the song was written, and one as the song was song by 3 dog night. But I have never seen the lyrics that are sung over the repeated "So Hard, Family of man" at the end of the song. Anybody know them?
@Mdconly <br /> The falsetto singing at the end is saying “Running out, time is short, Running out, life is short.”<br /> <br /> You can hear it in the live version here:<br /> youtu.be/fpdkX-9BF_Q