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.
Woo
Yeah, Darkchild
Uh, B-Rocka, let's go
Why don't you return my calls?
Why you trip out where I be?
You don't ever come to see me
You say that you're too busy (what?)
What the hell? I don't have time
Why you messin' with my mind?
I can find another guy
Someone who will treat me right
I don't need this bull ish
I won't put up with it any longer
You can go if you want
I don't need your pity
I will be just fine if
You decide that you want to leave
Close the door behind you
I just want to know what
What about all of the things that you said?
What about all of the promises that you made?
What about all of the ice that you gave?
What about all of the things you told me?
What about all of the things that you said?
What about all of the promises that you made?
What about all of the, the ice that you gave?
What about, what about?
What about us? (What about it?)
What about us, us? (What about it?)
What about us? (What about it?)
What about us, us? (What about us?)
I thought you said you were different
Was that what I heard you say?
Said that you'd love only me
Thought that you'd be all I need (what?)
What happened to promises?
Said that you were a better man
Your words have no weight with me
'Cause you're counterfeit, I see
I don't need this bull ish
I won't put up with it any longer
You can go if you want
I don't need your pity
I will be just fine if
You decide that you want to leave
Close the door behind you
I just want to know what
What about all of the things that you said?
What about all of the promises that you made?
What about all of the ice that you gave?
What about all of the things you told me?
What about all of the things that you said?
What about all of the promises you made me?
What about all of the ice that you gave?
What about, what about?
What about us? (What about it?)
What about us, us? (What about it?)
What about us? (What about it?)
What about us, us? (What about us?)
Baby, check it out, hear this
Now what if I said that you wasn't fit to be with
Now what if I told you the game we played, I rigged it
Then what if I said it wasn't true, so do you
You and I know, without me, there's no you
So what about the bills that were past due, paid for you
All you said to me is, "Baby, I owe you" (uh-huh)
Forget about the brand new life that I gave you
Now what about us to me, now what about us to me (what about us?)
What about all of the things that you said? (What about em?)
What about all of the promises that you made? (Woo)
What about all of the ice that you gave? (Uh-huh)
What about all of the things you told me? (Yeah)
What about all of the things that you said? (Uh-huh)
What about all of the promises that you made? (Uh-huh)
What about all of the ice that you gave? (C'mon)
What about, what about, what about us? (B-Rocka)
What about all of the things that you said? (Let's go)
What about all of the promises that you made? (C'mon)
What about all of the ice you gave me? (Yeah)
What about all of the things you told me? (Yeah)
What about all of the things that you said? (Uh-huh)
What about all of the promises that you made?(C'mon)
What about all of the ice that you gave? (Let's go)
What about, what about, what about us? (C'mon, B-Rocka)
What about us? (B-Rocka)
What about us? (B-B-B-B-Rocka, y'all)
What about us? (It's B-Rocka, y'all, FJ)
Uh-huh (uh-uh, Ray J)
Uh-huh (uh-uh, Big Shiz)
Uh-huh (uh-uh, Big Bert)
Uh-huh (uh-uh, J. Matthews)
Uh-huh (uh-uh-uh, Fats)
Uh-huh (uh-uh, Kenisha)
Uh-huh (uh-uh-uh, B-Rocka, and Darkchild)
Yeah, Darkchild
Uh, B-Rocka, let's go
Why don't you return my calls?
Why you trip out where I be?
You don't ever come to see me
You say that you're too busy (what?)
What the hell? I don't have time
Why you messin' with my mind?
I can find another guy
Someone who will treat me right
I don't need this bull ish
I won't put up with it any longer
You can go if you want
I don't need your pity
I will be just fine if
You decide that you want to leave
Close the door behind you
I just want to know what
What about all of the things that you said?
What about all of the promises that you made?
What about all of the ice that you gave?
What about all of the things you told me?
What about all of the things that you said?
What about all of the promises that you made?
What about all of the, the ice that you gave?
What about, what about?
What about us? (What about it?)
What about us, us? (What about it?)
What about us? (What about it?)
What about us, us? (What about us?)
I thought you said you were different
Was that what I heard you say?
Said that you'd love only me
Thought that you'd be all I need (what?)
What happened to promises?
Said that you were a better man
Your words have no weight with me
'Cause you're counterfeit, I see
I don't need this bull ish
I won't put up with it any longer
You can go if you want
I don't need your pity
I will be just fine if
You decide that you want to leave
Close the door behind you
I just want to know what
What about all of the things that you said?
What about all of the promises that you made?
What about all of the ice that you gave?
What about all of the things you told me?
What about all of the things that you said?
What about all of the promises you made me?
What about all of the ice that you gave?
What about, what about?
What about us? (What about it?)
What about us, us? (What about it?)
What about us? (What about it?)
What about us, us? (What about us?)
Baby, check it out, hear this
Now what if I said that you wasn't fit to be with
Now what if I told you the game we played, I rigged it
Then what if I said it wasn't true, so do you
You and I know, without me, there's no you
So what about the bills that were past due, paid for you
All you said to me is, "Baby, I owe you" (uh-huh)
Forget about the brand new life that I gave you
Now what about us to me, now what about us to me (what about us?)
What about all of the things that you said? (What about em?)
What about all of the promises that you made? (Woo)
What about all of the ice that you gave? (Uh-huh)
What about all of the things you told me? (Yeah)
What about all of the things that you said? (Uh-huh)
What about all of the promises that you made? (Uh-huh)
What about all of the ice that you gave? (C'mon)
What about, what about, what about us? (B-Rocka)
What about all of the things that you said? (Let's go)
What about all of the promises that you made? (C'mon)
What about all of the ice you gave me? (Yeah)
What about all of the things you told me? (Yeah)
What about all of the things that you said? (Uh-huh)
What about all of the promises that you made?(C'mon)
What about all of the ice that you gave? (Let's go)
What about, what about, what about us? (C'mon, B-Rocka)
What about us? (B-Rocka)
What about us? (B-B-B-B-Rocka, y'all)
What about us? (It's B-Rocka, y'all, FJ)
Uh-huh (uh-uh, Ray J)
Uh-huh (uh-uh, Big Shiz)
Uh-huh (uh-uh, Big Bert)
Uh-huh (uh-uh, J. Matthews)
Uh-huh (uh-uh-uh, Fats)
Uh-huh (uh-uh, Kenisha)
Uh-huh (uh-uh-uh, B-Rocka, and Darkchild)
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Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Not the best guy that she's with right now and he's like, running her life and he's not even around for her so it's like, he's trying to control her, but he's not there.