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 were right I"m hanging round because
Slight of hand won't separate us from them
You were right I'm underground because
Slight of hand won't separate your body from the dirt you're standing on today
You're the good things yeah that's you
You're the icing on the cake on the table at my wake
You're the extra ton of cash on my sinking life raft
You're the loud sound of fun when I'm trying to sleep
You're the flowers in my house when my allergies come out
You're the good things
And help's not short when you're digging your grave
I'll help you dig it
So you're digging your grave now
You're speaking my language I'll help you dig it
Slight of hand won't separate us from them
You were right I'm underground because
Slight of hand won't separate your body from the dirt you're standing on today
You're the good things yeah that's you
You're the icing on the cake on the table at my wake
You're the extra ton of cash on my sinking life raft
You're the loud sound of fun when I'm trying to sleep
You're the flowers in my house when my allergies come out
You're the good things
And help's not short when you're digging your grave
I'll help you dig it
So you're digging your grave now
You're speaking my language I'll help you dig it
Lyrics submitted by emopunkskaface, edited by sheionizes, shondon, outofmy0mind
You're the Good Things Lyrics as written by Isaac Brock Eric Judy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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i like this song. the last few parts reminds is like my relatioships with everyone at the moment
I think Sapphiredemon is onto a more "true meaning". Like some body seems like they've got good features but when you actually put it in context and think about it... they're essentially pointless.
okay god damn you guys. clearly its about a great girl that he cant have... look at the things he was describing.. icing, flowers, money etc.... its just that at that moment.. he couldnt have any of those things.
this song is so ridiculously brilliant. the bitter sarcasm. like when you like someone and they dont like you back or treat you badly. they make you happy, but they also ruin you.
I agree with the idea of Brock actually being sarcastic when he sings this. It could be like a person, or an ideal, that everyone thinks is so great, but actually just helps dig your own grave.
Also, not every song is about some sort of romance... and its annoying when everyone just decides it is. I guess this MIGHT have merit to be interpreted this way, but most other songs that are obviously unrelated always seem to find idiots who concentrate on a few words to find a lost love in the meaning, Once again to emphasize this song is NOT necessarily about lost romance and has many other possibilities
it's awesome to find so many amazing metaphors in one song... most bands will come up with one great line and build the rest of the song around it with filler. not modest mouse- almost every song is lyrically perfect.
This song seems to imply the subjectivity of perspective. Most people seem to be ignoring my favorite lines at the beginning:
"Sleight of hand can't separate your body from the dirt your standing on today."
This seems to mean that we're all the same, we're all made of the same stuff, the only difference is the viewpoint we take when we're looking. This is a common theme of Brock's and it reminds me of stuff by Vonnegut. In Slaughter-House Five he says that everyone is the same (why his books never have antagonists), and in Cat's Cradle the religion he creates refers to everything as transformed mud that can walk and see. This mirrors the idea that we're inseparable from the dirt we're standing on.
Brock is using this detached perspective to look at human relationships. Everyone is the icing on the cake. Sometimes it's a good thing and sometimes it's not. We bring our own biases into any interaction and Brock recognizes that. There are multiple sides to the coin and it's easy to forget that the things we enjoy and the things that annoy us are often one and the same, and we forget how mercurial we are, how quickly we change moods.
As for the part at the end I'm not sure, but the grave digging ties in nicely with imagery of the "underground" and "the dirty we're standing on."
i also enjoy this song. it's kind of sad tho...like thinking that you could be this person who is all the good things at all the bad times, and really there is nothing you can do to change yourself or the times.
^ thats so true, i never even realized it
i think this is like him saying that whoever he is talking about is like so good but bad things happen when they are together....or like there are so many good things about this person but if you look closer the good things don't seem to come at a necessarily good time.