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.
Penny Lane, there is a barber showing photographs
Of every head he's had the pleasure to know
And all the people that come and go
Stop and say, "Hello"
On the corner is a banker with a motorcar
The little children laugh at him behind his back
And the banker never wears the mac
In the pouring rain, very strange
Penny Lane is in my ear and in my eye
There beneath the blue suburban skies
I sit, and meanwhile back
In Penny Lane there is a fireman with an hourglass
And in his pocket is a portrait of the Queen
He likes to keep his fire engine clean
It's a clean machine
Penny Lane is in my ear and in my eye
A four of fish and finger pies
In summer, meanwhile back
Behind the shelter in the middle of the roundabout
The pretty nurse is selling poppies from a tray
And though she feels as if she's in a play
She is anyway
In Penny Lane, the barber shaves another customer
We see the banker sitting waiting for a trim
Then the fireman rushes in
From the pouring rain, very strange
Penny Lane is in my ear and in my eye
There beneath the blue suburban skies
I sit, and meanwhile back
Penny Lane is in my ear and in my eye
There beneath the blue suburban skies
Penny Lane
Of every head he's had the pleasure to know
And all the people that come and go
Stop and say, "Hello"
On the corner is a banker with a motorcar
The little children laugh at him behind his back
And the banker never wears the mac
In the pouring rain, very strange
Penny Lane is in my ear and in my eye
There beneath the blue suburban skies
I sit, and meanwhile back
In Penny Lane there is a fireman with an hourglass
And in his pocket is a portrait of the Queen
He likes to keep his fire engine clean
It's a clean machine
Penny Lane is in my ear and in my eye
A four of fish and finger pies
In summer, meanwhile back
Behind the shelter in the middle of the roundabout
The pretty nurse is selling poppies from a tray
And though she feels as if she's in a play
She is anyway
In Penny Lane, the barber shaves another customer
We see the banker sitting waiting for a trim
Then the fireman rushes in
From the pouring rain, very strange
Penny Lane is in my ear and in my eye
There beneath the blue suburban skies
I sit, and meanwhile back
Penny Lane is in my ear and in my eye
There beneath the blue suburban skies
Penny Lane
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I grew up listening to the Beatles daily because my older sister was a HUGE fan. She was 13 when the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan show. I'm Canadian, but my wife is from Liverpool and grew up just a few blocks away from Penny Lane. We went back to England on our honeymoon (20 years ago) and her grandmother walked us both down to Penny Lane. Road signs in England are usually tacked onto a corner wall at the intersections (a opposed to using a pole). The Penny Lane sign had been stolen so many times the city council finally decided to paint the name "Penny Lane" right on the brickwork! Yes, the street was in very nice, and yes there is in fact a roundabout! Rows of shops on both sides of the street, and many flower beds here and there. Penny Lane is a LOVELY song about truly nice place with warm, friendly people!