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 belong to the gang
And you say you can't break away
But I'm here with my hands on my heart
And our families can't agree
I'm your brother's sworn enemy
But I'll shout out my love to the stars
So wait for the stone on your window, your window
Wait by the car and we'll go, we'll go
When first we laid eyes
I swore to no compromise
'Til I felt my caress on your skin
Well, how soon we were betrayed
Your sister gave us away
And your father came all unhinged
So wait for the stone on your window, your window
Wait by the car and we'll go, we'll go
My O Valencia
With your blood still warm on the ground
Valencia
And I swear to the stars
I'll burn this whole city down
All I heard was a shout
Of your brother calling me out
And you ran like a fool to my side
Well, the shot, it hit hard
And your frame went limp in my arms
And an oath of love was your dying cry
So wait for the stone on your window, your window
Wait by the car and we'll, go we'll go
But O Valencia
With your blood still warm on the ground
Valencia
And I'll burn this whole city down
Valencia
With your blood gettin' cold on the ground
Valencia
And I swear to the stars
I'll burn this whole city down
And you say you can't break away
But I'm here with my hands on my heart
And our families can't agree
I'm your brother's sworn enemy
But I'll shout out my love to the stars
So wait for the stone on your window, your window
Wait by the car and we'll go, we'll go
When first we laid eyes
I swore to no compromise
'Til I felt my caress on your skin
Well, how soon we were betrayed
Your sister gave us away
And your father came all unhinged
So wait for the stone on your window, your window
Wait by the car and we'll go, we'll go
My O Valencia
With your blood still warm on the ground
Valencia
And I swear to the stars
I'll burn this whole city down
All I heard was a shout
Of your brother calling me out
And you ran like a fool to my side
Well, the shot, it hit hard
And your frame went limp in my arms
And an oath of love was your dying cry
So wait for the stone on your window, your window
Wait by the car and we'll, go we'll go
But O Valencia
With your blood still warm on the ground
Valencia
And I'll burn this whole city down
Valencia
With your blood gettin' cold on the ground
Valencia
And I swear to the stars
I'll burn this whole city down
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Mountain Song
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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.
I'm going with Romeo and Juliet. The rival gangs are the Capulets and Montagues. The brother's sworn enemy line could refer to Juliet's cousin Tybalt, who challenged Romeo to a duel. Wait for the stone on your window and wait by the car and we'll go could be a reference to the balcony scene, in which Romeo and Juliet plan to run off and get married. This last part is a stretch but "I'll shout out my love to the stars" could be referring to Romeo and Juliet being described as star crossed lovers. Also of course it ends tragically with death. Who knows what it's really about, but this is what I'm hearing.
This song is supposed to be an urban Romeo and Juliet kind of song.
"Valencia" is the said Juliet, and the singer is Romeo. Valencia takes a bullet for him, where he declares he will burn down the city..
The last "with your blood still warm on the ground," should be, "with your blood getting cold on the ground."
This reminds me of West side story, its an awesome song.
ME TOO<br /> <br /> More so even than Romeo and Juliette, even though one's basically a rewrite of the other anyway.
At the show at the 9:30 Club in D.C. somebody in the audience asked what this song was about and Meloy said he intended it to be about gang rivalries around Valencia Street in San Fransisco, but when he showed the song to his friend who lives in San Fransisco she said that that would never happen on that street but he decided to keep the name cause a more realistic one "wouldn't sound as good"
Yeah... I thought exactly what rainstormsong thought. I kinda think this song is like West Side Story and "We both Go Down Together" as Romeo and Juliet.
"The lull" should be "an oath"
These lyrics are so dark, for such an up-beat song.
gang warfare
It's never established whether or not it is a "brother" or "sister" of the rival gang member who is killed. Just something to think about.
Well, I saw the video and it's the singer's girlfriend who's shot. They're staying at a place called Hotel Valencia, though it could also be the town they're in.
I agree with you. Another Decemberists song with possible homosexual meaning (see Billy Liar and The Soldiering Life, and maybe....even The Mariner's Revenge...lolz). But yeah, the lyrics in the last line of the second stanza are dead wrong. They should be "He shouts out my love", not "I'll shout out my love". The version on my iPod and the one on Google's LaLa player both say "he shouts".
I agree with you. Another Decemberists song with possible homosexual meaning (see Billy Liar and The Soldiering Life, and maybe....even The Mariner's Revenge...lolz). But yeah, the lyrics in the last line of the second stanza are dead wrong. They should be "He shouts out my love", not "I'll shout out my love". The version on my iPod and the one on Google's LaLa player both say "he shouts".
I agree with you. Another Decemberists song with possible homosexual meaning (see Billy Liar and The Soldiering Life, and maybe....even The Mariner's Revenge...lolz). But yeah, the lyrics in the last line of the second stanza are dead wrong. They should be "He shouts out my love", not "I'll shout out my love". The version on my iPod and the one on Google's LaLa player both say "he shouts".