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.
The cash machine is blue and green
For a hundred in twenties and a small service fee
I could spend three dollars and sixty-three cents
On Diet Coca-Cola and unlit cigarettes
I wonder why we listen to poets when nobody gives a fuck
How hot and sorrowful, this machine begs for luck
All my lies are always wishes
I know I would die if I could come back new
We want a good life with a nose for things
The fresh wind and bright sky to enjoy my suffering
A hole without a key if I break my tongue
Speaking of tomorrow, how will it ever come?
All my lies are always wishes
I know I would die if I could come back new
I'm down on my hands and knees
Every time a doorbell rings
I shake like a toothache
When I hear myself sing
All my lies are only wishes
I know I would die if I could come back new
I would like to salute
The ashes of American flags
And all the fallen leaves
Filling up shopping bags
For a hundred in twenties and a small service fee
I could spend three dollars and sixty-three cents
On Diet Coca-Cola and unlit cigarettes
I wonder why we listen to poets when nobody gives a fuck
How hot and sorrowful, this machine begs for luck
All my lies are always wishes
I know I would die if I could come back new
We want a good life with a nose for things
The fresh wind and bright sky to enjoy my suffering
A hole without a key if I break my tongue
Speaking of tomorrow, how will it ever come?
All my lies are always wishes
I know I would die if I could come back new
I'm down on my hands and knees
Every time a doorbell rings
I shake like a toothache
When I hear myself sing
All my lies are only wishes
I know I would die if I could come back new
I would like to salute
The ashes of American flags
And all the fallen leaves
Filling up shopping bags
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The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
There are two prevailing trends of meaning in this song. 1) Materialism or consumer culture. The lines about buying cigarettes and Coca-Cola represent consumer culture and their obsession with buying things (note how Jeff knows the exact amount of his purchase). Also the "cash machine" and "service fees" evoke this sentiment of money replacing any spiritual values in America.
2) Mortality. Obviously the lines about wanting to die and come back new are a desperate plea for Jeff to remake himself, and right his wrongs. This is impossible when humans are mortal by nature. "Speaking of tomorrow / how will it ever come?" articulates a sense of being stuck in time, in other words doing nothing with your meaningless life.
The last lines refer back to the themes of capitalism in America. The flag is being burned because it has no real value, there is no substance to American culture other than the desire to aquire more and more material wealth: "fallen leaves filling up shopping bags." The last line evokes hollow consumers who will buy anything, filling up shopping bags with dead, lifeless things such as "fallen leaves." Alternatively it could indicate the familiar image of the abandoned shopping bag drifting aimlessly and filling up with dead leaves a-la "American Beauty." This is simply my take on the song, there really is a ton of stuff going on here and lyrically it is quite fascinating.
Jeff Tweedy reminds me so much of Bob Dylan on this song.
This seems to me to just be about how empty life can become, hece ashes of american flags. He just wants something new and different.
The part where he signs "I know I would die if I could come back new" just says it all. Great song.
in an interview, he said that ashes of american flags had nothing to do with anti-patriotism. he said that it was about him admiring people who have the balls to burn american flags.
first how have only two people commented on this song. second this song is awesome, lyrically its amasing the lines : All my lies are only wishes I know I would die if I could come back new are just... i dunno universal i would think. beautiful, just so good
If any one out there can understand this: I listen to this song and it makes me think of being in a dream-like state, and in this dream-like state I am waking up from actually being asleep, with no worries. I think that's what Jeff's sayin he wants too, in a way, iguess. If that's what he was goin for...I would like to salute the ashes of his american flags
Just going off all the previous, tying together the loose ends: I'd say its a dead song, longing for passion. Something to do and feel like doing. Waking up in a dream-like state with no worries... that would be a peace found in the good life the singer desires.
This song reminds me of summers with me and my best friend; driving around aimlessly. Broke. Wanting good things to happen to us and come our way. Wanting to make something of ourselves. Something better. But still just driving around and hoping for something to fall into our lap.
I think that this song has to do with how life is so simple and boring, no one cares. Almost like his life and the people around him are meaningless. He's dreading everyday so he would die to come back a new person... to start over. I think that he is being unpatriotic even if what SUGARXSPICE08 says is true (he might not want to admit that he was being unloyal to his own country). Not to say that he's dissing the country, but almost like he would like to see all the fake and meaningless shit of our country burn away.
I think that this song has to do with how life is so simple and boring, no one cares. Almost like his life and the people around him are meaningless. He's dreading everyday so he would die to come back a new person... to start over. I think that he is being unpatriotic even if what SUGARXSPICE08 says is true (he might not want to admit that he was being unloyal to his own country). Not to say that he's dissing the country, but almost like he would like to see all the fake and meaningless shit of our country burn away.
I gotta agree with Fypast on this one.
I don't think the song really has any political meaning. He's just wants to feel passionate enough about something to fight for a change. He wants to feel excited about things again.
Also, ashes of American flags and falling leaves both (to me) represent a kind of circularity. Something that does die only to come back new.
Flags burn because we live in a country where they can. And leaves fall but return anew every year.