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.
Had we never come across the vastness of pavement
The barrenness of waves and the grayness of the sea
Never lost or ne'er been misguided
We'd have ne'er reached seas so shining
Or come from out of a hansom in Camden
To a bar in the basement
While all the while it rained
Or come around to the friendliest of faces
Handsomest in ugly places
Or come from out of the tunnels we dig in
To see that tunneling's not living
And working doesn't work
Or come to find that loving is labor
Labor's life and life's forever
Or come to see that keeping's not giving
You get what you've given
You get what you deserve
And in the midst of all of the action
Maybe only there found satisfaction
Chasing sea-foam dreams
Around another dirty old town
Parallel run streams
Toward the gray ocean from the green ground
'Oed und leer, das meer
But look beneath the glassy surface
All the songs you hear
Down there they have a purpose
All in all we cannot stop singing
we cannot start sinking
We swim until it ends
They may kill and we may be parted
But we will ne'er be broken-hearted
The barrenness of waves and the grayness of the sea
Never lost or ne'er been misguided
We'd have ne'er reached seas so shining
Or come from out of a hansom in Camden
To a bar in the basement
While all the while it rained
Or come around to the friendliest of faces
Handsomest in ugly places
Or come from out of the tunnels we dig in
To see that tunneling's not living
And working doesn't work
Or come to find that loving is labor
Labor's life and life's forever
Or come to see that keeping's not giving
You get what you've given
You get what you deserve
And in the midst of all of the action
Maybe only there found satisfaction
Chasing sea-foam dreams
Around another dirty old town
Parallel run streams
Toward the gray ocean from the green ground
'Oed und leer, das meer
But look beneath the glassy surface
All the songs you hear
Down there they have a purpose
All in all we cannot stop singing
we cannot start sinking
We swim until it ends
They may kill and we may be parted
But we will ne'er be broken-hearted
Lyrics submitted by hollyhoxnj, edited by Carousels
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The lyrics posted are complete junk. These are the correct lyrics:
Had we never come across the vastness of pavement, the barrenness of waves and the grayness of the sea; Never lost or ne'er been misguided, we'd have ne'er reached seas so shining - Or come from out of a handsom in Camden to a bar in the basement while all the while it rained; Or come around to the friendliest of faces, handsomest in ugly places - Or come from out of the tunnels we dig in, to see that tunneling's not living, and working doesn't work; Or come to find that loving is labor, Labor's life and life's forever - Or come to see that keeping's not giving, You get what you've given, you get what you deserve; In the midst of all of the action maybe only there found satisfaction.
Chasing seafoam dreams around another dirty old town. Parallel run streams toward the gray ocean from the green ground. "Oed und leer, das meer", but look beneath the glassy surface. All the songs you hear: down there they have a purpose.
All in all, we cannot stop singing. We cannot start sinking. We swim until it ends. They may kill and we may be parted. but we will ne'er be broken-hearted.
Beautiful song, GeeMo summed it up.
I always want to do a hardcore allusion analysis on this song. I already know the TS Eliot reference, and I recently realized that the "We will ne'er be broken-hearted" is a reference to Burns' poem, "A Fond Kiss," which has the line "we had ne'er been broken-hearted." Gotta love those English majors!
I really love this song.. but the lyrics are posted wrong... in particular, it's "Oed und leer das meer".. not "Burden leer does smear". Thank you
yeah, isn't "oed und leer das meer" from the waste land by ts eliot? this song is so beautiful.
yeah, isn't "oed' und leer das meer" from the waste land by ts eliot? this song is very beautiful.
This song can change your life. The opening chords are like powerful rays of sunshine, and that's just what the song is about--it's coming out into the warmth of music and simply being greeted by it--and enjoying every fucking note of it! Its learning the meaning of life through music, its learning ABOUT life through music. You can hear your life--the late night hangouts with friends, the morning walks to classes or rides to work, the lunch breaks, the rides home, the happy times and just an utter appreciation for life and music...all in this song.
GeeMo, is right. My favorite line is, "chasing sea foam dreams, around another dirty old town!", WE CANNOT STOP SINGING!
simply beautiful song; thanks for the correct lyrics, jsbx
sweet
"the vastness of pavement" part...that tune is from another song and i can't for the life of me remember what song it is! it's buggin me so bad...
i just randomly stumbled upon the genious that is Ted Leo and i'm so i love :D people don't get it, ignorant fools