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.
Throw away the radio
Suitcase that keeps you awake
Hide the telephone, the telephone, telephone in case
You realize that sometimes you're just not okay
You level off, you level off, you level off
But it's not alright now
You need to understand
There's nothing strange about this
You need to know your friends
You need to know that
I'll be waving my hand
Watching you drown
Watching you scream
Quiet or loud
And maybe you should sleep
And maybe you just need
A friend as clumsy as you've been
There's no one laughing
You will be safe in here
You will be safe in here
Throw away this very old shoelace
That tripped you again
Try and shrug it off, shrug it off, shrug it off
It's only skin now
You need to understand
There's nothing fake about this
You need to let me in
I'm watching you and
I'll be waving my hand
Watching you drown
Watching you scream
No one's around
And maybe you should sleep
And maybe you just need
A friend as clumsy as you've been
There's no one laughing
You will be safe in here
You will be safe in
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh (la, la, la, la)
I'll be waving my hand
Watching you drown
Watching you scream
Quiet or loud
And maybe you should sleep
And maybe you just need
A friend as clumsy as you've been
There's no one laughing
You will be safe in here
You will be safe in here
You will be safe in here
In here, ow
In here, ow
In here, ow
In here, ow
In here, ow
In here
Suitcase that keeps you awake
Hide the telephone, the telephone, telephone in case
You realize that sometimes you're just not okay
You level off, you level off, you level off
But it's not alright now
You need to understand
There's nothing strange about this
You need to know your friends
You need to know that
I'll be waving my hand
Watching you drown
Watching you scream
Quiet or loud
And maybe you should sleep
And maybe you just need
A friend as clumsy as you've been
There's no one laughing
You will be safe in here
You will be safe in here
Throw away this very old shoelace
That tripped you again
Try and shrug it off, shrug it off, shrug it off
It's only skin now
You need to understand
There's nothing fake about this
You need to let me in
I'm watching you and
I'll be waving my hand
Watching you drown
Watching you scream
No one's around
And maybe you should sleep
And maybe you just need
A friend as clumsy as you've been
There's no one laughing
You will be safe in here
You will be safe in
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh (la, la, la, la)
I'll be waving my hand
Watching you drown
Watching you scream
Quiet or loud
And maybe you should sleep
And maybe you just need
A friend as clumsy as you've been
There's no one laughing
You will be safe in here
You will be safe in here
You will be safe in here
In here, ow
In here, ow
In here, ow
In here, ow
In here, ow
In here
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Can't believe how many people got this wrong or wrote an entire paragraph of non-sense. This song is from the point of view of someone who is a supporting someone (a friend) through hard times but can't get through. It's up to that person to fix themselves no matter how much support they have hence the phrase "I'll be waiving my hand watching you drown".