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.
Oh, give us your vote
Give us your vote
If you know what's good for you
Oh, give us your vote
Give us your vote
If you know what's good for you
These are the lines
That we straighten every year
And it's the second time
They mapped the constellation
So we searched for you by night
In the Deptford gravel pit
Until the tramp finds Christ
Injustice is my middle name
You don't need to change
Your future's with us
You don't need to change
Your future's with us
You look a wreck
Left your key inside the door
And my rook will check
Across this black and white chess board
Your English is good
We can see it in your bones
In this neighborhood
We ain't driving you home
You don't need to change
Your future's with us
You don't need to change
Oh, give us your vote
Give us your vote
Your English is good
We can see it in your bones
Give us your vote
If you know what's good for you
Oh, give us your vote
Give us your vote
If you know what's good for you
These are the lines
That we straighten every year
And it's the second time
They mapped the constellation
So we searched for you by night
In the Deptford gravel pit
Until the tramp finds Christ
Injustice is my middle name
You don't need to change
Your future's with us
You don't need to change
Your future's with us
You look a wreck
Left your key inside the door
And my rook will check
Across this black and white chess board
Your English is good
We can see it in your bones
In this neighborhood
We ain't driving you home
You don't need to change
Your future's with us
You don't need to change
Oh, give us your vote
Give us your vote
Your English is good
We can see it in your bones
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Standing On The Edge Of Summer
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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"
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
love this song to pieces. Can't describe how it makes me feel :]
So we search for you by night In the Deptford gravel pit Until the tramp finds Christ
This is actually from the book, The fifth business. Check it out.
The song seems to be, at least somewhat, a critique on politicians and the way they treat voters, specifically minorities and lower income voters. The first verse mentions searching for the tramp (beggar, vagrant) in the gravel pit, ending with "Until the tramp finds Christ / Injustice is my middle name." This seems like a commentary on self righteous, religious politicians, those that claim to follow Christ but do nothing to aid the downtrodden (or those who do not share their beliefs) through their policies once in office.
The second verse makes a similar point with the line "your English is good" followed by "In this neighborhood / We ain't driving you home." In this case, politicians are looking to court the minority vote (those who may not be native English speakers), but they would never set foot into any of the poorer neighborhoods where those voters live. The overall point being that some politicians will say anything to win support from the desired demographic, but that they don't truly care about the well being of those they are elected to serve.
The lines "And my rook will check / Across this black and white chess board" further emphasize the idea of political strategizing in a game of race. Notice that he specifically mentions that the chess board is black and white.
My 2 cents.
I had to look up the lyrics to this song -- I thought the opening verse was: "Oh, you MUST go vote..." (I'm thinking to myself, "Damn, right. Because if you dont' go vote, you can't grouse later on!") Well, that's how I ended up at this Web site; I wanted to know the lyrics to this song. I totally thought Tokyo Police Club wrote and sang a song about the hyperbole, rehtoric, and bullsnark election we had this last time around -- you KNOW the one -- anyway, you can't tell me this song doesn't have political undertones to it, and I LOVE it, LOVE it! Of course, I was singing along with my own lyrics...(grin) and that's allowed when I'm in my own vehicle driving down the street.<br /> <br /> My own personal favorite mis-heard lyric: "Takin' care of Elizabeth every day", when they were really singing, "Takin' care of business every day"....sheesh. Imagine my surprise when I finally figured out 10 years down the road that I was singing the wrong lyrics to that song.<br /> <br /> I had to correct a friend once on the lyrics to a song, Hot town, Summer in the City: "back of my neck gettin' dirty and gritty". She's singing, "Back of my neck gettin' dark and pretty".....sheesh AGAIN! She told me I was wrong, but then had to apologize because she looked the lyrics up online and found out I had that one right.<br /> <br /> Anyway, I don't usually post in forums, but I had to on this song. I'll have to check out some of this group's other music. (You can tell I'm not in my 20s, 30s, or even 40s, right...? (ha, I still enjoy the alt rock station!)
i really like your interpretation! i'm glad someone was able to formulate a coherent thought on this song cuz it's pretty difficult<br /> <br /> Thanks!
this song is so amazing!
I agree, great song.
this song is all jumpy, bubbly and just so awesome. this is the song that made me fall in love with this band! still trying to figure out what it means though...
Maybe the song should be re-titled to "Your CanLit is good"?
This song includes an obscure reference to a book by Robertson Davies, who is one of my favourite authors.
you don't need to change, your future's with us!
something i love about this band is how easy it is to just sing with them. concerts are like a giant sing along (for those who know the words)
Some one explain this song to me!!!
It's lovely but would be even more lovely if i could understand it.
UGHHHHH i loveeeee tokyo police club. this song kinda reminds me of summer.