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.
(One, two, one, two, three, four)
Well I guess I should confess that I am starting to get old
All the latest music fads all passed me by and left me cold
All the kids are talking slang I won't pretend to understand
All my friends are getting married, mortgages and pension plans
And it's obvious my angry adolescent days are done
And I'm happy and I'm settled in the person I've become
But that doesn't mean I'm settled up and sitting out the game
Time may change a lot but some things they stay the same
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all, yeah, I won't grow up
Oh, maturity's a wrapped up package deal so it seems
And ditching teenage fantasy means ditching all your dreams
All your friends and peers and family solemnly tell you you will
Have to grow up be an adult, yeah, be bored and unfulfilled
Oh, when no ones yet explained to me exactly what's so great
About slaving fifty years away on something that you hate
About meekly shuffling down the path of mediocrity
Well, if that's your road then take it but it's not the road for me
Won't sit down
Won't shut up
Most of all, I will not grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all, yeah, I won't grow up
And if all you ever do with your life
Is just photosynthesize
Then you'll deserve every hour of these sleepless nights
That you waste wondering when you're gonna die
Now I'll play and you sing
The perfect way for the evening to begin
Now I'll play and you sing
The perfect way for evening to begin
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all, yeah, I won't grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
Most of all I will not grow up
Well I guess I should confess that I am starting to get old
All the latest music fads all passed me by and left me cold
All the kids are talking slang I won't pretend to understand
All my friends are getting married, mortgages and pension plans
And it's obvious my angry adolescent days are done
And I'm happy and I'm settled in the person I've become
But that doesn't mean I'm settled up and sitting out the game
Time may change a lot but some things they stay the same
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all, yeah, I won't grow up
Oh, maturity's a wrapped up package deal so it seems
And ditching teenage fantasy means ditching all your dreams
All your friends and peers and family solemnly tell you you will
Have to grow up be an adult, yeah, be bored and unfulfilled
Oh, when no ones yet explained to me exactly what's so great
About slaving fifty years away on something that you hate
About meekly shuffling down the path of mediocrity
Well, if that's your road then take it but it's not the road for me
Won't sit down
Won't shut up
Most of all, I will not grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all, yeah, I won't grow up
And if all you ever do with your life
Is just photosynthesize
Then you'll deserve every hour of these sleepless nights
That you waste wondering when you're gonna die
Now I'll play and you sing
The perfect way for the evening to begin
Now I'll play and you sing
The perfect way for evening to begin
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all, yeah, I won't grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
Most of all I will not grow up
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
wow, what a song
=)
FOR ALLYS2:
i think it's actually:
"if all you ever do in your life is photosyntheSIZE then you deserve every hour of those sleepless nights wondering when you're gonna die"
and by that, i think he is saying that if all you're gonna do is get into a groove in life where it's the same thing every day for you (and you just get energy from the sun, maybe working a 9-5 job and don't really live a life outside of that endless cycle) then you don't really live.
i'm drunk, hopefully that made sense.
PhotosynthesISE. He is english, after all :)
i think Westers half right, i think by<br /> <br /> "And if all you ever do with your life<br /> Is photosynthesize"<br /> <br /> he is refering to the cycle where all you do is do enough work to make yourself barley enough food to survive on,<br /> basically the same point.
You're a better person for admitting you were drunk while trying to find meaning in a song.<br /> <br /> It also makes it much more humorous.<br /> <br /> Great Comment Awesome Job!
How can this song have no comments?!
I know the meaning is pretty obvious, so there's no need to come on and say "it's about accepting the fact that your not part of the hip generation anymone but saying fuck it and refusing to be seen as past it"
But still, people should just be on here to say "wow, what a song"
I agree with the above, but offer the more straightforward (I feel) explanation that photosynthesising is about be about being plant-like in quality. In other words, essentially having your life stand still while the world goes by around you. You are firmly rooted in a rut-like state where you, however unintentionally, refuse to acknowledge adventure or risk - As the drunen Wester13 said "just getting energy from the sun" but "don't really live a life".
*drunken.<br /> <br /> macfarlanerd - I'm not sure that's exactly what he means, but nice out-of-the-box thinking.
love how its set up so wierd -.- i mean seriously its like a blob of text lol
^^ Took the words right out of my mouth :D
Truth be told I am starting to get a bit tired of this song... but that's because I have been listening to it at least four times a day for the past week. Give it a few days and it'll be blasting out of my bedroom again :) :) :)
Quite a few errors in the lyrics, none of which I want to write down. Lol =)
Yeah, sorry there's a few errors in this guys, I posted this when Frank first put it up on the myspace before the record was released, so I was going by my ear and a ferw of the words are hard to hear...
I don't really get the photosynthesis idea.. what does he mean by "And if all you ever do with your life is photosynthesise..."?
The statement regarding photosynthesize is about taking a passive role in living your life and/or complacency with your state of being.<br /> <br /> So in the lyric "If all you ever do in your life is photosynthesize, then you deserve every hour of those sleepless nights wondering when you're gonna die" he's saying, if you lead a passive life, just letting the world tick by, then you deserve the agony of (1) knowing you will die, and (2) doing nothing about the knowledge of your death (such as leading an active life). This statement is an indictment of those who do not actively pursue life and new experiences.
Think about it, photosynthesis is the trading of co2 for o2. What he's saying to me is that if the only important thing you do with your life is create co2 for the trees (aka breathing) than you deserve everything you get for not doing shit with your life and wasting it being mundane and boring.
That's not exactly what photosynthesis is (it converts CO2 into sugars using sunlight), but I agree with it symbolizing a passive role in your 'destiny'.
Kmac2464 way to go epic comment i agree dude people who waste their life couldave been so much more instead of being lazy fucktards who stay on their couch most of the day.<br /> (why u mad bro?) i dont... really... know...lol
Spend a week with me and you'll know what this song is about lol, i'm 41 (married then divorced and kids) but i'm still the party guy i was when i was young and won't ever change it, not even my kids want me to be the normal run of the mill father,... and the bonus is,... people who meet me think i'm 28-30! :)