And I wonder which song they're going to play when we go
I hope it's something quiet, mannered, peaceful, and slow
When we float out into the ether into the everlasting arms
I hope we don't hear Marley's chains we forged in life

Because the chains I've been hearing now for most of my life
And the chains I've been hearing for most of my life

Did you hear the '59 sound coming through on Grandmama's radio?
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?

And I wonder were you scared when the metal hit the glass
See I was playing a show down the road when your spirit left your body
And they told me on the front lawn, I'm sorry I couldn't go
But I still know the song and the words and the name and the reasons

And I know because we were kids and we used to hang
And I know because we were kids and we used to hang

Did you hear the '59 sound coming through on Grandmama's radio?
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?

Young boys . . . young girls
Young boys . . . young girls
Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night
Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday
Well they ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night
Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night

Did you hear the '59 sound coming through on Grandmama's radio?
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?

Young boys . . . young girls
Young boys . . . young girls



Lyrics submitted by lowapr

Track duration: 03:10


The '59 Sound song meanings
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48 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:After reading a lot of these comments, Plus listening to the lyrics, I think that it is about growing up or knowing someone in your past life that you had a strong connection with, Then possibly grew apart, Then you found out that the person has died. You are then flooded with what you used to do as kids( Hence we were kids and used to hang, And the 59 sound on grandma's radio). That could be in partisan with the two being kids and they knew eachother's parents/grandparent's, Etc... And they used to listen to the radio with the deceased person's grandmother. I just think it's about having a close friend who eventually died, And you mourn their loss with memories.
    Flag SkylinexBleedsxRedon August 24, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Love this song because it's such a unique way to look at loss. Like, he's looking at it through music. "I wonder which song, they'll play when we go?" It's like you see the world through music as a lens, and death is no exception. It's not like "will it be an open casket, what should I wear, will I cry?" It's like "What song will they play." Because music is the most important thing to you, that's the first thing you think about when you consider loss. God I hope they play a song that attempts to do your life some justice. ANd it's so cool because you know he didn't have to think about this much, it's just how he considers death, and an artists perception, if they're good, never gets old. It always makes you think.
    Flag rbach48on June 22, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Link(s):Check out Ian Blackwood's amazing 1-man band cover of this song at
    stedawa.com/blog2/…
    Flag stedawaon April 05, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Well the chains are definitely an allusion to Marley from "A Christmas Carol". But the fact that he still "knows the song and the words and her name and the reasons" makes me think that his friend killed himself because something happened with a woman.
    I don't think this interpretation is far-fetched because many people believe that suicide is a sin, and that's why he'd be wearing "chains" in death.
    Flag corrslighton December 28, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:All right, after reading all this over. I THINK I have a pretty good idea about what this means. I find that beardown247 gave the best input out of pretty much everybody;

    And I wonder which song they're going to play when we go (Self explanatory; he wonders what song they are gonna play when he dies)
    I hope it's something quiet, mannered, peaceful, and slow (He hopes the song is nice, one that he enjoys)
    When we float out into the ether into the everlasting arms (When he floats to heaven and into gods arms)
    I hope we don't hear Marley's chains we forged in life (This has been explained 1000 times; he hopes his mistakes and his regrets dont haunt him)

    Because the chains I've been hearing now for most of my life (His "Chains" (regrets and mistakes) have been haunting him for his living...life o.O
    And the chains I've been hearing for most of my life (See above)

    Did you hear the '59 sound coming through on Grandmama's radio? (Music from the 50's? He remembers when he used to listen to the "59 Sound" that used to play through his grandma's radio)
    Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls? (Did your regrets haunt you in the hospital, in the bed?)
    Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over? (Did you hear the choir as they sung at your funeral?)
    Did you hear your favorite song one last time? (Self explanatory; did you hear your favorite song? We played it for you because we know how much you like it.)

    And I wonder were you scared when the metal hit the glass (Uuuuh, maybe the dude was shot? Was he scared when the bullet went through the window)
    See I was playing a show down the road when your spirit left your body (lol, again self explanatory)
    And they told me on the front lawn, I'm sorry I couldn't go (This line eludes me :/)
    But I still know the song and the words and the name and the reasons (Same as above)

    And I know because we were kids and we used to hang (He was his friend)
    And I know because we were kids and we used to hang (See above)

    Did you hear the '59 sound coming through on Grandmama's radio? (Repeat)
    Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls? (Repeat)
    Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over? (repeat)
    Did you hear your favorite song one last time? (repeat)

    Young boys . . . young girls (????)
    Young boys . . . young girls (????)
    Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night (he wasnt supposed to die on that saturday night)
    Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday (Same)
    Well they ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night (Repeat)
    Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night (Repeat)

    Did you hear the '59 sound coming through on Grandmama's radio? (Repeat)
    Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls? (Repeat)
    Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over? (Repeat)
    Did you hear your favorite song one last time? (Repeat)

    Young boys . . . young girls (Repeat)
    Young boys . . . young girls (repeat)

    wow, I guess I really didnt understand the whole song. But I got the gist of it. Its an amazing song, you dudes have done a good job at helping me understand it!
    Flag OrigamiWingson October 13, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i feel like he's asking his friend, "what's it like to die?"- as most people have a lot of anxiety over the thought-

    "did you hear the '59 sound" = was it like being a kid again?
    "did you hear the rattling chains" = were you burdened by and judged on everything you did wrong?
    "did you hear the old gospel choir" = was it a generic white light and 'hallelujah' moment?
    "did you hear your favorite song" = was it comfortable and everything you knew if would be?


    for some reason the line "did you hear your favorite song one last time" always breaks my heart
    Flag reginaldcranmeron August 19, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I always heard "crap office radio" instead of Grandmama's radio. And "hospital wards." Doesn't matter though, the message still gets across.

    A kid I used to be friends with when we were 8 years old just died in a car crash. He was 17. This is such a perfect song for everything I feel for him, and I wish I knew him better before this. We grew apart and now he's gone. I feel so bad for the driver, she wasn't drunk or anything, just messing around on the road. Fucking pointless.
    Flag Aquarius121on May 20, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I thought it was "Carry you 'away'" but maybe that's just me. Either way, I think I'm gonna hear Arcade Fire's "No Cars Go" when I die. Not quite a '59 sound, and really even a band I like a whole lot, but that song is so epic.
    Flag lunchboxturtleon January 21, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:A truly amazing song. I found this song when my friend passed away from a car accident by coincidence and later on sang it at an open mic (in his honor). The raw emotion i feel when i hear this song makes it a regular on my ipod.
    Flag Nitehawk32on January 16, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:A truly amazing song. I found this song when my friend passed away from a car accident by coincidence and later on sang it at an open mic (in his honor). The raw emotion i feel when i hear this song makes it a regular on my ipod.
    Flag Nitehawk32on January 16, 2011   Link

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