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Tear down the house that I grew up in.
I’ll never be the same again.
Take everything that I’ve collected,
and throw it in a pile.
Bulldoze the woods that I ran through.
Carry the pictures of me and you.
I have no memory of who I once was,
and I don’t remember your name.
Park the old car that I love the best.
Inspection’s due and it won’t pass the test.
It’s funny how I have to put it to rest,
and how one day I will join it.
I remember crying over you,
and I don’t mean like a couple of tears and I’m blue.
I’m talking about collapsing and screaming at the moon,
but I’m a better man for having gone through it.
Yes, I’m a better man for having gone through.
Ever since I learned how to curse.
I’ve been using those sorry old words.
But I’m talking to these children and I’m keeping it clean.
I don’t need those words to say what I mean.
No, I don’t need those words to say what I mean
Tear down the house that I grew up in.
I’ll never be the same again.
Take everything that I used to own,
and burn it in a pile
Bulldoze the woods that I ran through.
Carry the pictures of me and you.
I have no memory of who I once was,
and I don’t remember your name.
I’ll never be the same again.
Take everything that I’ve collected,
and throw it in a pile.
Bulldoze the woods that I ran through.
Carry the pictures of me and you.
I have no memory of who I once was,
and I don’t remember your name.
Park the old car that I love the best.
Inspection’s due and it won’t pass the test.
It’s funny how I have to put it to rest,
and how one day I will join it.
I remember crying over you,
and I don’t mean like a couple of tears and I’m blue.
I’m talking about collapsing and screaming at the moon,
but I’m a better man for having gone through it.
Yes, I’m a better man for having gone through.
Ever since I learned how to curse.
I’ve been using those sorry old words.
But I’m talking to these children and I’m keeping it clean.
I don’t need those words to say what I mean.
No, I don’t need those words to say what I mean
Tear down the house that I grew up in.
I’ll never be the same again.
Take everything that I used to own,
and burn it in a pile
Bulldoze the woods that I ran through.
Carry the pictures of me and you.
I have no memory of who I once was,
and I don’t remember your name.
Lyrics submitted by Thrilliam, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Track duration: 03:02
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But, to me, it's more about the passing of a parent. "Tear down the house I grew up in", I think has a double meaning in this context. It's that your parent(s) passed away, and the house you grew up in doesn't feel like it's really the same place, it's "torn down", so to speak. Or, literally wanting to tear down the house you grew up in, simply because you might not want to have to look at your old, now empty, home ever again.
"Carry the pictures of me and you. I have no memory of who I once was, and I don't remember your name." Seems to be clinging to the good times instead of some of the actual memories. Almost saying, 'I don't know who we were, but I know we were happy'. I called my parents by their first names, but now that my father is dead, I always refer to him as dad. And when the day comes that I lose my mother, I'll never call her Kathy again, always mom.
"I'm talking to these children and I'm keeping it clean" seems like a message to kids, to value your parents while you've got them, y'know?
There's some other little things, I think. Like that the singer keeps referring to his childhood, which seems a little wierd if it's a break up song. I don't know if the Avett brothers' parents are passed or not, but this was just how I received the song.
"I remember crying over you,
And I don’t mean like a couple of tears and I’m blue.
I’m talking about collapsing and screaming at the moon,
But I’m a better man for having gone through it."
Real men cry.