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.
I got no arms
I got no legs
Got no shoulders
But I got a head
I got a head that tells me stupid things to do.
But I got heart
And I got hard
And it was slowly pulling me apart
Cause I’ll never feel the same as you
So tell me if it’s love
Cause baby I’m a tin man
Tell me if it’s love
Wanna be a real word (oh)
And is this love?
Is this pain?
Got a feeling I cannot mend
Slowly changing every part of me.
I know you think I’m just a toy
But I wanna be a real boy
Only want to feel the same as you.
So tell me if it’s love
Cause baby I’m a tin man
Tell me if it’s love
Wanna be a real word
Tell me if it’s love
Cause Baby I’m a tin man
Since you took my heart
I’ve gotta missing part.
I’ve gotta missing part
I’ve gotta missing part
I’ve gotta missing part
I’ve got a missing part!
I’ve got a missing part
I got no arms
I got no legs
Got no shoulders
But I got a head
I got a head that tells me stupid things to do.
I cannot eat
I cannot sleep
I’ve got a hole inside of me
Cause I’ll never feel the same as you.
So tell me if it’s love
Cause baby I’m a tin man
So tell me if it’s love
I wanna be a real word
So tell me if it’s love
Cause baby I’m a tin man
Since you took my heart
I got a missing part.
I got a missing part
I got a missing part
(more more)
I got a missing part
(more, I need more)
I got a missing part
(more more)
Got a missing part
(more more)
(oh oh ooh)
Got a missing part!
I got a missing part.
I got no legs
Got no shoulders
But I got a head
I got a head that tells me stupid things to do.
But I got heart
And I got hard
And it was slowly pulling me apart
Cause I’ll never feel the same as you
So tell me if it’s love
Cause baby I’m a tin man
Tell me if it’s love
Wanna be a real word (oh)
And is this love?
Is this pain?
Got a feeling I cannot mend
Slowly changing every part of me.
I know you think I’m just a toy
But I wanna be a real boy
Only want to feel the same as you.
So tell me if it’s love
Cause baby I’m a tin man
Tell me if it’s love
Wanna be a real word
Tell me if it’s love
Cause Baby I’m a tin man
Since you took my heart
I’ve gotta missing part.
I’ve gotta missing part
I’ve gotta missing part
I’ve gotta missing part
I’ve got a missing part!
I’ve got a missing part
I got no arms
I got no legs
Got no shoulders
But I got a head
I got a head that tells me stupid things to do.
I cannot eat
I cannot sleep
I’ve got a hole inside of me
Cause I’ll never feel the same as you.
So tell me if it’s love
Cause baby I’m a tin man
So tell me if it’s love
I wanna be a real word
So tell me if it’s love
Cause baby I’m a tin man
Since you took my heart
I got a missing part.
I got a missing part
I got a missing part
(more more)
I got a missing part
(more, I need more)
I got a missing part
(more more)
Got a missing part
(more more)
(oh oh ooh)
Got a missing part!
I got a missing part.
Lyrics submitted by Caffinated
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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.
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Dreamwalker
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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.
No Surprises
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
I believe the lyrics are, "Wanna be a real one", not, "Wanna be a real word". I didn't read through the rest of the lyrics, but thanks for putting them on here!
I'm not familiar with Animal Kingdom, I just got their free single off iTunes a few weeks ago. I must say though that I absolutely adore this song!
Oh, and it's, "Got a feeling I cannot name," not, "Got a feeling I cannot mend".<br /> <br /> <3 this song!
Yes, I'm pretty sure it's (I wanna be a real one). It makes more sense in any case.
This was a freebie on iTunes a few months. Gotta say, the album wound up being my favorite of 2009. Hope to hear more from them in then next year.
Wow, I thought the lyric was "I wanna be a real boy". Guess cause I thought it worked with the whole fairy tale/tin man theme. iTunes free picks are generally hit or miss, but I think this one was definitely a hit. :) Pretty sure it's about a guy who's either had his heart broken or never been in love and finds this great girl but doesn't know if she feels the same. She's his "missing part" that he needs to feel whole. Kinda refreshing after hearing so many songs about a girl who needs a guy to feel whole.