You were born in KC, Missouri
To a girl who wasn't married
After your birth she brought you to the nursery
Kissed your head and told you not to worry
And then quietly she turned and slipped away

In the elevator her heart began to pound
To the rooftop in her slippers and her gown
On the edge she took one last look around
Then closed her eyes and pushed away

Speeding toward the ground
Through the air without a sound
So gracefully

Twelve flights down, nearly naked on the ground
Skin and tragedy always attract a crowd
And so it was when the policeman came around
He took more than fifty eye-witness accounts
Each one in awe for they'd never seen a girl
So sad and beautiful

Speeding toward the ground
Through the air without a sound
Speeding toward the ground
Through the air without a sound
So gracefully



Lyrics submitted by mimicry

Track duration: 04:20


June 18, 1976 song meanings
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31 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:This song is so beautiful, it gives me chills. Sad and beautiful really is an incredible combination.
    Flag katlovesyouon September 14, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I've tried to like this song, honestly. I mean, its not a bad song... but the lyrics really, really bother me. I'm sure they're probably not true [which by the way, neither was 'padraic my prince' but i'm sure you all know that] but I am still outraged at the way the lyrics romanticize the idea of a woman who left her newborn without a mother by choice. There is nothing "beautiful" about that no matter how sad you are; its just plain selfish and ultimately, cruel. I'm annoyed by how people seem to eat it up, too.

    If you want to listen to a REAL suicide song in which the protagonist makes a humane, unselfish decision because of his loved ones, listen to "no lies, just love" by bright eyes.

    And no, I do not need a kleenex right now or anything of the sort. Gaaah!
    Flag shortcakeon July 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:For the person above me, your right. Screaming and heavy guitars has all been labeled under Emo, and its sad because people have grown to detest anything titled emo. This is emo, its emotional. Screaming and heavy guitars is emotional too, but in a different way. The wrong associations are being put with Emo these days. I had to say something, I hope everyone settles down with the emo argument. Now, this song is really pretty and is one of my favorites by them.
    Flag WalkandTalkon January 21, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think what Senor Bumblebee means when he says emo, are kids(i hope just kids) that seems to be overly(emphasis on overly) depressed without good reason (other than for attention?)

    it's a.k.a a stereotype.
    Flag NaNO3on December 10, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:it's just like hiphop being called R&B, most people don't know the difference between emo and this kind of music. emo doesn't mean just 'emotional', because a lot of music would fit into that description :).
    urbandictionary.com/…
    Flag harmon April 14, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yes i totally agree with promisexkept. Padraic My Prince is a great song too. This level of intensity is definitely moving, loving this song all the way.
    Flag rufusauron April 02, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:reminds me of Padraic My Prince by Bright Eyes,same intense, emotional feel.
    Flag promisexkepton December 11, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree with all the people who love this song. You know what song I think has the same kind of vibe, although I think I'm going to get all kinds of hate for this one... "Fred Jones Pt. 2" by Ben Folds.
    As for the emo debate, I wish it would just go away. Does anyone remember how everything started getting called "alternative" in the 90's? Emo has become the same way, it's a name for anything and everything, including things its pioneers would've hated. That's not saying it's not great music, it's just saying it's not a very useful label.
    Flag afrostratrockon October 05, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:David Bazan: "This song is sort of me aping TW Walsh, aping Neil Young as far as the melody and chord-progression. And that’s how that song began.
    At the time, I should’ve been writing lyrics for Winners Never Quit, because the lyrics for that record weren’t finished yet and I was coming up against a deadline. I ended up getting distracted by this song.
    The first line that came out was, “I was born in KC, Missouri to a girl who wasn’t married.” And that was all I really had. At some point I decided to change it to, “You were born…” because then the perspective has some added depth. And all of a sudden there’s a narrator and a listener that’s implied that caused me to imagine who he’s talking to and what their reaction might be.
    From there, I just followed the story. I didn’t know what was going to happen. It just kept building. And by the time I got to the chorus, the girl was up on the roof, taking one last look around. By then I knew what was about to happen, and I stopped there for a while. For about a month I didn’t have anything else ‘til I had to record the song. That’s when I wrote the second verse.
    I’m particularly fond of the line, “Skin and tragedy always attract a crowd.” "
    Flag etcetera_whateveron September 21, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i'm punk. totally punk.
    Flag westfallon June 23, 2004   Link

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