Since Defiance, Ohio formed in 2002 they have released four full length LPs, Share What Ya Got, The Great Depression, The Fear, the Fear, the Fear, Midwestern Minutes and several singles, B sides and split EPs. In the DIY spirit they release most of their music themselves, producing their own CDs, as well as allowing anyone to download all their music for free from their website (http://defianceohio.terrorware.com). When not releasing their own music, the band works with small independent record labels in order to produce their releases. Their three most recent albums were released on No Idea.
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Grandma Song
Defiance Ohio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And Grandma tucks you in at night, says "Never be afraid of anything outside." Grandma tucks you in at night. Says "Goodnight, little sweet."
Do you come from a dead people? These pictures of the past litter the floor like newsprint - like cities fell in stacks, and men jumped from buildings. The dust was overwhelming. Do we expect anything to last?
Goodnight, little sweet. I'll sing you to sleep. Goodnight, little sweet. Watch everything recede.
The song "Grandma Song" by Defiance Ohio features a narrative that highlights the challenges of dealing with our own mortality and the inevitability of the end. The song talks about a hospital setting where the singer finds herself feeling tired of the constant flow of patients with their weary and weak eyes. There's a sense of frustration and exhaustion at the fleeting nature of life, reflected in the line "all this turnover makes me so tired." The reference to "cursing cars" points towards the fast pace of life and how in hospitals, life and death are constantly in flux while cars and people hurriedly go about their day, seemingly unaware of the fragility of life.
Despite the ups and downs of life, the song offers an injection of hope through the Grandma figure. The singer describes a childhood memory of being tucked in by their Grandma and being told not to be afraid of things outside. The mantra of "goodnight, little sweet" is repeated, creating a sense of comfort and safety as the song comes to an end. As the singer thinks about death and the fleeting nature of existence, the presence of the Grandma figure provides a sense of stability and wisdom to cling onto.
Overall, "Grandma Song" is a poignant song that touches on universal themes of mortality, fear, and hope. Through the use of descriptive language and personal narrative, the song offers an insight into the complexities of life and the ways in which we can still find comfort and solace in the face of our own mortality.
Line by Line Meaning
Humans can be the cutest of animals sometimes and I walk out the hospital cursing cars because all this turnover makes me so tired.
People can be endearing creatures but as I leave the hospital, I can't help but curse at the cars rushing by because the constant movement exhausts and overwhelms me.
And how are you feeling? All the white in these hospital walls can't quite wash out your tired weak eyes.
How do you feel? Even the white walls in this hospital can't erase the exhaustion and weariness that shows plainly in your eyes.
And Grandma tucks you in at night, says "Never be afraid of anything outside." Grandma tucks you in at night. Says "Goodnight, little sweet."
Grandma lovingly puts you to bed at night and reminds you to be brave and unafraid of the outside world. She then bids you goodnight, her darling child.
Do you come from a dead people? These pictures of the past litter the floor like newsprint - like cities fell in stacks, and men jumped from buildings. The dust was overwhelming. Do we expect anything to last?
Do you come from a society that is long gone? These images of past times are scattered across the floor like old newspapers, as if whole cities crumbled in serial order, and people jumped out of buildings. The heavy layer of dust is almost suffocating. Do we really anticipate anything to exist forever?
Goodnight, little sweet. I'll sing you to sleep. Goodnight, little sweet. Watch everything recede.
Sleep well, beloved child. I'll sing to lull you into slumber. Sweet dreams, darling. Watch as everything fades away into the distance.
Contributed by Julian L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.