They are not from Ohio.
EFO's early sound was almost entirely acoustic, including such unusual touches as hand percussion, though over the years they have gradually shifted towards incorporating more electric instruments. EFO's focus on rich harmonies and literate, quirky songwriting has remained strong. Though they have been playing their own smart, tuneful songs (by songwriters Schaefer and Clem) since the beginning of their 15-year existence, the band's repertoire also includes some notable covers of songs by The Byrds and Blues Traveler.
The band has won several WAMMIES (music awards given to bands from the Washington D.C. area) and tours throughout the United States.
This Is Me
Eddie From Ohio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before the war
You can see
I don't look much like that
Anymore.
Yes, my hands
Are still as small
You understand--
Are visible.
Sebastian--
Bless his heart!
Swallowed by pride
A bona fide
Bonaparte
He led the men
Up the hill
He was smiling then,
And that's how
I think of him still.
(Chorus)
So if you told me that half and half still make a whole
And if you chose me over one and one-half million souls
And if you loved me with abandon--
I'd run anyhow.
And if you asked me, I'd say, "That's what I know of love,
Now."
We never knew
Who to trust
Soldiers came
Full of unchecked
Fear and lust.
And I imagined
You were there
Whispering hope
With bombs whistling,
Falling through the air.
(Chorus)
And I remember all the faces
Of people in my town--
That's just one more tragedy
And I am dreaming of a heart
That opens without a sound
That's how I imagine me...
(Chorus)
This is me
Before the war
You can see
I don't look much like that
Anymore.
In Eddie From Ohio's song "This Is Me," the singer reflects on the changes that occurred in their life before and after a war. The opening lyrics, "This is me before the war, you can see I don't look much like that anymore," reveal that the war has had a significant impact on the singer's physical appearance. However, the lyrics also suggest that not all the changes are visible, as the singer still has "small hands" despite the other alterations.
The song then moves into a verse about a man named Sebastian who was "swallowed by pride" and led his men up a hill with a smile on his face, though it is unclear if this was before or during the war. The singer remembers Sebastian fondly, but his fate is unknown. The chorus follows with the singer expressing their loyalty to someone who loves them unconditionally, even if the world might not approve of their union. The second verse brings up the soldiers who came with "unchecked fear and lust," two emotions that are often intertwined in wartime. Again, the singer thinks of their loved one providing them with hope in the midst of terrible violence.
The final chorus repeats the opening verse, suggesting that the singer is still grappling with who they are before and after the war. They express a desire for a heart that can "open without a sound," perhaps suggesting that the war has made them more guarded emotionally. Overall, "This Is Me" paints a picture of the devastation and upheaval brought on by war, but also the enduring power of love and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
This is me
Introducing oneself
Before the war
Describing oneself before the war
You can see
Acknowledging the visible changes caused by the war
I don't look much like that
Comparing oneself to their previous appearance
Anymore.
Concluding the description of oneself before the war
Yes, my hands
Drawing attention to a specific unchanged aspect of themselves
Are still as small
Elaborating on the unchanged aspect of their hands
You understand--
Asking for the listener's understanding of their unchanged aspect
Not all the changes
Clarifying that not all changes are visible
Are visible.
Stressing the previous point
Sebastian--
Introducing a character
Bless his heart!
Expressing fondness towards Sebastian
Swallowed by pride
Describing one of Sebastian's flaws
A bona fide
Using sarcasm to describe Sebastian
Bonaparte
Comparing Sebastian to Napoleon Bonaparte
He led the men
Describing Sebastian's leadership role
Up the hill
Specifying where Sebastian led the men to
He was smiling then,
Describing Sebastian's demeanor during the leadership
And that's how
Explaining the memory of Sebastian
I think of him still.
Concluding the memory of Sebastian
So if you told me that half and half still make a whole
Presenting a hypothetical scenario
And if you chose me over one and one-half million souls
Continuing the hypothetical scenario
And if you loved me with abandon--
Completing the hypothetical scenario
I'd run anyhow.
Responding to the hypothetical scenario
And if you asked me, I'd say, "That's what I know of love,
Continuing the response to the hypothetical scenario
Now."
Concluding the response to the hypothetical scenario
We never knew
Describing the situation of not knowing who to trust
Who to trust
Emphasizing the situation of mistrust
Soldiers came
Explaining who came with mistrust
Full of unchecked
Describing the soldiers with a negative attribute
Fear and lust.
Specifying the negative attributes of the soldiers
And I imagined
Explaining a thought
You were there
Speculating about someone's presence in the situation
Whispering hope
Describing the imagined presence's action
With bombs whistling,
Highlighting the contrast between hope and war
Falling through the air.
Completing the description of bombs
And I remember all the faces
Describing a memory
Of people in my town--
Specifying the memory of people in the town
That's just one more tragedy
Interpreting the memory as a tragedy
And I am dreaming of a heart
Shifting to a dream sequence
That opens without a sound
Describing the dream heart's behavior
That's how I imagine me...
Completing the dream sequence
This is me
Repeating the introduction
Before the war
Repeating the description
You can see
Repeating the acknowledgement
I don't look much like that
Repeating the comparison
Anymore.
Concluding with the same statement
Contributed by Gabriella Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.