Janeway is a young man who began wailing straight out of the womb, and most folks would agree that he hasn’t stopped since. “Oh what a set of lungs that child has,” they’d say, “he must be destined for something special.” Not wishing to disappoint, and being a good southern boy, Paul began singing in church, stretching his vocal cords with an eye toward becoming a man of the cloth.
The cloth, however, didn’t appreciate young Paul’s affinity for dirty jokes, Prince, and Tom Waits, and he was inclined to search elsewhere for co-conspirators. He began plying his trade with whomever would have him. With a wholly re-imagined take on the sounds he’d grown up singing and seeking, Paul recruited a rag-tag band of like-minded weirdoes, visionaries, and hacks to help him harness the power he now knew he possessed. Under the nom du guerre St. Paul and the Broken Bones, the motley crew roams the countryside looking to get cabooses shakin’, faces meltin’, and brothers and sisters everywhere testifyin’
Grass is Greener
St. Paul & The Broken Bones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn ourselves around
Remember when those sweet memories used to soothe us
Used to make us smile
We put on our Sunday best
We live our quiet mess, but we′ll never be merry
I just ain't got no soul
I have had those sweet sugar thoughts but they were taken away from me
Can′t melt me no more, I will have to be just so unhappy
We put on our Sunday best
We live our quiet mess, but we'll never be merry
Give me time, give me time
You got to give me time
Please don't leave me baby, I can′t have you leaving me
That ole grass ain′t greener
I know baby cause I have been there
I know it ain't greener
Time time oh sweet time
Please don′t leave me
Time time time oh sweet time
Please don't leave me, I can′t have you leaving me
The lyrics to “Grass Is Greener” by St. Paul & The Broken Bones explore themes of regret, nostalgia, and longing. The opening lines ask the rhetorical question of how we keep finding ourselves in the same place, or repeating the same mistakes. Despite remembering the happy moments of the past, those memories no longer bring the same sense of comfort they once did.
The chorus speaks of the characters trying to put their best foot forward, trying to present their best selves to the world. They know they are in a “quiet mess” but they cannot seem to shake it off. The image of wearing Sunday best, or dressing up for a special occasion, but still being unhappy is powerful.
The second verse is written from the perspective of one person and conveys a sense of resignation to their current state. They feel they have lost their “sweet sugar thoughts” and are unable to be happy. The repetition of the line “we put on our Sunday best” emphasizes the futility of trying to present to the world that everything is okay when internally, one is unhappy.
The final lines of the song are a plea for time and for their loved one to not leave them. They know that the “grass isn’t greener” elsewhere as they’ve been there and regret that it is too late to go back. The song is a powerful reflection on the struggles of life and how sometimes, we’re stuck in a situation we cannot change.
Line by Line Meaning
How do we always do this
How do we always find ourselves in this situation
Turn ourselves around
Trying to change ourselves as a solution
Remember when those sweet memories used to soothe us
Thinking about times when happy memories could provide comfort
Used to make us smile
Remembering when those memories brought joy to our lives
We put on our Sunday best
Putting on a facade of happiness for the outside world to see
We live our quiet mess, but we'll never be merry
Despite trying to appear happy, we are still struggling internally
I know I have been cold
Acknowledging one's own emotional distance from others
I just ain't got no soul
Feeling empty and disconnected from oneself
I have had those sweet sugar thoughts but they were taken away from me
Having happy thoughts, but then losing them or having them fade
Can′t melt me no more, I will have to be just so unhappy
Feeling unable to be influenced by happiness and resigned to being sad
Give me time, give me time
Asking for patience and understanding
You got to give me time
Needing others to be patient with one's emotional struggles
Please don't leave me baby, I can′t have you leaving me
Feeling dependent on someone for support and afraid of being abandoned
That ole grass ain′t greener
Not believing that the grass is always greener on the other side
I know baby cause I have been there
Having personal experience with realizing the grass is not always greener
I know it ain't greener
Knowing from experience that things are not always better in other situations
Time time oh sweet time
Longing for time to heal and bring about positive change
Please don′t leave me
Needing emotional support and feeling vulnerable
Time time time oh sweet time
Reiterating the desire for time to pass and bring about positive change
Please don't leave me, I can′t have you leaving me
Asking for continued support and feeling afraid of abandonment
Writer(s): Jesse Thomas Phillips, Paul William Janeway, Andrew Christian Lee, Browan Job Lollar, John Allen Jr Branstetter, Benjamin James Griner
Contributed by Mason D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-mz1zn9mw1b
How do we always do this
Turn ourselves around
Remember when those sweet memories used to soothe us
Used to make us smile
We put on our Sunday best
We live our quiet mess, but we'll never be merry
I know I have been cold
I just ain't got no soul
I have had those sweet sugar thoughts but they were taken away from me
Can't melt me no more, I will have to be just so unhappy
We put on our Sunday best
We live our quiet mess, but we'll never be merry
Give me time, give me time
You got to give me time
Please don't leave me baby, I can't have you leaving me
That ole grass ain't greener
I know baby cause I have been there
I know it ain't greener
Time time oh sweet time
Please don't leave me
Time time time oh sweet time
Please don't leave me, I can't have you leaving me
@Garyj1784
He sounds exactly like I think I sound in the shower.
@sammiimeservee9149
This comment cracks me up every time I come back to this song🤣🤣🤣
@warrencharity12
🤣🤣🤣
@patjones8347
🤣🤣🤣 I'm dying
@shilayabuffalo5809
Perfect comment! Beat I've EVER agreed with!
@PeteDaPunisher
#UnderRatedComment
@moyrablackie1
I am 72 year old Granny and after lockdown this band make me think life is still worth living.Just amazing.Thank you St Paul and the Broken Bones from the United Kingdom.
@hilarywilkes7853
Couldn't agree with you more!❤👏🏼
@crossyeyedcent
This band literally saved my life at a certain point. I think I owe part of my will to live to them. I hope youre doing well, granny. Sending my love to you and to this band.
@luiscalderon4820
this new discovery was absolutely a pleasant lovely surprise!!..😢..I Iisten to NPR radio and I cannot believe my timing?? ..I couldn't believe it!!..I'm been tripping on a "love my fellow humans" natural high and this has reaffirmed my faith in humanity..youkiddinme? Whatta gas people's!! 😊