Jeff Heiskell, the singer, and later members Dave Jenkins and Paul Noe formed the totally unknown but great Doubters Club that recorded for the Disgraceland label in 1995 and then broke up when Jenkins and Noe ran off to Nashville to form a (terrible) mod-rock band that failed (miserably). Jeff reformed the Judybats in 2000 with the album "'00" and subsequently rocked Knoxville, Chicago, Baltimore, and all points in-between on numerous small tours promoting their album and their later EP "Six Pack of New Tracks".
Currently, Jeff is working with Heiskell, a band formed with Mike Hairrell (percussion), Doug Hairrell (guitar), and Rob Bell (bass), all members of The second iteration of the Judybats.
Geography
The Judybats Lyrics
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Down on mother nature's face, torn-up twisted absurd
I wondered what the chances were that you
Were down there looking up at me
[CHORUS]
Ah, we're as silly as geography
Silly as geography
We just can't get it right
You're a function of my latitude
Let's end our little warring feud
How I wish you would come home
Or I'll come there to you
[CHORUS]
People will tell you what to do, where your head should be
They don't tell me nothing I ain't already heard before or better said
We all want focus, we crave company but
We're cross-eyed and punchdrunk from too much scenery
From our battles with geography
[CHORUS]
We're a lot like real estate
But the state you're in is never real
It's one helluva rare raw deal
How I wish you would return
We're silly as geography
The Judybats' song "Geography" is a bittersweet ode to the difficulties of maintaining a long-distance relationship. The song begins with the singer looking out the window of an airplane, "some big girder bird," and seeing the "torn-up twisted absurd" face of nature below. The singer wonders if their distant partner is looking up from the ground and seeing them in the plane. The chorus repeats the phrase "We're as silly as geography" to describe the absurdity of trying to sustain a relationship across physical distance.
The second verse expands on this theme, with the singer reflecting on the difficulty of long-distance relationships, and how conflicting advice from others doesn't help matters. The line "We all want focus, we crave company but we're cross-eyed and punchdrunk from too much scenery" captures the feeling of being overwhelmed and disoriented by the distance and uncertainty.
The final verse compares the couple's situation to real estate, where the "state you're in is never real." The singer wishes for their partner to return, as they are "silly as geography." The song ends with a wistful sense of resignation, acknowledging that distance has made things difficult but not impossible.
Line by Line Meaning
Gazing out the window of some big girder bird
I was looking out of the airplane window
Down on mother nature's face, torn-up twisted absurd
I saw the earth from above, and it looked chaotic and damaged
I wondered what the chances were that you
I started to think about the probability that you were down there somewhere
Were down there looking up at me
And maybe you were looking up at the same sky as me, at that moment
Ah, we're as silly as geography
Our relationship is as complicated and difficult to navigate as a geography lesson
Silly as geography
Just like geography, it seems like we can never get it right
You and me
Our relationship, specifically
You're a function of my latitude
Your physical distance from me is a significant factor in our relationship
Let's end our little warring feud
I want to resolve any conflicts or disagreements we have
How I wish you would come home
I miss you and want you to return to me
Or I'll come there to you
But if you can't come to me, I'm willing to go to you
People will tell you what to do, where your head should be
Others will try to influence or control you
They don't tell me nothing I ain't already heard before or better said
But I've heard it all before, and it doesn't affect me anymore
We all want focus, we crave company but
We all want attention and companionship in life
We're cross-eyed and punchdrunk from too much scenery
But our experiences and surroundings have left us confused and disoriented
From our battles with geography
Our relationship struggles are like trying to navigate a difficult terrain
We're a lot like real estate
Our worth and value is heavily influenced by our location and surroundings
But the state you're in is never real
But your emotional state can affect how you see yourself and the world around you
It's one helluva rare raw deal
It's a difficult and unfair situation we're in
How I wish you would return
I want you to come back to me
We're silly as geography
Our relationship is complicated and difficult, just like trying to figure out geography
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DAVE JENKINS, ED WINTERS, JEFF HEISKELL, JOHNNY SUGHRUE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind