I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Looking down from the apple tree
My hands tied in back of me
With this rope below my chin
We don't fear death my adrian
Trust me son that one day soon
You'll be on the bottom where the boat breaks through
To let our freedom in again
We don't fear death my adrian
From now on I am part of you
I am the story that you'll tell
Let my life empower you
Let my troubles teach you well
Let your burning hatred go
Learn yourself until you know
That fear is where all hatred begins
We don't fear death my adrian
From now on I am part of you
I am the story that you'll tell
Let my life empower you
Let my troubles teach you well
As they set my last breath free
Turn your eyes but don't fail to see
The love you feel inside your skin
We don't fear death my Adrian
We don't fear death my Adrian
My hands tied in back of me
With this rope below my chin
We don't fear death my adrian
Trust me son that one day soon
You'll be on the bottom where the boat breaks through
To let our freedom in again
We don't fear death my adrian
From now on I am part of you
I am the story that you'll tell
Let my life empower you
Let my troubles teach you well
Let your burning hatred go
Learn yourself until you know
That fear is where all hatred begins
We don't fear death my adrian
From now on I am part of you
I am the story that you'll tell
Let my life empower you
Let my troubles teach you well
As they set my last breath free
Turn your eyes but don't fail to see
The love you feel inside your skin
We don't fear death my Adrian
We don't fear death my Adrian
Lyrics submitted by dragonflower44
Adrian Lyrics as written by Mason Stewart Jennings
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song is so sad, first time I heard it I thought Adrian was a girl, but I read the lyrics and he was hung from the apple tree, with his son watching, and he's giving some last advice, nearly made me cry
This is written as the dying words of a man to his son. Probably the one of the saddest songs I've yet to hear.
does anyone know what exactly this song is about? i know that mason often writes about historical figures, and i was just wondering whether the narrator was fictional or not. certain things, like the name adrian and the way he says "we" dont fear death instead of "i" or "you," makes me wonder.
I think this song is based after a black man being Lynched or somthing because Mason's next album had alot to do with The Civil Rights movement (the songs "Doctor King" and "Black Panther") and that may be why he said "We" instread of "I"
Does he sing "we"? I never actually heard that. Sounds more like he just starts with "Don't fear death..." etc.
When I hear this song, I see a father deciding to hang himself when his son comes outside and sees it. He begins this lament, this passing of advice, as comfort for his son and as justification for his suicide. I'm not sure I can cite specifics that make me see that, but it's just what comes to mind.
The Civil Rights idea makes sense to me in principle, but I just don't see anything in this song to specifically indicate that. It's probably more geared toward this specific situation, and not a greater historical occurrence.
@katerina89 <br /> <br /> Well he says in the opening stanza "my hands tied in back of me"...<br /> <br /> I always heard it as a man being lynched and hung as well and saying his final goodbyes to his son, giving his final words of advice.<br /> <br /> Also the lines<br /> "As they set my last breath free. Turn your eyes but don't fail to see"<br /> <br /> I definitely hear that as someone else setting his last breath free and the advice to his son is to be gentle, not force himself to watch but to not become blind or "fail to see" either
To me, this song is a reflections of an African American man before he is being hanged in front a mob and his son, Adrian. Mason Jennings has said that this song was inspired by the book, Beloved, written by Toni Morrison. Writing from this standpoint, I think that he refers to "we" as African Americans. This song is so powerful...that there is hope in the future and that understanding and forgiveness are much more important than ignorance and blind hate.
Rager, I agree that it is a very sad song... But at the same time, it is "empowering." It lifts me up and helps me to remember.
If he is being hanged by a mob, why is he up in the tree? It seems to me that he is sitting on a branch ready to hang himself.. But if that's the case, why are his hands tied?
Maybe these things are just symbols for something else... His looking down is that it is by his own choice to end his life, but with his hands being "tied" it is as a result of something else that brought him to this point.
What does the line mean about being on the bottom and the boat?
I think there is a bit more to this song than we are seeing.
There is a whole lot of information in those lyrics that should be included in our opinion.
FYI, I don't think it's a black man being hanged. That's a bit fast to jump to that conclusion, now isn't it.
@TehGreatMutato <br /> <br /> Well I guess I wasn't there in person but seems like I've seen that scene and many movies and books...<br /> <br /> The hanged person is strung up to a tree standing on something tall enough that when it's removed their feet can't reach the ground!<br /> <br /> Not to jump on you in particular. I came on this site looking for some background... I've always 100% read this as a hanging of a black man. I'm a little bit baffled by all the confusion around this! Seems pretty cut and dry to me.<br /> <br /> I just listened to "Mississippi Goddamn" by Nina Simone and thought of this song.... Talk about different tone!<br /> <br /> I honestly never realized that Mason Jennings actually wrote it I'm a little bit disturbed now. I'm not sure if it's really his place to make it so warm and fuzzy.<br /> <br /> Just my opinion though.
If we want this song to have meaning, we should learn not to fear death. The wisdom of the person being hung is that fears is where all hatred begins. As long as we fear death we will be fearful all of our lives...therefore hateful to one degree or another.
It truly is a sad song. I believe it is about someone being lynched as the man's hands are tied and it says 'as they set my last breath free' therefore meaning that he is being murdered. A terrible scenario which undoubtably refers to the horrific treatment experienced by African-Americans.