This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
If I show you the truth
Will you show me the beauty
If I show you the pain
Will you show me the purity
If I show you the scars
Will you show me yours
It's the same all over
It's the same all over
You were never there
You were never there.
Will you show me the beauty
If I show you the pain
Will you show me the purity
If I show you the scars
Will you show me yours
It's the same all over
It's the same all over
You were never there
You were never there.
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I think this is about the slow descent into madness, anxiety, despair. The whole build up of the song seems to be equally important as the actual lyric. It's like searching for something to hold on to, but failing to find it, even to the extent of searching that something to hold on to in an imaginary person, then facing the disillusion when realising the person was never there.
The song starts with a long intro where very clean music gradually grows more grim, with noise elements added. Note the scratching, almost like a pen. Someone writing down his thoughts, trying to find a way out of his despair, but sinking deeper and deeper. Then there is some impossible to decipher words whispered when the music is getting more and more unsettling, before the outburst of the guitars and the extremely heavy sound reflecting the despair of the person. Also note the contradiction between "If I show you the truth, will you show me the beauty" indicating that that truth is something absolutely opposite of beautiful.
This is the song that got me into the God Machine and turned me into a fan as it made me curious to check out their entire catalogue. It also inspired me to start writing myself. Hence, and I realise how many people will disagree with me, but I consider this song to be one of the greatest pieces of music ever created. The entire structure of the song, the lyrics, the emotions and energy... this comes eeriely close to musical perfection.
Few ever heard of them, which is a pity.
They were a crushing musical force, not unlike the early Swans.
Anyway...this song seems to be self-explanatory - its about isolation and i find these words quite powerful, then there's a long intro to this song and echoing main words "its the same all over" which make it all even more powerful.