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.
Heard from the TV
Of the latest bombing
The girls were dancing
She was coming of age
Shells fired out
Flowers mowed down
Innocence targeted
Whose God is this?
Wish that she had one more day
There at the seaside
5th of December
We chased the tide
As her treasures
Were gathered
I had to laugh
As she gave sand a bath
Jangle jangle
Jingle jangle
Jangle and circle again
Heard from the tv
Of the latest bombing
The girls were dancing
She was coming of age
Shells fired out
Flowers mowed down
Innocence targeted
What god is this?
Wish that she had one more day
There at the seaside
5th of December
We chased the tide
As her treasures
Were gathered
I had to laugh
As she gave sand a bath
Jangle jangle
Jingle jangle
Jangle and circle again
Jangle jangle
Jingle jangle
Jangle and circle again
Jangle jangle
Jingle jangle
Jangle and circle again
Jangle jangle
Jingle jangle
Jangle and circle and end
She was coming of age
Of the latest bombing
The girls were dancing
She was coming of age
Shells fired out
Flowers mowed down
Innocence targeted
Whose God is this?
Wish that she had one more day
There at the seaside
5th of December
We chased the tide
As her treasures
Were gathered
I had to laugh
As she gave sand a bath
Jangle jangle
Jingle jangle
Jangle and circle again
Heard from the tv
Of the latest bombing
The girls were dancing
She was coming of age
Shells fired out
Flowers mowed down
Innocence targeted
What god is this?
Wish that she had one more day
There at the seaside
5th of December
We chased the tide
As her treasures
Were gathered
I had to laugh
As she gave sand a bath
Jangle jangle
Jingle jangle
Jangle and circle again
Jangle jangle
Jingle jangle
Jangle and circle again
Jangle jangle
Jingle jangle
Jangle and circle again
Jangle jangle
Jingle jangle
Jangle and circle and end
She was coming of age
Lyrics submitted by merchantpierce
Seaside Lyrics as written by Tori Ellen Amos
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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even tho tori amos isnt the right age for this connection, i think tori was trying to relate to pearl harbor. this girl could be hawaiian and dancing and loving nature and being a lovely part of her culture, and then two days later after december 5 she is gone and how unfair war is
i think regardemylasheskgm is right. it is about pearl harbour and how such a beautiful and peaceful place was wrought with war so suddenly. as well the "jangle jangle jingle jangle, jangle and circle again", i think refers to the japanese airplanes making passes and firing their machine guns.
I also think the song is referring to other bombings and war; there weren't that many tv's around at the time the Pearl Harbor attack happened.
This song is not about Pearl Harbor. The lyrics refer to a suicide bombing that took place in Tel Aviv, Israel in 2001. The suicide bomber detonated just outside a seaside dance club, taking the lives of 21 teenagers. Hence the lyrics: The girls were dancing, innocence targeted, and 21 young boys and girls ("flowers") murdered in the name of Allah for the sake of Jihad (holy war on infidels).