As the cheerless towns pass my window
I can see a washed out moon through the fog
And then a voice inside my head breaks the analogue
And says

"Follow me down to the valley below
You know
Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul"

I survived against the will of my twisted folk
But in the deafness of my world the silence broke
And said

"Follow me down to the valley below
You know
Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul
Follow me down to the valley below
You know
Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul"

My David don't you worry
This cold world is not for you
So rest your head upon me
I have strength to carry you

(Ghosts of the twenties rising)
(Golden summers just holding you)

Follow me down to the valley below
(Follow me follow me down)
You know
Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul
Follow me down to the valley below
(Follow me follow me down)
You know
Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul

Come to us
Lazarus
It's time
For you to go


Lyrics submitted by christsizeshoes, edited by Relayer, Blaze_Infernus

Lazarus Lyrics as written by Gavin Richard Harrison Colin Edwin Balch

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Lazarus song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

48 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +10
    My Interpretation

    There is a passage in the Bible about the raising of Lazarus - a believer in Jesus who falls ill and dies. Jesus is said to visit his tomb and raise him from the dead. So, generally speaking, I think this song is about recovery from ills and moving on to new beginnings.

    I get the impression that the subject of the story, David, has endured a fairly miserable existence, raised by "twisted folk" in a "cheerless town". He is aware that he can have a better life, however (seeing light, i.e. the moon, through the fog). A voice (perhaps a religious/spiritual presence, or maybe his subconscious) then implores him to move towards the light of that moon - towards a better life. "Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul" would hint at his yearning to reach that light.

    I'm unsure what the ghost of the twenties is about, though...

    This is my first attempt at interpreting a PT song, so don't bash too much. :P

    ryanz0ron April 17, 2011   Link
  • +3
    My Interpretation

    In a combonation of a few other interpretations, I think this song is in the second person, between the perspectives of a dead mother's ghost and her still-living son. He's sitting on a train, leaving where he's from, and his mother's ghost comes and tells him to follow her. He is living a life that is not cool at all (See: Shallow), and has reached a point of reflection. She is there to help him become more normal, or, more "human". Hope you liked it! -High Fives and Bulletproof Smiles, Foo

    ApatheticMeepon March 10, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Beautiful vocals, lovely, lovely song. A little radiohead-esque, but with Steven Wilson's own touch.

    That said, I have no idea what it means. For some reason I think of this as the sequel to Trains. Probably the mention of summers and valleys, and it's like that song sonically as well. Anybody else?

    lauramarson May 04, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    at the end of the song there are sounds like a train makes going over the tracks. ,maybe the person in the beginning who sees towns pass by his window is in a train.

    i don't know what the religious references mean tho.

    Blackbutterflion May 04, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadwing There you go... Go read the Concept part.

    Opethvinceon June 18, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Shut up about the incest idea it is unfounded and quite disgusting. When I am listening to Deadwing I don't want to think about having sex with my sister...grows. This is a beautiful song and I can find no incest in this song.....

    atomsplitteron July 31, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i dont believe the incest bit, though i see where youre coming from... if it helps, i know that this album's lyrics are based on an unproduced movie script that steve wilson and a friend wrote...

    it seems this song is the subject, david, i guess being born again... maybe leaving his old town thats been holding him back. i dunno, but the incest idea you love doesnt seem to click at all.

    plexuson August 18, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    has anyone noticed that the song preceding "lazarus" is "halo" - both titles have to do with religion. obviously, "halo" bashes religion, and i dont think "lazarus" glorifies it or anything... i think, as the incest boy was saying, that it's about someone who had to choose a road for himself. maybe its about choosing your own beliefs - "I survived against the will of my twisted folk".

    Jondude11on September 19, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Me and my friend just saw Porcupine Tree live. They played this song, and it was awesome, even better then the CD version. Steve Wilson really has an awesome voice. Anyway, He explained a few songs, Lazarus being one of them. He said something like: "This is as close to a lovesong as Porcupine Tree can get, and it's a pretty fucked up love song. Because in this song, one of the lovers is dead. The dead mother sings this to her son." Or something like that. In any case, it is about a dead mother and her child.

    Kurodaon December 08, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary of Bethania, who were friends of Jesus. The two sisters asked Jesus to bring Lazarus back to life. That's all I have to add... Heh.

    Tinny_Bon December 10, 2005   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Album art
Blue
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.