From one moment to the next
Reading in the papers to know what's best
Sometimes you don't know yourself
Eating lots of vitamins for your health
From one moment to the next
Red negativity in the street
Maybe it's the dirt, maybe it's the heat
A baby on the bus might have needs so easy

Now I think it's alright we're together
Now I think that's alright yeah
Now I think it's the best you've ever played it
Now I think that's alright yeah
Now I think it's alright to feel inhuman
Now I think that's alright yeah
Now I think it's alright to sing together
Now I think that's alright yeah

A running child's bloody with burning knees
A kid that stabs mommy flew in the trees
A camping child's happy with winter's freeze
A lucky child don't know how lucky she is

From one moment to the next
A thousand wasted bookmarkers all depressed
The ins and outs of something's chest
He'll only be a friend if he touches your breast
From one moment to the next
Shifting in the plates of what you ingest
From sugar teas to honey best
Bulimic vegetarian wins a contest

Now I think it's alright we're together
Now I think that's alright yeah
Now I think it's the best we've ever played it
Now I think that's alright yeah
Now I think it's alright to feel inhuman
Now I think that's alright yeah
Now I think it's alright to sing together
Now I think that's alright yeah

A running child's bloody with burning knees
A kid that stabs mommy flew in the trees
A camping child's happy with winter's freeze
A lucky child don't know how lucky he is

For Reverend Green


Lyrics submitted by Jack_Strife, edited by trystt, Smxxch, Mellow_Harsher

For Reverend Green Lyrics as written by David Michael Portner Brian Ross Weitz

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

For Reverend Green song meanings
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  • +3
    General Comment

    First, someone should really change the listed version as the lyrics are terribly, horribly wrong (refer to the correct ones on page 2). Secondly, I don't think there is much of a case for this song being about money in a broader sense, save for the reference to a child's dollar, and the arbitrary 'Reverend Green', which presumably refers to Al Green (has AC ever needed a reason for anything?).

    A running child's bloody with burning knees A careless childs money flew in the trees A camping child's happy with winter's freeze A lucky child don't know how lucky he is

    The running child runs because the joy of running supersedes the hurt of bloody knees; A careless child's money flies in the trees because the child isn't consumed with protecting it, because it's only a piece of paper, because while it might be upsetting for a second, the child has some innate understanding that the man-made things we buy are only worth a meager little piece of man-made paper which could just as easily burn, tear, dissolve, or disappear into a tree (unlike joy, creativity, family, etc.); A winter's freeze doesn't bother a child who is simply happy to be outside in the elements, free of disappointment and expectations (an adult would curse the Gods for ruining their rare leisure time); Kids are lucky simply for not realizing how lucky they are, a baby smiles easily (and cries just as easily) because babies live in the moment and aren't weighted down by anxiety and bullshit of tainted adult souls (at least not yet). The chorus/refrain represents relief from the anxiety of adult-life and celebrates the simplicity of singing a song, playing music with friends, breaking from the morbidity of life to live in the present and take things as they come, like a child (sometimes we don't feel human; it's not a disorder, it's the natural reaction of a sensitive being to our modern insensitive state of being). At least two members (Avey and Panda) are new parents, which explains quite a bit of this album and this song in particular. They've probably been reminded, through interaction with their children, how simple and innocent life should be, and how much joy we can find in those basic elements we cannot change, as long as we maintain the right perspective: good-humour, patience, curiosity, unbridled enthusiasm for what we love, etc. Most likely the song is about losing your childlike innocence and growing older into the disappointments and drudgery of adult life. But it's a celebration of the simple things. To get biblical, those who enter Heaven are the ones who have the faith of a child: that things will work out, that they aren't as bad as our world makes them seem. And truly, considering the world we live in, this is a pretty wise observation. To transcend the bullshit we have to find a way to live outside of it, like children, like artists, like pure human beings.

    WhiteTideon December 29, 2007   Link

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