Holy Mother of the simple one
When you smile at me you bring me down
You betray your thoughts
All your prayers to naught

Now out of debt, you speak in tongues
And out of breath, your work is done
And your dream, absolves
And your path, dissolve

And your dream, absolves
And your path, dissolve


Lyrics submitted by Mr.Rabbit, edited by j4s0nn, 70sWanderer

Insurgentes Lyrics as written by Steven John Wilson

Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing

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Insurgentes song meanings
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23 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    I believe this song is about the social phenomenon caused by the Virgin of Guadalupe. Here in Mexico, specially in the central region, Virgin of Guadalupe is considered to be the Mother and protector of all the humble and simple people. This track seems to talk about some guy losing devotion, getting his faith towards the Virgin of Guadalupe shattered.

    Lines that make me think the song is about the Guadalupe Virgin:

    "Holy mother of the simple one" "When you smile at me you bring me down" "Now out of death you speak in tongues" (Mother of Guadalupe, according to the story, defeated death and is able to speak any language found in Mexico) "And out of bread, your work is done" (when people prays to her they regularly ask for food for the poorest people in the country)

    Lines that make me think some guy is losing his faith:

    "You betray your thoughts, all your prayers too low" "And your dreams absolve, then your path dissolves"

    Now, I doubt Wilson is making honor to Guadalupe's figure or being, I just think he finds impressive how big that social phenomenon is, every year on december 12th, millions of people go to Guadalupe's temple to pray.

    Remember also how much time Wilson spent down in Mexico to write and record the album.

    Hope you find this interesting.

    adrian5bon September 29, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Can anyone help me with the absolve part? Is that really what he says?

    Mr.Rabbiton December 16, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Can anyone help me with the absolve part? Is that really what he says?

    Mr.Rabbiton December 16, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I believe you're pretty close.

    Holy mother of the simple one When you smile at me you bring me down You betray your thoughts All your prayers too low

    Now out of death you speak in tongues And out of breath your work is done And your dreams absolves And your path dissolve

    And your dream absolve And your path dissolve

    SR65on December 20, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    oh haha i had this song mixed up with another insurgentes song. the chorus of Harmoney Korine is the one that kills me. all else still aplies.

    metrophishrockson February 04, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I'm inclined to agree with Metro. I just wish the first half of the song was also the second half. The off-key last minutes almost(not quite) ruin it for me.

    RabbitManon February 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    God this song is beautiful. What a great way to end the album.

    I always find Steven's melancholic ballads like this to be the best of his work. So simple, yet it conveys so much emotion. Love the koto, too.

    Brilliant.

    CoyoteLongshoton March 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think one can call it a tradition, because Steven Wilson loves to put the most calm, sensitive and touching song at the end of an album. See the albums "Signify", "Stupid Dream", "Lightbulb Sun", "In Absentia", "Deadwing" and his solo album of course. I love them all with all my heart and it is nearly impossible to pick a favourit out of these "last songs" (probably "Collapse the Light into Earth", for when I hear it my heart isn't just beating, but rather standing still). All, what this man is able to convey (emotion-wise) and to do with the listener through music, finds its overwhelming climax in the last song of each one of the mentioned records, I think.

    Except for "Dark Matter" all these songs have the leitmotif "relationship" (mostly broken) as well as "future fears", I would say.

    Daruon March 26, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    ok, now that we know "glossyfrost" has no idea what he's talking about, we can move on...

    when i first heard this, it sounded like Coldplays "Clocks" slowed down...with the running piano line and what not...even the melody sounds similar...

    sonoflifeon August 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think the lyrics are wrong (again...I can't find official lyrics and they all seem to vary online).

    I distinctly hear a very small "-pth" sound at the end of what was debt/death. The line is now "Now out of depth, you speak in tongues." Additionally I hear an even smaller "-dth" at the end of bread/breath. This one I'm less sure about, because it's less clear. The line "And out of breadth, your work is done", while fine, doesn't quite work as well as "And out of breath, your work is done."

    danmerquryon October 21, 2009   Link

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