| James Vincent McMorrow – We Don't Eat Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| ^ awholelottaungrateful | |
| James Vincent McMorrow – We Don't Eat Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I think the song is about a guy stepping away from the traditional beliefs of his family as well as his lingering struggles with the concepts of those beliefs. It starts out with the start of his doubts, the disappointment and dryness of this belief system and how he was just going about the actions of it, possibility telling others about it as part of his belief “saving them”. “If this is redemption, why do I bother at all? There's nothing to mention, and nothing has changed Still I'd rather be working at something, than praying for the rain So I wander on, until someone else is saved” The next verse is about him breaking away, he’s left, seemingly on a journey of self discovery. And in his pensive mood he reflects on what his mother wrote to him. “moved to the coast, under a mountain Swam in the ocean, slept on my own At dawn I would watch the sun cut ribbons through the bay I'd remember all the things my mother wrote” The chorus is what she writes. It paints a picture of his traditional family. They say grace, as in Father (God) is at the table, they don’t consume alchohol. Im a bit unsure about the “never once has any man I’ve met been able to love” Perhaps shes says that dispite the things that they suppose to do she has never met a man who able to do them all the time (giving his grace telling him no ones perfect). The “love” i think is what she calls him. Like “no one can, love”. The way he sings it matches with that meaning of “love”. “That we don't eat until your father's at the table We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust Never once has any man I've met been able to love So if I were you, I'd have a little trust” The two thousand years verse seems to clarify the reference to Christianity (or a something like Mormons or Jehovah’s witnesses) and his struggle with belief and his hope and desperation in trying to believe as he listens to people trying to convince him (fishermen is a biblical reference to “fishers of men” spreading the word of God). "Two thousand years, I've been in that water Two thousand years, sunk like a stone Desperately reaching for nets That the fishermen have thrown Trying to find, a little bit of hope" The next verse is a confession of secrets he held (possibly sin) which he has softened the truth off to himself and hid from others. He then turns a page on this belief and the sin was no longer a sin. He goes on to say that he knows if he does ever need a saving grace he can always go back to the belief and his family, and the thing that reminds him of this is what his mother wrote... The thing that was written on that wall is the chorus "Me, I was holding all of my secrets soft and hid Pages were folded, then there was nothing at all So if in the future I might need myself a savior I'll remember what was written on that wall" (notice the “That” at the start of the chorus which links it with the previous verse) "That we don't eat until your father's at the table We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust Never once has any man I've met been able to love So if I were you, I'd have a little trust" The last verse seems to me as if it’s a brother/friend who he has discussed his struggles with. The brother/friend is saying that he is tired of going around in circles with the things they argue about, covering various topics such as human progress, war, science etc. "Am I an honest man and true? Have I been good to you at all? Oh I'm so tired of playing these games We'd just be running down The same old lines, the same old stories of Breathless trains and, worn down glories Houses burning, worlds that turn on their own" And the brother/friend finishes with the last chorus being the same sentiment as the mother. I guess seeking reconciliation and asking him to come back. (notice the use of the word “so” to link it again with the previous verse and the use of “friend” which is why I think this is from someone other than his mother or himself) "So we don't eat until your father's at the table We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust Never once has any man I've met been able to love So if I were you my friend, I'd learn to have just a little bit of trust" It’s a beautiful song and the enigmatic lyrics that find a place to sit in each person’s heart individually. I’d love to hear what others think about my interpretation and if you can add anything. Enjoy the song! |
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