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Fleet Foxes – Icicle Tusk Lyrics 12 years ago
I think this is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, and this is what i infer from it.

I'll shoot you dead
For the father
Of the coal miner's daughter
Beneath the icicle tusk
You and me among the flattering dusk

A man has a confrontation with the boyfriend/husband who is dating this girl (the coal miner's daughter). He really wants the approval of her dad, or maybe she is already married and cheating on her husband with the man. He plans to kill her husband tonight (beneath the icicle tusk, being the moon) in an attempt to win the girl's love.

In my haste I draw my weapon
Designing your final lesson
As you recede to the floor
All is silent but the fluttering door

He sneaks in on the man, and plans to kill him. He draws his weapon, but he is having second thoughts/second guessing himself and murders the girl's boyfriend/whatever. The girl was there, all is silent but the fluttering door as she snuck out quietly.

Twenty-five grand on the table
Of the high wall street stable
I'm not responsible for
The reputation of the
Neighborhood whore

The man is paying either to buy the daughter or for a lawyer. The coal minor's daughter accuses him of murder and it is a huge trial. His defense was that she sleeps around and it could have been anyone that did it (since no one saw but her).

then is put in jail for life. During his trial, his defense is that he didn't do it and she sleeps around a lot. He especially remembers that night and in particular, the way the moon was glowing. Probably in quiet reflection of his actions or something. He gets very lonely sitting in prison, referring to his cell as his shelf.

But I'm a keyhole peeker
And you're my surveilance keeper
And though my memory rusts
I will always see the icicle tusk

Not sure about the keyhole keeper part. Maybe he was stalking this girl even though she wanted to end things. He refers to the man he killed as his surveillance keeper because he feels haunted by the murder he committed. His memory rusts because he is has been in prison for a long time, but will never forget the way the moon looked that night and it all still feels very real to him.

And I must admit
That it gets lonesome on my shelf
This much I can tell
This much I can tell

He admits prison is very lonely; He regrets committing the murder.

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