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Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – All Wash Out Lyrics 11 years ago
I think that thoughts3 has a very good interpretation. However, personally, I don't believe this whole song is referencing back to the preacher or the establishment of the church/religion.

I think the first verse, when mentioning the preacher, could be meant ironically. Here comes this cold preacher, thinking he has all of the answers and is above others because he has God on his side, however, he is stumbling against the wind (life) and singing about love being something to believe in (hymns). A prayer and the sea I believe means the preacher was leading the congregation in prayer (the members being the sea) and for some reason this weighs heavily on him. Instead of singing he finds himself crying saying that love is something to believe in. This could be because maybe he had lost faith in a conventional God and found faith in love and maybe his own God or higher power.

He then speaks to his child who is mentioned as "of wonder rambling". So young, innocent, questioning the world around them. He realizes that all of his anger toward the world, possibly religion/God, are not fair or rational. I think them being crooked fingers means that they point back to him. He realizes that he has a lot of blame in the issues in his life but he has decided to start anew; he is going to let it all wash out and away in the rain.

The third verse sees the writer realizes that his aim in life and his goals have been wrong or just off focus. All of the people he idolized (his heroes) or possibly the God he believed in all go up in flames. He feels that everything he once believed in his now gone but he is going to let it all go and wash away.

I think the fourth verse could reference back to the first. It mentions the cold again which reminds me of the "chilly preacher". He finds in this verse that love is something to believe in and therefore forgiveness also goes hand and hand with it. I think the defenses he once held and built around him are now falling by the wayside and he now knows that being free is also something to believe in. Being free of your chains that weigh you down, your defenses, your anger, etc.

In the final verse he has already established that he believes in love and freedom and he is now referencing his God, this god he now believes in, he wants his gypsy train. He wrote this song while on the railroad revival tour. So it may be possible that if he had faith in something before it was shaken while he was here. Therefore he is singing to his god, who believes in love and freedom that he wants him/her to be okay with his love for this gypsy train (a train going anywhere, full of vagabonds).

The song as a whole is just starting anew, finding a new path, or things to have faith in and letting all of your past issues go and "wash out in the rain". Brilliant song with beautiful lyrics.

submissions
Crooked Fingers – Sad Love Lyrics 11 years ago
This song is amazing, moving, understated, and just perfect in every way. The very mellow guitar becomes haunting throughout the song as the singer tells of his love crumbling apart.

I could write a long indepth analysis, but I feel the lyrics are pretty straight forward. The relationship in question is dying or has already died. He sings of his sad love, which is a beautiful oxymoron all on its own. They still love each other but they know they want different things and their love is going nowhere. It sounds more that the other partner is wanting out more than him. He know's its time to let go though and no matter how much the relationship has fallen apart, it still hurts to do.

Also progressively the writer goes through the stages of grief. He goes from angry to acceptance by the end.

1. Denial - First Verse
"When you cut the cord to close the curtain on the sun
And evening came to cover everything you left undone
I took a walk out to greet an old familiar ghost
To take a seat among the freaks and watch the red lights glow"

2. Anger - Second Verse
"On the day you came I swear I felt so drunk
Stumbling I tried to bring you down to where I'd sunk
But throwing a spark you lit up the dark to heat the hateful glow
And burned a bright resentful ring around our sad, sad love"

3. Bargaining - Third Verse. This is the only one that is a stretch.
"So shut your angry eyes cause there ain't nothing here to see
It's sad enough they called the bluff on all these lying dreams
That creep through the night where even the slightest defect is exposed
To leave us only half asleep so we can watch the curtain close"

4. Depression - First Chorus.
"Sad love is calling you
What's meant to be has fallen through
Is running through your veins
An evil kind of bloodless pain
Is creeping through the cracks that swell
To swallow you up into Hell
To shatter all that you believed
And let your lonesome heart be free"

5. Acceptance (and maybe a little hope?) - Last Chorus.
"On this sad love cast in blue
What's good for me ain't good for you
They say it all depends
But open hearts might make you bleed
But let your blood flow wild and free
To leave you wondering if and when
Another one could come again"


While this is a very sad and emotional song, I believe in the end he resolves it. He accepts that leaving his heart open may get him hurt, but you should let yourself love and be wild and free. In the last line he starts to wonder when the next one is on their way. Beautiful.

submissions
Phosphorescent – Terror In The Canyons (The Wounded Master) Lyrics 11 years ago
Here are the correct lyrics:

I could be the tiger or I could be the snake
I could be the fire or I could be the lake
I could be the sky bird waiting on the wind
I could be the devil waiting to begin

See I was the wounded master and I was the slave
My hands in my mouth, aw honey, they would not behave
And I was the holy lion and I was the cage
And I was the bleeding actor and I was the stage

Now you’re telling me my heart’s sick
And I’m telling you I know
You’re telling me you're leaving
And I’m telling you to go
Not so sorry for the heart-wreck
But for each season left unblessed
A new terror in the canyons
A new terror in our chests

I could be the tether or I could be the place
Or I could be forever or just a couple days
I could be the morning that breaks upon your skin
I could be the devil and do it all again

See I was the wounded master and I was the slave
My hands in my mouth, aw honey, they was caught in the rain
See I was the holy lion and I was the cage
And I was the bleeding actor and I was the stage

Oh, hey now you’re telling me my heart’s sick
And I’m telling you I know
And you’re telling me you’re leaving
Hey and I’m telling you to go
And I’m not so sorry for the heart-wreck
For each season left unblessed
The new terror in the canyons
The new terror in our chests

submissions
Phosphorescent – Terror In The Canyons (The Wounded Master) Lyrics 11 years ago
I believe these are the correct lyrics:

I could be the tiger, I could be the snake
I could be the fire, I could be the lake
I could be the sky bird, waiting on the wind
I could be the devil waiting to begin

See I was the wounded master and I was the slave
My hands in my mouths are hungry was caught in the rain
And I was the holy lion and I was the cage
And I was the leading actor and I was the stage

Now you’re telling me my heart’s safe
And I’m telling you I know
You’re telling me lean in and I’m telling you to go
Not so sorry for the heartbreak but for each season left unblessed
A new terror in the canyon, a new tear in our chest

And I could be the terror and or I could be the place
I could be forever or just a couple days
I could be the morning that breaks upon your skin
I could be the devil and do it all again

See I was the wounded master and I was the slave
My hands in my mouths are hungry was caught in the rain
See I was the holy lion and I was the cage
And I was the leading actor and I was the stage

Oh but now you’re telling me my heart’s sick
And I’m telling you I know
And you’re telling me you’re leaving
And I’m telling you to go
And I’m not so sorry for the heart-wreck
But for each season left unblessed
The new terror in the canyons
The new terror in our chests

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