| Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Devil's Waitin' Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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I first heard this song on the season finale of the TV show "Hell On Wheels", and if you think about the meaning of the lyrics in that context, it becomes pretty clear. The first verse is talking about how Cullen (the main character) might die for his crimes, and since he's not very religious and doesn't necessarily fear going to hell, it doesn't scare him that much ('cast iron blood' may symbolize strength or courage.) Prison again symbolizes punishment, and the railroad might be thought of as a prison, since the work/environment is so difficult. Also, a lot of bad stuff happens there, such as murder, rape, theft and arson, and someone new there might not see anything good in that place because the first thing they saw was horrible. The chorus is a reference to Cullen's experiences fighting for the South during the Civil,War.. The next part might mean that his life now is way better than it was during the war, or it could mean it's just generally easy since he's not doing backbreaking work like some of the laborers. Also, in the beginning of season two, he was saved from dying by the railroad, so it's almost like he was "sold" his life. The next verse seems to be about Cullen being judged for his actions in the afterlife as well, and I think the reference to the devil reflects his view on the world in general. He doesn't have faith, or believe everything is good and pure, rather that good and bad are somewhat intertwined. There's also a lot of references to "evil" in the show, and especially when he goes back to murder, goes back to the "evil" side. The next part is about how you should confess and be honest about your wrongdoings, because dishonesty just gives the person (or God) punishing you more things to punish you for. 'The calling''s impatient' might be a reference to Cullen's need for revenge, and 'the calls never won' probably that even though he did get revenge, it didn't make him feel better or solve any problems. The next verse talks about how Cullen has been hardened by his experiences, being 'weary', but his new life on the railroad has just began. When he 'ran from reason' he was so deranged by what happened during the war and what happened to his family that he couldn't think straight, and he 'roamed to the gun" for comfort and to get revenge. It also talks about how he's killed people, and if God wills him to die because of it, then so be it. I think the last part means that the doors, or gates, to heaven won't be open to him when he finally dies. The final two verses are a reference to times when Cullen was in trouble or even near death, but he didn't really care, he just hoped there was something waiting for him at the other end. |
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