| Gregory Alan Isakov – That Sea, The Gambler Lyrics | 6 years ago |
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Totally think this song is a more modern take/reference to the Jonah story in the Hebrew Bible... If you know the story, it makes sense. In tying in to @[wodtke84:31289] 's comment, the character Jonah, is at the whim of ultimate fate--he is running away from the Divine. Jonah brings a curse upon the captain and all onboard when he gets on the ship on the run from the Divine. The sailors cast lots to figure out who the problem is which reveals Jonah...Ultimately he gets tossed overboard to appease the gods and make the storm stop (the gambling sea) and the whale swallows him. I think Mary is a reference to the Virgin Mary whom traditionally is the patron saint of sailors. Again, another brilliant song by GAI! |
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| Gregory Alan Isakov – Amsterdam Lyrics | 6 years ago |
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I suspect this song is ultimately about what pulls us (meaning humanity) towards addictions/drugs. Allow me to support my point... All inside our Amsterdam she hides ...(suggests we all have the potential--note the use of the word "our"--for addiction inside and initially we don't know it...) Watery-eyes ...(an illusion to grief/trauma as the root of this potential for addiction?) That howling wind, she's waving hi ...(I think he's brilliantly punning here in his genius way.) Her other hand's in mine ...(allusion and foreshadowing of the hold and downward cycle of addiction?) Oh silhouette She's growing tall and fine ...(description of how the addiction "grows" as She becomes more tall and fine and alluring as it takes hold) She's got my back ...(I think this has a double meaning as this is both the perception of someone caught in addiction, especially early on--it feels fulfilling, good, soothing, etc. and then it progresses to "she's got my back" but more in a controlling sense.) She'll follow me down every street ...(this is when it is becoming more controlling, more obsessive, and the addiction stalks.) No matter what my crime ....(an allusion to how it permeates everything and all corners of life and gradually takes over?...) All inside our Amsterdam she flies ....(Again allusion to the permeating nature and again flying, reference to getting high?) Hoarding the kites ....(Now the addiction piece seems in the driver's seat and is hoarding the highs... (kites) as it begins to take over...) That howling wind, she'll take everything ....(Hint at the dark/scary edge with the use of the word howling...as the addiction starts to demand and takes everything from someone) But she's easy on the eyes ....(allusion to how someone is hooked...she's beautiful and the appeal of addiction is to try to heal/cope with our shit/trauma/grief/etc....) Churches and trains ...(the blurring of addiction means that...) They all look the same to me now ....(everything looks the same due to how addiction makes us so focused on getting the next high it changes our perspective and we don't see any distinction between churches and trains, as they all feel like the same place, now) They shoot you some place ....(another brilliant play on words--the man is a freakin genius with words--as shooting up on drugs does indeed take you some place) While we all ache to come home somehow ...(ultimately he has compassion and understands the root of addiction is not some character flaw but rather that we are all aching to "come home" to heal ourselves and heal our trauma.) Wow, absolutely incredible on so many levels! Always seems to be another deeper layer often embedded in his word choice and command of poetry seems deliberate to me and usually hints at the deeper meaning...And then the title.... The title of Amsterdam? What is Amsterdam known for? Its red light district? Opportunity for substances...? I always love his songs more once I think I've seemingly figured something out and then there's more... totally underappreciated genius, in my opinion .;) |
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