This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Staring at the sea
Will she come?
Is there hope for me
After all is said and done
Anything at any price
All of this for you
All the spoils of a wasted life
All of this for you
All the world has closed her eyes
Tired faith all worn and thin
For all we could have done
And all that could have been
Ocean pulls me close
And whispers in my ear
The destiny I've chose
All becoming clear
The currents have their say
The time is drawing near
Washes me away
Makes me disappear
And I descend from grace
In arms of undertow
I will take my place
In the great below
I can still feel you
Even so far away
I can still feel you
Even so far away
I can still feel you
Even so far away
I can still feel you
Even so far away
Even so far away
(Even so far away)
(Even so far away)
(So far away)
Will she come?
Is there hope for me
After all is said and done
Anything at any price
All of this for you
All the spoils of a wasted life
All of this for you
All the world has closed her eyes
Tired faith all worn and thin
For all we could have done
And all that could have been
Ocean pulls me close
And whispers in my ear
The destiny I've chose
All becoming clear
The currents have their say
The time is drawing near
Washes me away
Makes me disappear
And I descend from grace
In arms of undertow
I will take my place
In the great below
I can still feel you
Even so far away
I can still feel you
Even so far away
I can still feel you
Even so far away
I can still feel you
Even so far away
Even so far away
(Even so far away)
(Even so far away)
(So far away)
Lyrics submitted by thewhitepony33
The Great Below Lyrics as written by Trent Reznor
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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Staring at the sea, will she come? Is there hope for me after all is said and done? -The “she”, the only one that can save him now. The song begins with a final, desperate cling of hope unto this world. “She” may be referring to a person, an idea, a life style, a thought.
Anything at any price, all of this for you All the spoils of a wasted life; all of this for you -Here he’s trying to win over the “she” with anything. He shows the listener that nothing matters in this world; he has no reason to cling onto anything, for his life has been wasted and pointless without whatever it is that makes him whole.
All the world has closed her eyes Tired faith all worn and thin -This is the first line in which the loss of hope is being manifested. “All the world has closed her eyes” meaning, to me, the world shutting him out. The world has closed it’s eyes on him and he is nothing.
For all we could have done And all that could have been -Simple, yet deep, powerful lines. Contemplating on the fact that nothing will ever happen. The knowing that there is no resolution is settling in. “And all that could have been”… that speaks for itself.
Ocean pulls me close And whispers in my ear The destiny I've chose All becoming clear The ocean, representing death, is drawing near. He knows, looking back at all his mistakes, that is it time. His destiny set out in front of him. He looks forward and sees what is ahead of him.
The currents have their say The time is drawing near -The currents, the atmosphere of the death of his mind. The time is drawing near to the enter the vast ocean.
Washes me away Makes me disappear -He’s been swept away by the ocean by jumping off the cliff of life. “Makes him disappear”.
And I descend from grace In arms of undertow I will take my place In the great below -Descending from everything he ever was; from this world. The arms of undertow, the grasp of depression, of death. “The great below”, meaning to me, the pit of never-ending depression, of loss of hope and desperation.
I can still feel you even so far away -Even in this empty void of depression, even after everything is gone, all the feelings and numbness has settled in, he can still feel whatever it is that he admired so dearly. He can still see what it is, yet he can not see himself…