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.
another chapter is written in the book of outlives another quill is broken clogged with thesame dead ink another chapter is written I thinkwe're going on twenty six it took a noreaster tobreak the silence that night snowflakes fell asbig as golfballs foreshadow the mood for myjourney first was the flames shot out of astoplight the sky lit up there was an oak fallenfrom grace in the middle of the road and we wereforced to turn around and you were there werolled down out window s we're climbing back intowhatever it was we fell out of you said we had afalling out but now we're going to fall back inyou were late for breakfast.
Lyrics submitted by PLANES
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how has no one commented on this? the part "there was an oak fallen, from grace in the middle of the road" is so incredible. the whole song is...it's so sick. piebald is the best.
Too bad piebald new stuff sucks the nut. Why can't they still be like this and not slip into the bad 'mall-rock' genre?
This is awesome! Aaron sings this, doesn't he?