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Today I Was an Evil One Lyrics
Tonight my eyes were hurting much
As I had strained them all day long
I don't remember waking up
My memory is not that strong
The day was spent walking about
And asking questions blindly
And silently and not without
A sense of lapsing dignity
Today I was an evil one
Who suffered dumbly having fun
Tomorrow god will make me good
If I allow her to, she would
I was found again in need
And mostly unprotected
As I had spent good time with greed
And giving was rejected
Today I was an evil one
Who suffered dumbly having fun
Tomorrow god will make me good
If I allow her to, she would
The skin of all my fingers split
Painfully receding
My hands were dry and itched and hurt
And also they were bleeding
I can fix it by withdrawing
Claim from false completeness
And by humboly allowing
God to grant me sweetness
As I had strained them all day long
I don't remember waking up
My memory is not that strong
The day was spent walking about
And asking questions blindly
And silently and not without
A sense of lapsing dignity
Who suffered dumbly having fun
Tomorrow god will make me good
If I allow her to, she would
And mostly unprotected
As I had spent good time with greed
And giving was rejected
Who suffered dumbly having fun
Tomorrow god will make me good
If I allow her to, she would
Painfully receding
My hands were dry and itched and hurt
And also they were bleeding
I can fix it by withdrawing
Claim from false completeness
And by humboly allowing
God to grant me sweetness
Song Info
Submitted by
mikkel On May 15, 2004
More Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
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Death To Everyone
A Minor Place
Raining In Darling
Wolf Among Wolves
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Is Will married? A lot of songs seem to suggest it, especially this one.
I think this is about how he maybe spent a late night out with his friends, getting drunk and being an 'evil one', and feeling guilty about it when his possible wife notices. He's more upset with himself than she is with him, so if he allows himself to see the love she has to offer (he refers to god as a female, suggesting how she is really important to him) then he will be made 'good' and realize he doesn't need to go out late to be happy.
A lot of little things seem to support this. "As I had spent good time with greed / And giving was rejected" In the past he had spent a lot of time being selfish, and doing things for himself and didn't care about doing anything for anyone else. But when/if he got married that had to change, and it did - at least until this slip up of being an 'evil one'.
And the last stanza is the best. His hands are metaphorically tainted, maybe he even did something as bad as cheating on her? Having blood on your hands is very often symbolic of being guilty of something bad. He can fix the problem by withdrawing, by leaving the relationship and he won't feel guilty and he won't be cheating, and claim from false completeness - he'll only be happy on a shallow level, not truly 'complete' feeling. Or he can accept the love and sweetness of his wife - the god in his life - and realize that he doesn't really need anything else to be happy.
I probably am looking into too much, but it seems to work. I couldn't imagine Will doing anything so bad like cheating on someone, so it could easily just be a narrator, not himself. But still, I think it fits.
amazing interpretation ^ I think I love you
but besides that, good song.