Mercy of the Fallen Lyrics
I have held to you dearly,
I had asked you to steer me,
Till one cloud-scattered night,
I got lost and in my travels I met Leo the lion,
Met a king and met a giant, with their errant light,
Who say they have no claim to know what's right.
There's the weak and the strong and the beds that have no answer,
And that's where I may rest my head tonight.
In imposing flocks they landed,
And they got what they demanded,
And they scratched at the ground.
Who had longing yet despite this,
They could hear every sound.
And the mercy of the fallen,
Who say they have no claim to know what's right.
There's the weak and the strong and the beds that have no answer,
And that's where I may rest my head tonight.
In a self-inflicted exile,
You'd hope they'd meet a humble friend.
Give me seven half-built manors,
Where half-dreams may dream without end.
Who say they have no claim to know what's right.
There's the weak and the strong and the many stars that guide us,
We have some of them inside us.
As a songwritermyself, I am hesitant to attach specific meanings to a song. Other people make up their own meanings that have nothing to do with how or why the song was written. And that is a good thing. That said, I love this song and here's what it says to me...
The first verse is addressed to “my fair North Star,” which speaks to me of a permanence and reliability, an unwavering trust in a belief for a concept or a role model. When that certainty is obscured will we allow ourselves to discover new ways to navigate life.
There are harsh forces that touch us - wind and rain - but also the compassion that comes from others who have lost their own certainty. They are no longer dogmatic or judgmental, but forgiving and understanding. Admitting you don’t have the answers may look weak, but takes great strength, and gives us peace.
All the bright people that have visited this world over the centuries have had to struggle and scratch to progress, but they planted their ideas like seeds that enrich us now. And yet we are not satisfied — we cannot (or just do not) soar, but only observe.
If someone you love is in trouble, you want them to get help from some who will accept them, and not judge them as if from a lofty position.
The narrator casts herself as the silly-but-profound character from Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor. She hopes that whoever is directing or orchestrating her life gives her places that are not complete, where she can be at peace in the beds of uncertainty, and where dreams are never finished.
We can be guided by more than one goal, some of them are high and far away, but others are only discovered in our hearts.
I think this is about giving up, either taking control of your own fate or always being the who lay's in the beds with no answers, also a lot of other metaphores used here, "Falstaff" could imply the character created by Shakespeare.
The song strikes me as a new way of looking upon one's unrealized dreams and unresolved questions. Dar seems to be defending those inner struggles as worthy, and not to be shamed or discounted e.g. "...the field grew as sweetly for the flightless," and wishing for a place "...where half-dreams may dream without end." I wonder if she is saying that she wouldn't trade away those unanswered questions, even those "self-imposed" struggles. So the song seems to be advocating for "mercy" of all that's "fallen."
The song strikes me as a new way of looking upon one's unrealized dreams and unresolved questions. Dar seems to be defending those inner struggles as worthy, and not to be shamed or discounted e.g. "...the field grew as sweetly for the flightless," and wishing for a place "...where half-dreams may dream without end." I wonder if she is saying that she wouldn't trade away those unanswered questions, even those "self-imposed" struggles. So the song seems to be advocating for "mercy" of all that's "fallen."
It's about being lost, yet still having a kind of direction. The people who have fallen are the ones who realize that they're not perfect, and it's not their place to judge others. They seek the kind of strength that's not about being able to impress the flightless masses and demand things of them, but about having something to guide you through life, and maybe become a beacon for someone else.
I have no idea what the deal is with Falstaff, but that part in general makes me think about imperfection, or incompletion -- about a place that will let you rest on your journey, where you'll be welcomed and comforted even though you don't have all the answers yet.
It's about being lost, yet still having a kind of direction. The people who have fallen are the ones who realize that they're not perfect, and it's not their place to judge others. They seek the kind of strength that's not about being able to impress the flightless masses and demand things of them, but about having something to guide you through life, and maybe become a beacon for someone else.
I have no idea what the deal is with Falstaff, but that part in general makes me think about imperfection, or incompletion -- about a place that will let you rest on your journey, where you'll be welcomed and comforted even though you don't have all the answers yet.
I appreciate all of these comments, and I am fascinated with this song presently, so the insights provided here are just adding to that fascination.
Speaking broadly, I agree that the song is largely about what guidance system one chooses and what means to question and let go of traditional guidance systems. The term "errant" doesn't just mean "in error;" it also means to seek adventure and going to an alternate path.
When the writer agrees to lay her head in a bed that "has no answer," she has found the courage to exist in a world of uncertainty, complexity and struggle.
And as a poster suggested here, terms like "weak" and "strong" are on one axis of thinking about people and are relative. There are indeed other ways, ways that include compassion and mercy for those struggling ("on their last mile"), and humility and friendship would be of higher value there than intellect or individual excellence.
So this song seems to be about advocacy for the good that comes from being lost, seeking non-traditional paths and showing love and support for those who are having a hard time. She seems to say, "certainty is over-rated."
Love it, just adore it. This is my favorite song right now.
Please consider the astronomical references, as it can not be understood without them.
On a cloudy night, she could not see her "north star" and when lost went to the constellation "Leo the lion." "Met a king and met a giant." The brightest star in Leo is Regulus (the king star) the second brightest is the red giant (R. Leonis) - a variable brightness star. "Errant light" - possibly refers to Leo and the confident, aggressive and warlike nature which could be considered a (wrong) "errant light." Also; variable possibly (wayward) errant brightness.
"The mercy of the fallen" - Dar makes my eyes water here. She claims the fallen may know what is right, and that the fallen are merciful of others who fall, but she does not know what is right. This could also be a reference to fallen angels.
"I saw all the bright people."
"In imposing flocks they landed",
"And they got what they demanded"
"And they scratched at the ground."
Notice it says "people", and, "they demanded" - these were not a flock of birds.
This may be a reference to people from the sky/stars who may have visited earth long ago, and possibly left after mining certain minerals. Sumeria and many other cultures have references, and pictures of bright, winged gods or god like people who came from the sky, and writings about gold they mined.
"They flew, and the field grew as sweetly for the flightless."
Agriculture benefited from their visit, and, either some flightless sky/star people were left or, the flightless are us.
"Who had longing yet despite this"
It seems those who were left wished to go, or wished the ones who left would have stayed.
"They could hear every sound."
This may sound dumb, but she needed something to rhyme with ground, so it seems she put in a weak line here, basically meaning they heard them go.
Note: Some religious researches have claimed the concept of fallen angels originated with the Sumerians, and the sky people, as they seemed to fall from the sky.
"In self-inflicted exile" - more great writing by Dar, and more mercy for the fallen (possible end of life God reference- "last mile").
"Falstaff" - Shakespear's comic character. Falstaff would mess up anything, so Dar's "best of Falstaff planners" is a joke about dreaming in the chaos that would result from trying to plan the unplanable.
"The many stars that guide us."
Possibly referring to the meanings associated with stars, such as astrology, or to getting bearings by stars (sailors, and explorers sometimes still do).
"We have some of them inside us."
We are all made of star stuff (Carl Sagan), and it is possible we have some genetic material left by sky/star people, inside us.
Ok...yes, I realize I am probably wrong about some things. However; this is essentially a "star song", and no one else in the comments noticed.
If you listen to this song again, consider visualizing it in a dream looking down on earth - Dar states she "met Leo the lion"(she is lost in the stars).