Psychopomp

This is an incredible song and my favorite of all time. It's about someones death. A highroller. Someone morally weak and consumed by greed. Someone who lied, cheated and hurt others to get to the top. Someone who "wanted it all". About that person paying for their hidden crimes, the "lies you can't ignore". "One last kiss before you fade away". The kiss of death before fading into oblivion. Hell. So much raw emotion in this song. Hatred towards the dying and satisfaction in delivering it. Death enjoys taking this person. When I hear this song I picture Death screaming at me. As though I were the individual in question. I've been listening to it for years and it still gives me chills.

As said by jeff martin on Illuminations, this song is based on a greek myth about someone who was willing to go into the depths of hell to recover what they love. this song is my favorite Tea Party song and is just so full of raw and intense emotion.

I agree that it's about death. It's almost like death talking to someone who wasted their life away in self-indulgence and greed. It's in the person's last breaths, and it's as if death's mocking them as they head towards punishment for what they've done.

I always interpreted this song a bit different. Reading other peoples meanings seem to make more sense, but originally I thought this was about someone who wouldn't show their true feelings (not necessarily love) but the other person 'wanted it all', when he/she finally 'gives something more' the other person can't handle it & they fade away. The start of the song is like the story being told as if it's already happened, either as a witness or it happening as there former self (almost 3rd person). My only explination for verses is the closed off person is almost dreading letting their true self shine, they know it will happen & it's being pushed out, finally in the last chorus they everything explode & everything happens just as they thought. Maybe I'm just trying to fit a meaning around my original interpratation, it's a great song anyway :)

this song as stated by jeff martin (cannot for the life of me remember where)is influenced by the greek myth of orpheus and eurydice,.orpheus being a demi god (one of the sons/daughters of a god and a 'mortal' woman, apollo being the god or the king of thracian land,and a muse calliope ) orpheus becoming known as the father of songs, the story continues later on about him wooing eurydice only for her to die after her wedding to being bitten by vipers, but the song orpheus sang in grief saddened all the gods allowing opheus to travel to the underworld to rescue eurydice however hades had a condition that she could leave as long as he didnt look at her until they both reached the surface, and as orpheus reached it turned around, forgettingthey both had to be, and then saw her fade away forever

Also, like many others, this is my favorite song by the Tea Party. What about the meaning? I always thought it is about drugs. A junkie he knows. "I'll give you something more And you'll fade away One last kiss before You fade away" Pretty sad. But if Jeff claims it is Greek Mythology, who am I to disagree?

Could be used as a commanders poem to a city before turning her upside down\nOr someone’s suicide note to a city \nEither way