Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Eli, the barrow boy
Of the old town
Sells coal and marigolds
And he cries out
All down the day
Below the tamaracks
She is crying
Corn cobs and candle wax for the buying
All down the day
Would I could afford to buy my love a fine robe
Made of gold and silk Arabian thread
She is dead and gone and lying in a pine grove
And I must push my barrow all the day
And I must push my barrow all the day
Eli, the barrow boy
When they found him
Dressed all in corduroy
He had drowned in
The river down the way
They laid his body down in a church yard
But still when the moon is out
With his push cart
He calls down the day
Would I could afford to buy my love a fine gown
Made of gold and silk Arabian thread
But, I am dead and gone and lying in a church ground
And still I push my barrow all the day
Still I push my barrow all the day
Of the old town
Sells coal and marigolds
And he cries out
All down the day
Below the tamaracks
She is crying
Corn cobs and candle wax for the buying
All down the day
Would I could afford to buy my love a fine robe
Made of gold and silk Arabian thread
She is dead and gone and lying in a pine grove
And I must push my barrow all the day
And I must push my barrow all the day
Eli, the barrow boy
When they found him
Dressed all in corduroy
He had drowned in
The river down the way
They laid his body down in a church yard
But still when the moon is out
With his push cart
He calls down the day
Would I could afford to buy my love a fine gown
Made of gold and silk Arabian thread
But, I am dead and gone and lying in a church ground
And still I push my barrow all the day
Still I push my barrow all the day
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As cmurphy2826 already stated, and I also recently posted on "The Chimbley Sweep" by accident (I got my tabs mixed up and forgot what song I was at); "Eli the Barrow Boy" reminds me a lot of "Molly Malone, aka "Cockles and Mussels".
youtube.com/watch
In Dublin's fair city, Where girls are so pretty, I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone, As she pushed her wheelbarrow Through streets broad and narrow, Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive oh"!
Alive, alive oh! alive, alive oh! Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive oh"!
Now she was a fishmonger, And sure twas no wonder, For so were her mother and father before, And they each wheeled their barrow, Through streets broad and narrow, Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive oh"!
She died of a fever, And no one could save her, And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone. Now her ghost wheels her barrow, Through streets broad and narrow, Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive oh"!
:D
Very sad song though. Lovely; but sad.