Evening on the Ground (Lilith's Song)

There's a bit of Freudian imagery along with the feminist theme in this song. "I'll only lie down by the waterside at night" - not only is she chosing where she "lies", but watersides, rivers, valleys and other bodies of water are Freudian yonic images, representing the vulva. Meanwhile, "You will never make me learn to lay beneath the mountain" - she'll never be tamed by him, plus mountain = phallic imagery.

Some of the misogyny here is scary... Hyperbole and bobbyw, I'm looking at you...

Yes, it's referencing the myths of Lilith (hence "Lilith's Song" in the title). It has nothing to do with Eve. The name Lilith goes back to Assyria (Babylon) at least; Lilitu was a sister-god and companion-warrior. The concept of an equal female counterpart may have entered the culture of the nations of Palestine (including the Jewish people) during the Babylonian Exile. But of course it had to be reconciled with one of the main creation myths, so Lilith became an equal who was put in her place and quite literally "demonized."

The riverside imagery of the song comes from another version of the medieval Jewish folklore involving Lilith. THe folklore is known as mishrash and while not taken as formal scripture, it usually took the form of teaching stories, with multiple meanings and interpretations. You could take it as cautionary, sure. But I'm sure the story was told by women for women with an admiring tone. Esp. considering the traditional Jewish teachings that a wife was entitled to a happy marriage, including sexual satisfaction, and that there were grounds for divorce if her husband wasn't helping her in those regards.

It's about the sin of Lilith. According to legend, she was made from dirt like Adam and she was meant to be his equal. Adam told her to submit but she refused and so she left him to be on her own. God confronted Lilith and told her to return to her husband. She refused once more and was punished for disobedience by being made into a succubus. I think is the song is meant to be her response to her ex-husband after all the unfortunate events had taken place. To survive her suffering, she eats the infant descendants of Adam and Eve. Whether or not this song is about that, I have wondered if Sam Beam created this album to praise the more feminine side of humanity. I read The Da Vinci Code recently and I came to understand that there are people in the world who believe in something called the sacred feminine. Granted these are my thoughts and my thoughts only, I have listened to this awesome EPs many times over since I have purchased it and I have sensed a strong feminine presence throughout it. I can't speak for Sam Beam and I can't help but make that connection. Whatever the theme of the album, it's my favorite EP after Jar of Flies and probably the best album so far this year.

The Lilith myth--all of that informs the song; however, the thing that universalizes it, and actually illuminates his key point is the striking line...

We were born to fuck each other One way or another

Beam likes double entendre and word play--and there are two ways to read this: "fuck" is obviously sex, but why use such a course term? On purely biological terms, it references the creative act of the the Garden of Eden--Adam and Eve and the logic of procreation. But there is another element too--Milton, in Paradise Lost infers that sex was originally for pleasure rather than reproduction, which doesn't happen until after the Fall. It was a way of bonding for Adam and Eve. They "make" love, in other words.

Beam's choice of the word "fuck" denotes jealousy and bitterness on the part of the speaker; this is the second possible meaning of the phrase, which is betrayal as in "fuck over." It fits with Lilith's state of mind as the outcast; however, Beam's too smart to simply make the song about this myth--he's also saying something universal about male/female relationships. A female associate of mine frequently bemoans, "why can't men and women just be friends?" Here's her answer.

Who cares what this song is about; Sam Beam is using a fucking electric guitar! Hell hath frozen over, and it is beautiful. Thank you, Mr. Beam, for not limiting yourself on this ep, because it's the best work you've ever done.

I agree with slickboots comment, this is the best work he's ever done and i'm glad he didn't limit himself on this album. Sound-wise it's a lot different than past works, which is a good thing though the other albums were great as well. I also agree with the first comment on what this is about. It seems this album has a few references to historical women, jezebel being the other.

Lilith is a name that is found in Judeic as well as Christian apocryphal writings. According to them, she was the first woman. God made her out of clay as Adam's wife, but instead of being a man's faithful companion, she turned out to be too independent and in many ways equal to Adam.

Obviously, God and Adam didn't like it. Lilith was expelled from Eden and God made Eve from Adam's rib.. Eve was inferior and therefore suited Adam better. Meanwhile, Lilith became a demon who steals women's babies and makes them her own. Also, she comes to men in their dreams ("wet dreams") and tries to become pregnant from them too... they say she's successful sometimes, and some of Lilith's children are now walking the Earth O;-)

I think this song is the best on this album. It has a driving quality that other songs on this EP seem to lack. It's brilliant, and clearly the biblical interpretation seems to make a lot of sense. Well on you Sam Beam.

"we were born to fuck each other one way or another." This earns my award for coolest line ever.

God sent 3 angels after Lilith and they threatened her that they would kill 100 of her demonic (lilin) children a day until she returned to Adam. Lilith, instead refused and countered by prey on the decendants of Adam and Eve.