Communion Cups and Someone's Coat

Okay, I love this song and I really love this site and all of the great interpretations of this song. I feel like there's a lot going on underneath the simple words in this song, so I've tried to think about it from different angles and here's what I came up with. It may sound a little nutty, but I think there's something to it. I'm not saying that this is what Sam Beam meant when he wrote the song, but this is what it says to me and what the underlying symbolism in the song represent to me. Hey, if nothing else, it's fun to think about.

I think this song is ultimately about living in the now. The "she" in the song could be a woman or a girl, but I think more than that, it's a living embodiment of the universe, reality so to speak, or universal consciousness, God, what have you. With that in mind, there seems to be a more universal theme to the song.

Talk of yesterday And she will show her brothers Photographed in callous clothes

To me, this is talking about the sins of the past. The "callous clothes" are referencing some shameful or perhaps poor past for her brothers. Here I think it's a more universal theme of brotherhood of man (and woman), not just biological relatives. So she shows the woes of the past if you want to talk or dwell on the past. Shows you the record of the poor and callousness of her "brothers". I'm thinking war, pain, suffering, inhuman, callous acts done to one another.

Say tommorow And she'll say, "Come find me on a beach And there will be no moon"

This part seems to be talking about the uncertainty of the future. "Come find me.." is like saying, come and find the future on a dark beach without a moon. That's the darkness of the future that we can't see and the uncertainty of finding "her", or more to the point, finding the reality of an uncertain future. A dark beach with no moon is dark and there's really now way, except by some luck, that we'll find anything there. So she is saying, maybe if you're lucky, you'll find your way back to me, the universal consciousness or God.

But say today And she will kiss your face And maybe forget

Ah, finally, if you say today, that is live and do in the now, the universe may kiss your face and forget. Forget what? The past callousness of her brothers? Perhaps, but also forget her "self" and your "self"? I feel like there's a definite feeling of acceptance here and the universe will accept you and forget about things you may have done. Forgiveness. I'm not quite sure, but I think that the next part explains it.

Talk of yesterday Like bargain shoe strings She will kick the car and find her friends

This is saying that if you talk about past material things. Things that are a "bargain" in this case, shows a focus on money or materialism in the past. The next part is a bit different though. She kicks the car and finds her friends. Is this saying that the universe, God, the underlying workings of the universe will abandon you? I think so. It will choose those "friends" that don't focus on material possessions and money over you and you will be lost. I think that many people in the grip of materialism seem to have been forgotten (and forgotten themselves) in materialism and miss the point of living.

Say tomorrow And then she'll describe Some old communion cups and someone's coat

Here I think we can see that there is a definite religious overtone, but what are old communion cups, but thrown out vestments of a religious rite. This, to me, is saying that if we focus on tomorrow, "she" will show us the uselessness of religious iconography and "someone's coat". In this case, the coat is a means of protection, but it's been shed by the owner. It's just a coat. To me this is the most telling part of the song. It's saying that if you focus on tomorrow, the universe will ultimately show you the remains of religion, in this case, old communion cups. That religion is empty and used up as we move forward. It will also show you that coats will be shed and that protection and security given to you by organized, ritualized religion can be cast away like an old coat.

But say today And she may look your way And lead you home

Finally, we see that if you say today, live and do and focus on the now, then the universe (or whatever you'd like to call it, higher power, God, what have you) may finally see you for everything that you are right now and finally lead you home. Not a house, but home, where your soul belongs. To some it could be heaven or nirvana or enlightenment or just communion with the universal consciousness. This song, to me, is ultimately about being wholly present in the now. Living and existing outside the falseness of the past and future, but right here and right now. In that moment we can find ourselves and commune with something greater than ourselves. Spiritual, ain't it?

That's my take on it and it's a very personal interpretation. I believe songs can be written with one thing in mind, but can speak volumes to the people who listen to them. It all depends on the listener and ultimately the message and meaning of everything is only a reflection of the self. That's what it means to me and I hope you liked my little interpretation. Thanks!!