Dearest Forsaken

I love this song, as I tend to love all of Sam's darker songs. I think this song is about a woman who kills her abusive husband by tying him to a stump and letting him drown in a flood. The savior "fielding forces of nature" I see as one of those big Southern storms that last for days and make all the creeks and gulleys overflow. Being a Southern expatriot myself a lot of his songs bring me back home. I'm surprised nobody has commented on this song yet--I think it's so cool.

This is a really creepy Pedro-the-Lion-esque song. I agree with the abusive husband story. It's actually a pretty chilling song. I love it. He's a great fingerpicking guitarist.

i don't think these lyrics are right? the lines "Wash out the river has you boy" and "Fielding forces of nature" don't sound right to me when I listen to the actual song. It sounds like he's saying something else.

Interesting that people think this is to a husband. My first impression was that it was for a mother to her unwanted child. She refers to him as "boy," which would seem more appropriate for a child than a husband. "Empty, the bottle drains no more" would seem to be a reference to a baby bottle.

On the other hand, "your angry hands" and "waking in fear of you" are more appropriate for the first perhaps this is a child who is a sociopath. Or perhaps she is frightened of him because she's getting rid of him?

These are the right lyrics:

To my dearest forsaken Who the earth now has taken Empty, the bottle drains no more

It is true that i loved you Despite the harm now on you Washes, the river has you boy

Here on the eve of too long Where you'll think i've done wrong Waking in fear of you no more

I'll put my trust in the savior Of human forces and nature Strength of the stump i tied you boy

To my dearest forsaken Dearest vow i have broken Afraid of your angry hands no more

I'll put my trust in the savior River may have me later Sleep with my lost love for you boy

Before I read these comments, I was always getting the impression of a Man who lost his wife through indirect harm that he caused, and goes through stages of grief. In this he contemplates suicide (Here on the eve of too long) is an alcoholic (Empty, the bottle drains no more) and later gives his life to Christ. Samuel Beam has always had that tinge of "God" in his songs, though he himself battles with belief (or rather putting faith/trust) in God. It shows very clearly in his songs, and adds an emotional push into his songs. If he weren't going through those kinds of struggles, I don't think his music would be as haunting or beautiful as it is now.

Yes, there are holes in my story of this song, Such as "Strength of the stump I tied you boy".

"afraid of your angry hands no more" is a tough one, but I think it might be referring to God's 'angry hands', perhaps taking his wife away? Somehow he blames God for his loss?

But look at me, I'm rambling about my interpretation, which is probably wrong, about an amazingly written song that I will never stop listening to, as well as every other I&W song.

Enjoy the music, that's what it's there for, right?