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The Truth Comes Out Lyrics
the truth comes out as the fire burns low
it comes to light as only embers glow
the whiskey talks, the west wind moans in the night
the deadfall's gathered and the branches are cut
kindling crackles and the smoke curls up
the small sticks catch then the bigger stuff will burn
chinook dies down as the dark descends
pine has burned, the ash has cleansed
the message smolders, is lost, but finally sent
connie says she's never seen the cougars so bold
they're comin in the yard and they're stealin young colts
they drag em in the brush with the claws sunk in their nose
the weather's been funny thirty years or so
the winters got warm, not as much snow
hear the big cats comin cuz there's nowhere left to go
you gotta look out for bear when you’re fishing on lee’s creek
they’ll come round the bend and they’ll make your knees weak
there’s grizzlies where there was no grizzly bears before
half heard voices from the ghosts, from the graves
the grandfathers tell us at the mouths of the caves
only old chiefs older than jesus can save us now, if we're lucky
white man light a big fire, stay cold
the red man's warmer, but the old man's old
the antelope seeks the buffalo in the night
the antelope mourns the buffalo in the night
it comes to light as only embers glow
the whiskey talks, the west wind moans in the night
kindling crackles and the smoke curls up
the small sticks catch then the bigger stuff will burn
pine has burned, the ash has cleansed
the message smolders, is lost, but finally sent
they're comin in the yard and they're stealin young colts
they drag em in the brush with the claws sunk in their nose
the winters got warm, not as much snow
hear the big cats comin cuz there's nowhere left to go
they’ll come round the bend and they’ll make your knees weak
there’s grizzlies where there was no grizzly bears before
the grandfathers tell us at the mouths of the caves
only old chiefs older than jesus can save us now, if we're lucky
the red man's warmer, but the old man's old
the antelope seeks the buffalo in the night
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to me, all about man's continuous, careless encroachment on wildlife's habitat. also, our inability to create change in our impacts until things get drastic. the fire is a metaphor for industry and continuing advances in technology ('the small sticks catch then the bigger stuff will burn '). the last 2 paragraphs are a statement on first the nations ability to respect and preserve nature. anyone help out with the antelope/buffalo part at the end?
@uvicstudent - possibly referring to the susceptibility of North American pronghorns to interrupted migration routes caused by construction of roads in the west, also infections from bacterial and viral diseases wildlife tends to increase with warmer temperatures and mild winters. Take a look at Sonoran Pronghorn and Saiga Antelope. The antelope may be troubled by human progress just as the buffalo were. Maybe it is a stretch but that is where my mind takes this line.
@uvicstudent - possibly referring to the susceptibility of North American pronghorns to interrupted migration routes caused by construction of roads in the west, also infections from bacterial and viral diseases wildlife tends to increase with warmer temperatures and mild winters. Take a look at Sonoran Pronghorn and Saiga Antelope. The antelope may be troubled by human progress just as the buffalo were. Maybe it is a stretch but that is where my mind takes this line.
@uvicstudent re: antelope/buffalo
@uvicstudent re: antelope/buffalo
I think it's just a rhetorical progression asking, "Where are the buffalo?" and answering, "They are gone," and that is truly something to mourn.
I think it's just a rhetorical progression asking, "Where are the buffalo?" and answering, "They are gone," and that is truly something to mourn.
My interpretation of the song is that it could be about the aftermath of a wildfire. This would explain why it starts with a fire dying down and why bears and mountain lions are found in places they were never found before - their natural habitats have been burned. Alternatively, the song could be about how people have changed the land. This would explain the part about winters being warmer (due to global warming) and wild animals moving closer to people because their homes have been taken over. The references to old chiefs suggest that Native Americans took better care of the land than settlers, and that their ghosts know how to fix the harm that has been done or would have never caused it in the first place. The part about the antelope and buffalo refers to the antelope being endangered and the buffalo were hunted into extinction. The antelope mourn the buffalo because they know they're the next part of the vicious cycle.
Of course, this is just my interpretation and I could be completely wrong. Nonetheless, it is still a great and deep song.