The Captain

I think Xypotion has an interesting idea with the concept of water, as do most of these posts about a 'personal' war or relating to the middle east, but there is a fact i think many missed. the Name of the song - The Captain, and 'we' - meaning his crew - they 'have all this water'.

It makes me think of a ship traveling across an ocean... maybe they are going home after battle, and have another one to go... (offered one more lap) and they know they are the more powerful ones.

Either way, it is easily related to any journey of life. Brilliant, as all their songs are.

For me, this song is about the dominance of the rich over the poor, and that those with the power to change things, 'turn the other cheek' and continue 'to win'. I think this song is about the injustice of the world.

Like someone else mentioned before - it's such a powerful song.

While other song lyrics by The Knife may seem a little vague and opaque to me, this song makes perfect sense. It's about minorities and people not having it easy, sho goes trough alot every day.

Coming home after a long, long walk Coming home after a dozen of walks (every day is a seemingly never-ending journey)

Coming home after a long, long war Coming home after a dozen of wars (same, they're coming home after the daily war they fight)

We are out of wind We have pock-marked chin (they're hurt, but..)

We have lots of water We turn the other cheek and we win (they have 'water'; what's needed to survive, and even though all hate against them, they turn the other cheek, they don't give up, so they win)

One thousand stories and there's always more We've been offered one more lap to go (there have been lots of 'stories', many occasions where they have been hurt, and it keeps happening; always more, one more lap to go.)

In my hand I hold a key It's dear to me cause I know where it leads (referring to suicide, the 'key'. even though they're not going to commit suicide, they know there is always a final way out of all they're going trough. they know where it leads.)

It sounds like they've been through metaphorical "battles" - long ass personal journeys. They're tired and beat up, but they've got a lot of water and they still win; they know they're superior to the opponent (we turn the other cheek)?

They'll always win, and they KNOW it. Confidence in a cause? in being themselves? In the face of adversity?

This song lacks insecurity/unsure-ness. Actually, it is full of being sure about things... (In my hand I hold a key, It's dear to me cause I know where it leads)

My personal interpretation is that by having strength and confidence during the hard battles, you may not even have to fight them you're so secure. Or you fight them, you're out of wind and have pock marked chin, but you still have all this water.. and turn the other cheek (and win).

Having confidence in yourself! And your causes!

That's all I've got; Maybe I'll have another epiphany in the shower about it. Hopefully I didn't come off as insane, either ;)

This song is obviously a soldier's perspective.

Coming home after a long, long walk Coming home after a dozen of walks Coming home after a long, long war Coming home after a dozen of wars (Soldiers march(walk), right? War couldn't be any more straight-forward)

We are out of wind We have pock-marked chin We have lots of water We turn the other cheek and we win (They are tired of fighting...many have had small-pox...they have water, but not the will to fight...they win in the eyes of whom?)

One thousand stories and there's always more We've been offered one more lap to go In my hand I hold a key It's dear to me cause I know where it leads (Everyone has their own war stories...this is their last call to duty in the military... They hold a gun in their hands, which leads to 1 of 2 places...freedom or freedom by death)

We are out of wind We have pock-marked chin We have all this water We turn the other cheek with a grin (turns the cheek because they know freedom is on its way(death), and they are tired of fighting)

Isn't it "One thousand stories and there's always more." ?

sound like some damn witches. bubble, bubble, toil and trouble. and all that.

I believe this song is literally about wars, probably wars of the West in the (Middle)East.

It is very vague (like all songs of the Knife) and it tries not to pick any sides. Yet it is still loaded with sadness and also absurdity.

It's worth noticing how many times the word "we" is used.. By defining what "we" are, it is possible, by contrasting, to define what "they" are.
There are a lot of references to christianity connected to "we", eg. "we turn the other cheek". By contrasting that, "they" must be something else, eg. muslims. That's why it could be about war in the Middle East.

The verses "we turn the other cheek and we win" and "we turn the other cheek with a grin" are loaded with much absurdity and paradoxy. I believe it is a reference to the absurd political arguments the West uses to go to war. We don't go to war actually, we go to save the world - i.e. "we turn the other cheek and we win..."

That's what I get of this song, not saying that other people will agree. It's definitely one of my favourites from the "silent shout" album. It's unbearable beautiful.

I think that this is probably the most beautiful song I've heard from the knife, I mean it gives me tears in my eyes every time I hear it

I agree with RePl except for the suicide thing, I think a key could mean a lot of things. Maybe they're leaving? It could be about a minority people who are being persecuted in by their government and want to move to the West.