Tarred and Feathered

I think this song is about failing to break the mundanity of everyday life. Most of the lyrics seem to be about the mundanity, e.g. "Time tends to pass by quicker than the nail", "The radio and television's thrown the rest away". The protagonist seeks to fly (i.e. break the mundanity), but his attempt at being a bird looks as ridiculous as someone who's been tarred and feathered.

I think this song is greatly existential in nature. It's about time, existence, death, and the banality of life.

I FIND I UNDERSTAND THE RULES, BUT CANNOT FIND THE REASON

DO THEY INCLUDE EVERYTHING? AND THEY CHANGE FOR EVERY SEASON

There is a framework in life. And there are rules to go along with it that are often unfair, unreasonable, and have little purpose. These rules are subject to change at the whim of those in power who have created them.

The next two lines are clichés that, literally, share the word "time". Time being the great equalizer, we live and die by it. There are a lot of clichés that deal with the concept of time. They're common and often true. Ex. "Time waits for no one", "Time Will Tell", "Waste of Time", etc.

It's only a matter of time - refers to something that is inevitable, but it's unknown exactly when it will happen in time. (ie: death)

Time is of the essence - refers to something that urgently needs to happen because time is running out. (ie: anything in life)

Okay, so

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

SHOULD I PUT UP SOME RESISTANCE?

CURSED BY THE AWARENESS OF MY OWN EXISTENCE

Time is running out and there is no way to stop that clock. Honestly, is there any point in trying to defy reality and time when death is inevitable and rules don't mean anything? To be aware of your existence is to be aware of your own looming death.

TIME TENDS TO PASS BY QUICKER THAN THE NAIL

THAT BOXES ME TOGETHER, FOREVER IT FORMS THE SEAL

IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF MY OWN EXISTENCE REAL?

Tim's talking about death here too, using the imagery of a coffin being nailed shut. It's being sealed by fate and time - boxing him in forever. This hints at another cliché too, "final nail in the coffin". But who can tell, since again rules aren't what they seem and you can't always trust your own intellect or perception about what is even real.

A SLICE OF LIFE, A PEACE OF MIND LAID ON A PLATE OF MY OWN KIND

Again, he's using cliché and idiom to put his statement in the realm of the common. An ordinary, mundane view of the world can give you peace of mind when you're viewing it through a lens you can relate to. "Laid on a plate of my own kind".

I'LL TAKE A KEY FROM THE GRAVY

AND UNLOCK THE CAGE THAT HOLDS THE RAVENS IN

I'm no psychologist, and I'm not sure about what specific theory he may be referencing, but to me, "gravy" hints at some sort of primordial construct of the subconscious. "The cage that holds the ravens in" being the part of the subconscious were dark fears and desires are hidden. This phrase, comprised of all four lines, suggests that to unlock the secrets of your mind, no matter how dark, will set you free and give you peace of mind. You just have to trust yourself enough to do this.

WHAT'S IT LIKE FLYING HIGH?

I'VE A CONE FOR A BEAK, BUT THE TAR MAKES ME CRY

THAT HOLDS ME TOGETHER

TARRED AND FEATHERED

This phrase overtly refers to the punishment of tarring and feathering a person. But I don't think it necessarily has to do with public humiliation and the scrutiny of others. My interpretation is that of self-doubt, self-growth, and a fear of failure. Once you think you have it all figured out in life, you get knocked down. You don't know as much as you think you do, and you're always farther behind in life than you think you are. That realization should help you work up to the next level, once you adjust your perception and do the mental work. In the meantime, you may think you're flying high like a bird, but you're actually playing dress up, only pretending you're soaring to greater heights. You don't know shit, and always you're fooling yourself.

BREATHING HOME, HOPING FOR THE DAY

THE RADIO AND TELEVISION'S THROWN THE REST AWAY

OH, DEAR ME, LOOK WHO'S COME AROUND

NOW ALL I HAVE TO DO IS HIDE MY BODY IN THE GROUND

Again, my take is that this phrase is about existence and death. It describes a person sitting at home, wasting their time, giving in to idle pleasures instead of doing something relevant that will lead to personal growth. If you just wait for enlightenment to occur naturally, death is the only thing that is certain to "come around". So DO SOMETHING! (See Passenger Seat People - by The Sun City Girls: songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858727378/)

WHEN THEY WHO TO THE SEA GO DOWN

AND IN THE WATERS PLY THEIR TOIL

ARE LIFTED ON THE SURGE'S CROWN

AND PLUNGED WHERE SEETHING EDDIES BOIL

My direct interpretation is that if you plan to do anything of any depth or substance, you should be prepared for the ebbs and flows, failures and successes associated with putting yourself out there. Struggling in this space between life and death to keep your head above water, you may find yourself riding high on the waves or facing the threat of drowning. That balance HAS to exist. But no matter what, we all face plunging into the depths of nothingness in the end. That's what this is all about.

[Edit: I find I understand the rules, but cannot find the reason.]

There are multiple ways to interpret the song, but in short, it's about feeling like you're in a terrible mental state, questioning if it's actually what life is all about, then you somehow find someone who knows better and is willing to help you out (or you find a book that does the same thing, even if it's incredibly old.) You then take the advice, even if you get persecuted to death for it, and it really doesn't matter even if you die; you're saved from the treacherous place you were once in.

OK, now let's analyze the lyrics and music.

The first 1:30 or so of the song seems to be as though it's supposed to sound like a representation of a life in which the writer feels like his existence is in a damn hateful and sardonic carnival that's using him as the whipping boy. Keep that part in mind.

"I find I understand the rules but cannot find the reasons Do they include everything and they change for every season It's only a matter of...

Time is of the essence, shall I put up some resistance? Cursed with the awareness of my own existence"

Here, the writer expresses that he understands what to do, but not why. Given context later on, this also seems to be "Why should I do this? This doesn't feel like it's living, it feels wrong."

The "rules" could be anything - stupidly made rules by unloving parents who don't care about their kid, or stupidly made rules by a society that doesn't understand how to live. The size really doesn't matter much; the writer feels "Cursed with the awareness of my own existence," so it only maters that he feels bad for going with what was taught him. It's like an uncaring parent played the "Blame the Baby" game, and the writer was the baby.

"It's only a matter of... Time tends to pass by quicker than the nail That boxes me together forever it forms the seal Is the knowledge of my own existence real?"

The writer's feeling like shit's gonna hit the fan, and life just goes by so quickly, and he has no control over a damn thing here. But he also wants to know, is his knowledge actually right?

"I find I understand the rules but cannot find the reasons Do they include everything and they change for every season It's only a matter of...

Time tends to pass by quicker than the nail That boxes me together forever it forms the seal Is the knowledge of my own existence real?"

The writer repeats the idea, then after the last time he questions it, the music changes; things get calmer.

"A slice of life a piece of mind Laid on a plate of my own kind I'll take a key from the gravy And unlock the cage that holds the ravens in"

The "slice of life" is an idea, and a way of life; high quality living that is not a harmful way. The "piece of mind" is the same thing, but looked at from another way; it's actually sensible, instead of being maddeningly stupid and insensitive.

The fact that it's "laid plate of my own kind" is comparing the knowledge to eating it (you can benefit from quality food, and you can benefit from actual wisdom that doesn't harm you.) Since the writer says that the plate is "of my own kind," he recognizes that this wisdom fits with ideas that he wanted for himself but didn't fully realize or go along with earlier.

The music then changes slightly again:

"What's it like, flying high? I've a cone for a beak, but the tar makes me cry That holds me together, tarred and feathered"

He expresses what his new-found freedom is like. He can see things much better when flying high, but at the same time, others think he's a damn loon who needs to be crucified for "crimes." He, however, sees it quite differently. His new freedom actually gives him love and life and happiness, and he will NOT let it go. This is the "cone," the "tar," and "feathers" all over him.

The music changes again, starting in the last line, where he says that it holds him together. Things are picking up, and people are noticing:

"Breathing home, hoping for the day The radio and television's thrown the rest away..."

The "breathing" is "living." It's his new found freedom that people think he's crazy for, and he feels quite at home in it. However, all society still sees him as a crackpot.

"...Oh dear me, look who's come around Now all I have to do is hide my body in the ground..."

He sees them coming, and he really doesn't care that they're going to persecute him and kill him. The music changes at "ground."

"...It's all I have to do..."

Really, nothing else can be done at this point if he chooses to continue (and he does continue.) All he really can do is die and be buried. This could be taken literally, if you're a Christian believing in Christ and the resurrection; but it can also be taken metaphorically and like a parable, like a man laving a bad relationship, when someone's painted as a spawn of satan because he refused to co-operate in evil. The latter interpretation can also be taken as a parable in relation to Christ.

The music changes to its final part:

"When they who to the sea go down And in the waters ply their toil Are lifted on the surges crown And plunged where seething eddies boil"

This is lifted from an old Church Hymn, if I remember right, but I'm not sure which one. I'm not sure I understand all of it, but it seems to be about people who doom themselves by going against the writer's ideas and choices. They crucified him, and they wouldn't join him. They chose to go down to "the sea" - that is, a massive place that can become chaotic and swallow you up easily - and then when they're in the "waters," they do whatever they do that the writer (now crucified) was actually against. Like an alcoholic drinking himself to death.

The people then are placed on the pinnacle of their king, their ruler and God... In doing this, they're plunged into the depths; in which seething hatred that goes against the flow of life shall boil. Nonsensical hatred (even if subtle,) that fire of hatred burned thousands of years ago, and it continues like a coal mine fire. By committing themselves to this, they obliterate their existence. ("Eddies" mean currents of water that run contrary to the flow of the main body of water.)

Though... Even after all that, I have one question; will they perpetuate their eddie currents forever, or was the last verse all about them having gone too far? Or will they realize, like the writer, that they can leave and join the actual graceful flow of living? See, the writer himself was in their line of thinking until he questioned it, found another way, and left even though he was tarred and feathered, murdered, and buried over it.