Damascus

This is an absolutely beautiful song, and I am surprised why anyone has not commented on it. I love this song, but I just can't seem to get what she is really talking about. Its driving me nuts anyone there to help!!

I hardly ever seem to get what she's talking about but whatever it is I love it. Your right this is beautiful and I'm surprised how little responses all of her songs have got.

I love this song its just so darn pretty.

there's a short story called Damascus that Nerina wrote herself, go to www.nerinapallot.com to the Stories section. it's a great read. well written, and gives depth and insight to this beautiful song. smart woman, she is.

Is it only me, that understand what she means?

So Damascus is a city in India where Nerina's mum took her when she was very young.

The first verse is about actors who've lost themselves. Here is what she says in her blog: "What happens when we change, but not for the good of those we have loved so intensely once before? Envy the actor, who has lost all sense of himself and can play the role required, yet still believes he is his own authentic self." But I don't understand what it's got to do with Damascus.

And the chrous is about is about depressed, miserable people who think they're living for nothing?

To me, damascus is about a break up. The first verse, the speaker is saying how they have faked their way through the relationship "i've played a role so well that i've forgotten myself!" and he/she keeps linking the relationship with acting "the falling of our final curtain" "the closing scene"

Very similiar in theme and concept to Tori Amos' A Sorta Fairytale. Also a great song. In that song, a couple go on a road trip, pull back the masks and find that they can't make it work...

wrong, damascus is NOT in india, its on Syria,middle east, its considered as one of the most beutiful cities after Prague

I think she references the conversion of St.Paul (also known as the Damascus Road Experience) in this song.

"I saw the light I saw the light But hey, it never saw me Oh, conversion has just left me heathen"

When St.Paul had his conversion experience, on the way to Damascus,he saw a flash of light (it was him receiving the message of Jesus Christ) and this what she seems to be suggesting. It seems to be her conveying her lack of religious beliefs especially with her saying that 'conversion has just left me heathen'. She seems to suggest that whatever she believes she will be a 'heathen' in someone's eyes so why bother converting at all.

"And we could wait a thousand years Perhaps a million or more If it's worth waiting for But I'm leaving"

If we continue looking at this through a religious viewpoint this could be Nerina Pallot talking about the second coming of Jesus Christ. She is saying that we could wait for it to happen, but is it worth it or will it even happen? She says that she is leaving so she won't bother keeping up the religion any more. I have to admit I'm not too sure about this one but it seems that Damascus may be used as an outlet to express some misgivings about religion. Mecca is even referenced giving more evidence for some religious undercurrents in the song.

As for the rest of the song it seems to just be out depression and about her feeling unhappy with the state of her life and she just wants to leave.