Standing on some dotted line
Reacting to the hands of time
A circumstance that I've been fed
Leaving questions in my head
Find the space that was left bare
An empty space I'd gladly share
One must live while one must die
Combined paired up for so many years
Unsure if I really want to shed a tear
Signing off is always so clearly done
A number 2 is now reduced to one
Find the space that was left bare
An empty space I'd gladly share
When your clock is up
And you rest for good
I will cut off my armpiece
Just like we agreed we would
One must live while one must die
While the other argues that
The world ain't fair
But then who ever promised
Anybody equal share
You might as well forget
What you gambled on
'Cause plans never go by the way they're drawn
When your clock is up
And you rest for good
I will cut off my armpiece
Just like we agreed we would
One must live while one must die
I can't say goodbye
It's all I can do to get up every morning
And when all else fails I try
To face myself and everything else
But mostly I wonder why
Reacting to the hands of time
A circumstance that I've been fed
Leaving questions in my head
An empty space I'd gladly share
Unsure if I really want to shed a tear
Signing off is always so clearly done
A number 2 is now reduced to one
An empty space I'd gladly share
And you rest for good
I will cut off my armpiece
Just like we agreed we would
The world ain't fair
But then who ever promised
Anybody equal share
You might as well forget
What you gambled on
'Cause plans never go by the way they're drawn
And you rest for good
I will cut off my armpiece
Just like we agreed we would
It's all I can do to get up every morning
And when all else fails I try
To face myself and everything else
But mostly I wonder why
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
a song about two old people who have lived together for so many years and then one of them died. From what I've heard, John Bush wrote this song for his mother, when his father passed away.
Hmm, such a great song, I'm surprised more people haven't commented on it. Johnnie's explanation seems to fit exactly. Only thing I'm unsure about is what is meant by "cut[ting] off my armpiece." Could it have something to do with a wedding band, that they agreed to move on after one of them died?
Anyway, as I said, great song. I love the way it goes from soft to heavy on the last verse.
Great song that closes an under-rated album. I've always wondered about the armpiece as well. For a while i wondered if it was an odd military uniform reference(!). I also thought it could it be a tattoo of the lost loved one on the arm perhaps?
Thoughts, anyone?
Funny they joked about songs like this in "the attack of the killer B's"
Bare, is actually about, when John Bush was in Armored Saint. One of the guitarists, developed a brain tumor, or something pretty much fuct, like that...it was debilitating, and, prevented the guy from performing. He eventually died from this condition. Armored Saint wore certain pieces of armor, (plastic props) on stage, as part of their costuming, and, that is where the armpiece comes into play... I'm pretty sure, when the guitarist couldn't perform any longer, Armored Saint chose not to go on without him... I'm also pretty sure, Bush, and he were extremely close friends...will double check, and edit if necessary...thanks..