He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
Who do you carry that torch for, my young man?
Do you believe in anything?
Do you carry it around just to burn things down?
Meet me tonight on the turnpike, my darling
'Cause we believe in everything
If we sweat all these debts then we're sure to drown
So let's strap ourselves up to this engine now
With our God who we found laying under the back seat
What did you learn tonight?
You're shouting so loud, you barely joyous, broken thing.
You're a voice that never sings, is what I say
You are freezing over hell
You are bringing on the end, you do so well
You can only blame yourself, it's what I say
Oh, order your daughters to ignore me think that will sort me?
And sweep me under the rug
While you're beating with a book everyone that book tells you to love
There is an ember in the heart of the kiln
And it's burning hot with love
Burning out my center till there's nothing but dust
Rolling me with care into your cigarette
Cause the God I believe in never worked on a campaign trail
What did you learn tonight?
You're shouting so loud, you barely joyous, broken thing
You're a voice that never sings, is what I say
You are freezing over hell
You are bringing on the end, you do so well
You can only blame yourself, it's what I say
Who do you carry that torch for, my young man?
Do you believe in anything?
Do you carry it around just to burn things to the ground?
What did you learn tonight?
You're shouting so loud, you barely joyous, broken thing
You're a voice that never sings, is what I say
You are freezing over hell
You are bringing on the end, you do so well
You can only blame yourself, it's what I say
Feels like we could escape
And I don't mind throwing away this filthy silver song
If you try running a maze of your lies
It's too hard to save if you've thrown out everyone
Send "The Archer's Bows Have Broken
Do you believe in anything?
Do you carry it around just to burn things down?
Meet me tonight on the turnpike, my darling
'Cause we believe in everything
If we sweat all these debts then we're sure to drown
So let's strap ourselves up to this engine now
With our God who we found laying under the back seat
What did you learn tonight?
You're shouting so loud, you barely joyous, broken thing.
You're a voice that never sings, is what I say
You are freezing over hell
You are bringing on the end, you do so well
You can only blame yourself, it's what I say
Oh, order your daughters to ignore me think that will sort me?
And sweep me under the rug
While you're beating with a book everyone that book tells you to love
There is an ember in the heart of the kiln
And it's burning hot with love
Burning out my center till there's nothing but dust
Rolling me with care into your cigarette
Cause the God I believe in never worked on a campaign trail
What did you learn tonight?
You're shouting so loud, you barely joyous, broken thing
You're a voice that never sings, is what I say
You are freezing over hell
You are bringing on the end, you do so well
You can only blame yourself, it's what I say
Who do you carry that torch for, my young man?
Do you believe in anything?
Do you carry it around just to burn things to the ground?
What did you learn tonight?
You're shouting so loud, you barely joyous, broken thing
You're a voice that never sings, is what I say
You are freezing over hell
You are bringing on the end, you do so well
You can only blame yourself, it's what I say
Feels like we could escape
And I don't mind throwing away this filthy silver song
If you try running a maze of your lies
It's too hard to save if you've thrown out everyone
Send "The Archer's Bows Have Broken
Lyrics submitted by bnjared, edited by Mellow_Harsher
The Archers Bows Have Broken Lyrics as written by Jesse Lacey
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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So here's what I think:
First of all, Jesse Lacey is a Christian, but that doesn't mean he is a Conservative Christian. And this song does make criticisms against Christians who ignorantly use their religion to condemn others who don't believe what they believe. Which is apparent in the line: "while you're beating with a book everyone that book tells you to love" Not that all or even most Chistians do that, but the fact is that many do.
And the line: "cause the God i believe in never worked on a campaign trail" Is a political statement, but from Jesse's point of view, not someone else's. He's saying that he never believed in that he never believed in that idea. It's not necessarily about Bush though but probably a lot of politicians who try to use there religion to control others.
In the lines: "Who do you carry that torch for, my young man? Do you believe in anything? Or do you carry it around just to burn things down?" He is talking about people who believe in things just for the sake of believing in them, so they will fit in, so they look like better people, etc. instead of finding something that they truly believe in.
I think this song has a lot to do with findind out who you spiritually are and being true to that.