Well they call me William the Pleaser
I sold opium, fireworks and lead
Now I'm telling my troubles to strangers
When the shadows get long I be dead

Now her hair was as black as a bucket of tar
Her skin as white as a cuttlefish bone
I left Texas to follow Lucinda
Now I'll never see heaven or home

I made a wish on a sliver of moonlight
A sly grin and a bowl full of stars
Like a kid who captures a firefly
And leaves it only to die in the jar

As I kick at the clowns at my hanging
As I swing out over the crowd
I will search every face for Lucinda's
And she will go off with me down to hell

I thought I'd broke loose of Lucinda
Rain returned and so did the wind
I cast this burden on the God that's within me
And I'll leave this old world and go free

The devil dances inside empty pockets
But she didn't want money or pearls
Boy that wasn't enought for Lucinda
She wasn't that kind of girl

Now I've fallen from grace for Lucinda
Whoever thought that Hell'd be so cold?
I did well for an old tin can sailor
But she wanted the bell in my soul

I've spoken to God on the mountain
And I've swam in the irish sea
I ate fire and drank from the Ganges
And I'll beg there for mercy for me

I thought I'd broke loose of Lucinda
Rain returned and so did the wind
I was standing outside the white house
And then I was afraid to go in

I heard someone pull the trigger
Her breasts heaved in the moonlight again
There was a smear of gold in the window
And then I was the jewel of her sin

They call me William the Pleaser
I sold opium, fireworks and lead
Now I'm telling my troubles to strangers
When the shadows get long I be dead

Now her hair was as black as a bucket of tar
Her skin as white as a cuttlefish bone
I left Texas to follow Lucinda
I know I'll never see heaven or home
No I'll never see heaven or home
No I'll never see heaven or home

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Lyrics submitted by xdvr, edited by djjd, andatche

Lucinda song meanings

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My commentary, just as unnecessary as anybody else's, but it makes a lot of sense:

William was obviously a smuggler from an earlier era, an "old tin can sailor". And he started in Texas, made it as far as the UK and India (possibly transporting his product list between the two). Lucinda (assuming she has a flesh and blood narrative presence) also came from Texas and left first. He followed her, as the song says, and found his profession in the process of finding her. We don't know what she really wanted, but "the devil dances inside empty pockets", so he needed money - or thought he did - even if she wanted something more sinister.

Could be she wanted someone ( a rich husband, possibly : " a smear of gold at the window again"?) dead at a place called the White Horse, and he arranged it for her even if he was not normally in that line of work. Or he was supposed to help her kill this person, but backed out : "I was afraid to go in". It was done by someone else instead, who may or may not be Lucinda herself, and the Pleaser was set up by Lucinda to take the fall She "wanted the bell in my soul", but it never says she got it, just that he fell from grace -freedom and the moral high ground. And he was the "jewel on her sin" means that she compounded the sin of murder with setting a man who loved her up to take the fall for the murder. he never talked to the cops, and thus was condemned to die. This song is him remembering his life of experiences, revolving around and ending in Lucinda.

And it's fucking brilliant.

My commentary, just as unnecessary as anybody else's, but it makes a lot of sense: William was obviously a smuggler from an earlier era, an "old tin can sailor". And he started in Texas, made it as far as the UK and India (possibly transporting his product list between the two). Lucinda (assuming she has a flesh and blood narrative presence) also came from Texas and left first. He followed her, as the song says, and found his profession in the process of finding her. We don't know what she really wanted, but "the devil dances inside empty pockets", so he needed money - or thought he did - even if she wanted something more sinister. Could be she wanted someone ( a rich husband, possibly : " a smear of gold at the window again"?) dead at a place called the White Horse, and he arranged it for her even if he was not normally in that line of work. Or he was supposed to help her kill this person, but backed out : "I was afraid to go in". It was done by someone else instead, who may or may not be Lucinda herself, and the Pleaser was set up by Lucinda to take the fall She "wanted the bell in my soul", but it never says she got it, just that he fell from grace -freedom and the moral high ground. And he was the "jewel on her sin" means that she compounded the sin of murder with setting a man who loved her up to take the fall for the murder. he never talked to the cops, and thus was condemned to die. This song is him remembering his life of experiences, revolving around and ending in Lucinda. And it's fucking brilliant.

Reason:

nathan1149on April 16, 2018 Link
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