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Cleanse Song Lyrics
Hear the chimes, did you know that the wind when it blows
It is older than Rome and all of this sorrow
See the new Pyramids down in old Manhattan
From the roof of a friend I watched an empire ending
Heard it loud and long, the river's song
Time marching on, to a mad man's drum
Don't forget what you've learned
All you give is returned
And if life seems absurd
What you need is some laughter
And a season to sleep
And a place to get clean
Maybe Los Angeles
Somewhere no one's expecting
On a detox walk
Over Glendale Park
In sidewalk chalk
Someone wrote, in red "start over"
So I muffle my scream
On an Oxnard beach
Full of fever dreams that scare me sober
Into saltless dinners
Take the fruit from the tree, break the skin with your teeth
Is it bitter or sweet all depends on your timing
Like a meeting of chance
With the train station glance
Many lifetimes have passed in a instant reminded
Of a millstone house in a seaside town
When your heart gave out in a mission bed
So your wife gave birth to a funeral dirge
You woke up purged as a wailing infant
In Krug Thep, Thailand
Hear the chimes, did you know that the wind when it blows
It is older than Rome and our joy and our sorrow
It is older than Rome and all of this sorrow
See the new Pyramids down in old Manhattan
From the roof of a friend I watched an empire ending
Heard it loud and long, the river's song
Time marching on, to a mad man's drum
All you give is returned
And if life seems absurd
What you need is some laughter
And a season to sleep
And a place to get clean
Maybe Los Angeles
Somewhere no one's expecting
Over Glendale Park
In sidewalk chalk
Someone wrote, in red "start over"
On an Oxnard beach
Full of fever dreams that scare me sober
Into saltless dinners
Is it bitter or sweet all depends on your timing
Like a meeting of chance
With the train station glance
Many lifetimes have passed in a instant reminded
Of a millstone house in a seaside town
When your heart gave out in a mission bed
You woke up purged as a wailing infant
In Krug Thep, Thailand
It is older than Rome and our joy and our sorrow
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Shoot, I live in Santa Barbara (about 20 minutes north of Oxnard) and I can tell you in no uncertain terms that I would NOT pick any of the beaches down there if I was trying to get clean. Also dated a girl from Omaha for a while and wouldn't pick anywhere near there...
Hahaha, I live right next to Oxnard and thought the same thing! Although, I can see it being the perfect setting for muffled screams and fevered dreams, which I think makes it more effective to me, knowing Oxnard...
Hahaha, I live right next to Oxnard and thought the same thing! Although, I can see it being the perfect setting for muffled screams and fevered dreams, which I think makes it more effective to me, knowing Oxnard...
shamu1001, please refrain from speaking again.
this song is very pretty. one of my favorites on cassadaga. conor is getting older and wiser. this song shows it. good stuff.
i'm not at all a fan of cassadaga but this song is pure genious. the imagery is incredibly strong and touching. i love the way he displays LA as being a city of imagery and false dreams but that it's perfect to scare someone that's been through a tough time back to what's important in life. amazingly written, i'm a very jealous man.
brilliant song
I think this song reflects the spirit of the whole album
the younger (and short haired) conor screamed "i get cocaine from this girl I met and my brother buys me alcohol" and "i want a boy who's so drunk he doesn't talk"
now he writes "take a detox walk" and "look for a place to level out"
he wrote "pressing hard against your jeans. your tongue in my mouth"
now he writes "i've made love. yeah i've been fucked...so what?"
he's grown, and i think he's found his place
BEST COMMENT EVER.
BEST COMMENT EVER.
You're a very very smart person.
You're a very very smart person.
Is it just me, or does anyone else get a feeling like they've been "cleansed" after listening to this song? It's insane how much Bright Eyes sound has evolved, in general Conor went from writing more depressing songs to songs that are full of hope. Ahh, this song makes me so happy. & it sounds like Conor has found some sort of happiness. :]
The last line makes me cry every time I hear it, without fail.
Our joy and sorrow are completely transitory and insignificant. What could be sadder and at the same time more beautiful than that?
I think its about getting sober and considering reincarnation to help cope with the helpless and insignificant feelings associated with trying to get off of whatever shit you're fucked up on. if i had written the song i would have said exactly that and I'm very grateful that someone already knew what i was thinking and did it themselves much better then i would have. Conor does that alot. I love being able to relate to so many of his songs, especially because there's almost nothing vague about them. Makes me feel like I'm not the first person in the world to think about this stuff. i have trouble remembering that sometimes.
how come nobody has commented on it....has nobody else heard it? it's amazing!
i haven't heard this yet.
i don't cassadaga sent to me until tuesday, and i'm trying to keep as much surprise as i can for the first time i'm able to hear the album.
The ads on the side of this page say "Colon Cleanse" haha.
But anyways, I really like this song. It's not my favorite on Cassadaga, but it's really good.