Antisaint

I'm guessing the song is about hypocrisy and people who practice double standards, consume with all of their self righteousness... i totally agree that chevelle has gotten more heavier on the riffs and chops and they have become pretty melodious... and it's obvious that they sound a little like their favorite influence... 'tool'.... both band rocks!!!

This is a lengthy explanation of the song, but please read it because it's deep and I think most people would agree with the meaning I'm offering" I think you aren't read into it enough..

This song is definately about someone who has done something wrong in their past and they are afraid of people discovering what they did, and their struggle to confront themselves about it.

"Visit again white elephant" [-The expression "white elephant" usually refers to something like a ghost that haunts someone. (Much like the pink elephant is used to show that someone is insane or intoxicated.) Here it is refering to a past action or sin that is haunting the character Pete has created in the song.]

"Who sent you to the loom?" [-He asks what has caused him to feel remorse for whatever is haunting him.]

"Shall we sever everything? Ponder this while we ponder why." [-Here he's asking if he should forget about what he has done and try to move on.]

"He's starting to follow crows, and climbing the ladder somewhere out, to really begin to scare," [-This part of the song explains the effects of his guilt that is haunting him. He has become a darker person (hence the crows) and he seems out of touch with other people, possibly his family or friends, and they are are afraid for him.]

"and plotting to cover the grounds with a fine tooth comb" [-This part of the song means that people are trying to find out what's wrong with him, or what he has done.]

"You poor little antisaint. You poor little antisaint." [-Pete seems to show sympathy and sarcasm here... He (the character in the song, not Pete) feels that he's not a good person but he's pretending to be one, or he want to be one, but maybe he can't because he doesn't want to give up his evil ways.]

"Nothing to say for the last time, Just want to sink his will." [-He's ashamed of himself for what he has done and he doesn't have any way to justify it. He feels that he can't change.]

"Just want to sink his will. Like a predator's prey in the cold, slowly starts to show." [-Maybe people have also found out but they also lead him to believe that he can't change, because they want him to be hurt, and his pain and regret begins to show.]

"Assurance is what they need. Hold the lion until it's fed." [-It alludes to the part of the Bible that says "The Lion will lay down with the Lamb," but like him, maybe the lion cannot be trusted so "hold the Lion until it's fed," or in other words make sure that you can trust him before you put your faith in him. People need to know that he has changed and is no longer dangerous.]

"It's still only morning But the fly's surfaced." [-He believes that it is too late for him to change, but "it's only morning" meaning that he can still change and no longer be an evil, dangerous person, because he has caught his mistakes early and felt remorse for them.]

"You poor little antisaint. You poor little antisaint. You poor little antisaint. You poor little antisaint." [-Again Pete seems to be sympathetically mocking him.]

"The stakes are too low. We may not need any." [-He feels that if he doesn't change then he may lose everything, but again he wonders if it will matter if it's already too late and he's already lost it all, so why should he change?]

"Course we never feared it" [-People never expected this out of him...]

"And if you could tell, That the cleverest acting Was the lying by you, lying by you, lying by you." [-He has lied to himself about the past that is hauntiing him, and other people have no right to judge him because they have also sinned and made mistakes, but they have lied to make themselves seem perfect, when we are all really like him...]

"You poor little antisaint. You poor little antisaint. You poor little antisaint. You poor little antisaint."

I would appreciate any comments: THE HALLOWED

A white elephant is a costly and impractical gift that you cannot dispose of. It symbolized purity and justice to rulers, especially Buddhists, in Asia. It has double meaning because it was a sign of the king's favor to receive one, but you incurred the expense of taking care of it.

The "white elephant" in the song is someone who purports to have good (or pure) intentions. The line "Who sent you to loom?" shows the narrator thinks differently. The word "looms" implying they are uninvited, even menacing. Perhaps it’s someone being friendly or offering to make amends but whom the narrator knows is insincere. We know the narrator has an existing relationship with the “white elephant” since the song opens with “Visit again”. The double meaning of a white elephant is captured by the way the individual presents themselves, as good and pure, and they way the narrator actually sees them, as a burden. This is a relationship whose costs outweigh the benefits but perhaps they are tied by a sense of obligation, familial or something else.

In the third stanza “Shall we sever everything” the narrator ponders severing this relationship permanently.

“Ponder this while we ponder why He’s starting to follow crows” The “we” is not the narrator and the “elephant” but several people considering the “elephant’s” actions, his decision to follow crows. The crows are symbols of deceit, manipulation and death. The individual is starting to follow a dark and wayward path, perhaps in contrast to his former self. Aided by his imagery of “climbing the ladder” it’s as if he’s emerging somewhere from the depths. The ones who he is “Really beginning to scare” are those who love or depend on this transforming individual.

The last stanza before the chorus “plotting to comb the grounds with a fine tooth” is very poetic. Using a fine tooth comb means to examine carefully or meticulously but the order of words is changed. He is actually combing with a “fine tooth”. This gives us the idea that the individual is a type of predator. He is “plotting” or scheming, and methodically searching his surroundings(perhaps his friends and family) for prey. We start to understand that his deceitfulness is not just intentional but also destructive and self serving.

The chorus is ironic. “You poor little antisaint” seems like an expression of pity but is actually sarcastic. The individual initially referred to as a white elephant is now the antisaint. This reveals their hypocrisy by contrasting how they try to represent themselves, as good and just, with what they actually are. It also seems that in spite of their own deceitfulness they've come seeking sympathy from the narrator.

“Nothing to say for the last time” The individual still has no excuse or explanation for past transgressions, indicating lack of sincere remorse or desire to reform. “Just want to sink his will” is a difficult line to decipher. Who wants to sink whose will? What does this mean? Given the previous stanza “his will” seems more likely to mean “his own will”. Perhaps the individual’s darker desires are overpowering his will power. This could mean he is submitting his conscience or his desire to reform to some more powerful, selfish desire.

“Like a predator’s prey in the cold, slowly starts to show” is a cryptic follow up. Now we’re clearly presented the image of a predator although it doesn’t seem to refer to the individual in question. Rather, it’s the image of something concealed inevitably becoming visible that seems to mirror the individual’s true nature coming to light.

"Assurance is what they need hold the lion until its fed" helps to solidify several of our previous interpretations. There is no more hinting that this individual is a predator he is now plainly referred to as the lion. Again, it seems he's come seeking sympathy or help, or perhaps to reestablish relationships, but his acquaintances are reluctant to trust him again. Their fear of the lion's hunger is their fear of becoming his next victim. (perhaps for a second time)

"Its still only morning" The light of day is coming and we're waiting for it to reveal the individual's true nature to us. Also, we know lions hunt in the morning. "morning" could also be "mourning" foreshadowing death. "But the fly's surfaced" seems to confirm this. The lion has a new kill, a new victim.

"The stakes are too low we may not need any" is very cryptic. High stakes are when someone makes a large gamble. This might imply that the narrator no longer sees ridding himself of this relationship as a great loss.

There are two common interpretations of whats said in the next stanza. "Could we never feel" or "Course we never feared". Neither one clearly makes more sense than the other in context but it sounds more to me like "Course we never feared". This could mean that while the "lion" has victimized many of those who trusted him and who now fear him the narrator himself is exempt. Perhaps he was privy to the "lion's" true nature before the others or is just not afraid to stand up to him.

This could be supported by the fact that he addresses the individual directly (calls him "you") in the following stanzas. "And if you could tell that the cleverest acting was the lying by you" repeating the accusation at the end 3 times for emphasis. He directly accuses the individual of "lying" and "acting". By accusing him of acting he makes clear his belief that this persons deceit was coldly premeditated with specific and intended consequences. It also provides an image of extensive, well orchestrated manipulation.

Anyways, thats my take on this great song. I loved reading the other interpretations as well. Enjoy.

this song..incredible

I'm still not exactly sure about this song but the white elephant is suppose to symbolize purity, while the black crows are evil/corrupted maybe? In every movie crows are always a symbol of death and bad things. By the chorus saying "You poor little antisaint" it's just a little joke based off of how people say "Oh you poor little thing" etc. when something bad happens to someone, only this time, the person who wants us to feel bad for them is bad/up to no good. Like if someone was TPing everyone's houses and everyone knew it was him then got him back, and he tries to make everyone feel sorry for him. You poor little antisaint. Kind of makes me laugh when I hear it :).

Now about the crows, climbing the ladder, and the comb, I'm getting the impression that the "white elephant" is hanging with the wrong crowd (crows), looking for trouble and getting in tighter with the crows ("climbing the ladder" and people are afraid of him now "really begin to scare").

With the verses: in the first one it seems like the person telling the story was friends with the elephant ("Come again white elephant" and "Shall we sever everything?") but now they are moving far from that. In the second one, the crows have turned on the elephant ("Just want to sink his will" and talk of the lion). In the third verse I'm not entirely sure, I think the elephant found out he was being crossed and tries to get help but no one helps/feels sorry they just say "you poor little antisaint" remembering what he did before.

I could be completely wrong though, that's just what I get from the song.

chevelle has really gotten a heavier sound to them in this cd, but yet pete is still so melodic and the guitar riffs on the cd are amazing

I would say they sound a little heavier now, but not too much. This song sounds different at first, then sounds like them a little more, but still leaves a different taste. I can't quite put my finger on it...

the guitar is A LOT heavier. but there is less screaming. more intence singing i like to call it lol. I really like this song. i saw them a few weeks back before the cd came out. i never heard the song. but after they sung the chorus once i was able to sing along :). Its so catchy its not even funny. I do wish pete screamed more. but its still there :)

The hook to this song is very catchy. This entire CD is filled with guitar riffs that are just amazing. I like the new sound they bring, a little bit harder. Musically, Vena Sera is almost perfect with hard base lines and crisp drums to go along with the guitar. Lyrically I find this CD very confusing and difficult to comprehend. I am usually a guy that likes to understand the lyrics but I just don't care on this CD, the music just rocks!

I don't know why there needs to be so much debate here. This song is obviously about those morons who put down Christianity, and the moral good that it offers to humanity.

And by the way, the comment about them using heavier riffs here and sounding more melodious or harmonious ....... what kind of tommyrot is this ...... please don't analyze the wonderful awesome sound of this band. If you do, you are missing the point altogether. Just enjoy the music.

And on one final note. NO, they do NOT sound like tool. And comparing Chevelle to tool would be about as accurate as comparing the likes of The Beatles to sorry ass one hit wonder like tommy two tone, or j guiles band.

Piss on tool BTW. They could fall off the face of the planet and no one would miss them. Piss on them. You cannot mention them in the same breath with Chevelle.