Crucify Your Mind Lyrics
That made you pay the cost
That now assumes relaxed positions
And prostitutes your loss?
Were you tortured by your own thirst
In those pleasures that you seek
That made you Tom the curious
That makes you James the weak?
Something you call unique
But I've seen your self-pity showing
As the tears rolled down your cheeks.
And I'll never look behind
'Cos I was born for the purpose
That crucifies your mind.
So con, convince your mirror
As you've always done before
Giving substance to shadows
Giving substance ever more.
Secrets shiny and new
But how much of you is repetition
That you didn't whisper to him too.
This song means a lot to me- so does the story of Rodriguez. I feel that this song is about a girl who doesn't have a lot to offer, but keeps Dating the same sort of "player" over and over, expecting a different outcome Each time (This sort of like Einstein's definition of insanity!). I tried to transpose this tune like a poem and this is what I came up with:
Was He a predator or a player Who made you care for him then he left you Assumes it all meant nothing Only every saw you as sex (prostitutes = sell for inferior purpose)
Were you tortured by your own thirst In those pleasures that you seek (affection, love, sex) That originally made you curious That now has made you week
You Say you're special You say you're unique But you know inside that your not special As the tear roll down you cheeks
(now we're a little back in time - from the point of view from guy) Soon you know I'll leave you And I'll never look behind It's just my nature To tear up your heart/mind
Go convince your mirror that your special as you've always done before Giving substance to a vague image of how you'd like to be seen (Shadows is used because you cannot define a shape from its shadow, therefore it has no full "substance") Giving substance as you've done before
You assume you have something that will make this relationship different from past loves Secrets shiny and new How much of was is the same? Was there anything different?
I think you have done a good job with this interpretation.
I think you have done a good job with this interpretation.
exactly.
exactly.
I'm sorry to say it but your vision of the song seems pretty shallow to me. It's probably what it means for you, and in a way it is surely one way of seeing it, but the EGO interpretation sounds very much like what I feel about it. Plus, AMG156 explaned it very well.
I'm sorry to say it but your vision of the song seems pretty shallow to me. It's probably what it means for you, and in a way it is surely one way of seeing it, but the EGO interpretation sounds very much like what I feel about it. Plus, AMG156 explaned it very well.
To me this song is all about Ego. The lyrics are genius. By Huntsman or player I think Rodriguez is referring to the people we dream of becoming. However, the large majority of us do not become the person we dream of and are "tortured by your own thirst in those pleasures that you seek." Those of us with Ego's, assume we have something to offer, "secret shiny and new". But in the end, your ego will only make you unhappy especially when you do not acquire the things you dreamed of. The song is called crucify your mind because Rodriguez wants to make it apparent to us that we are not living in reality "con, convince your mirror"..."giving substance to the shadows" because our ego's are clouding our vision. I just nailed this m@therf*cker. #AndyOut
I think you nailed it too. I listened to it tonight for the first few times and I thought, damn, this sounds like a song about the masks that we wear in society, how we strive to be what we think society or parents or peers think we should be. And maybe about how that path is one in which we cope with our sadness by indulging in "pleasures." I dunno. But I do believe the track is disguised as a love song, but it's surely something else.
I think you nailed it too. I listened to it tonight for the first few times and I thought, damn, this sounds like a song about the masks that we wear in society, how we strive to be what we think society or parents or peers think we should be. And maybe about how that path is one in which we cope with our sadness by indulging in "pleasures." I dunno. But I do believe the track is disguised as a love song, but it's surely something else.
Absolutely, the 'born for the purpose that crucifies your mind' is such a clear hint that I have no doubt that Rodrigues is sharing with us the path to, say, nirguna brahman.
Absolutely, the 'born for the purpose that crucifies your mind' is such a clear hint that I have no doubt that Rodrigues is sharing with us the path to, say, nirguna brahman.
You are right.
You are right.
This song is on par with the lyrical genius of Leonard Cohen. It's unbelievable that he didn't achieve similar renown...
On par? It's far beyond any of Cohen's work.
On par? It's far beyond any of Cohen's work.
Such a great song.
to me it says this:
Who was it that broke your heart?
was it your own needs that made it happen?
You pretend you are over it but clearly you are not.
Now I'm going to do the same as all the others and it will repeat once more.
Then you will think you've found the answer but it will just repeat once more.
It's OK. There are more ears in the sea. Happy Hunting...
It's OK. There are more ears in the sea. Happy Hunting...
This song is about infidelity.
Apparently,Sixto really sees through this woman,who is nothing,substanceless !
This could also be an allegory for modern,superficial meaningless life...
These lyrics make you think - Right On Sixto !!!
I got stoned and thought about this alot. I think it's about a girl who lost her virginity to a player/bad guy and now keeps dating the same type of person and having the same meaningless relationships
Here's how i break it down.
Was it a huntsman or a player
- This bit of the verse is talking about the time the girl first fell in love and had sex. "Huntsman or player" - What type of man was it? (i guess huntsman means predator as someone else said, and player means cheater).
That made you pay the cost - "Cost" refers to the girl's virginity.
That now assumes relaxed positions - 'Relaxed positions' means sex (the man is now having sex with her).
And prostitutes your loss? - So the "loss" is the girl's virginity and remember it's the "hunter/player" who's prostituting it. If you prostitute something you make money or benefit from it. So the man is benefitting off the girl's virginity(cause he gets to have sex/pleasure)
Were you tortured by your own thirst - You couldn't stop yourself....
In those pleasures that you seek - From seeking love/affection..... That made you Tom the curious - That made you curious That makes you James the weak? - That now makes you weak
And you claim you got something going - You're telling me you have a good relationship going now with a new person
Something you call unique - You think the relationship/love is unique and new, not like your previously bad relationship
But I've seen your self-pity showing - But i've seen the reality. This relationship is bad like the others and you're feeling sorry for yourself.
And the tears rolled down your cheeks.
Soon you know I'll leave you - We've moved ahead in time. Switched to the perspective of her current boyfriend. He's gonna leave her like all the ones before.
And I'll never look behind - He doesn't care. 'Cos I was born for the purpose That crucifies your mind. - Because guys like him are players/predators, and they will always hurt girls like her.
So con, convince your mirror - Convince yourself As you've always done before - Like you always do Giving substance to shadows - That our current relationship (the shadow) is meaningful Giving substance ever more. - And keep on doing this with all other guys you meet.
And you assume you got something to offer - You say you have some good things to offer men.
Secrets shiny and new - You have new ideas to make your next relationship work
But how much of you is repetition - These next two lines are pretty important as it doesnt make much sense at first. But imo he's saying your life is just repetition. Your making the same mistakes with each relationship...
That you didn't whisper to him too - ...And you didn't tell the last guy about this problem, just like you didn't tell me.
Excellent break down of the song. Your interpretation on each line is very close to mine. If you don't mind I'd like to give my interpretation as a reply to yours due to many similarities. In fact I may copy and paste many of your lines because I like the way you phrased the lines that i agree with.
Excellent break down of the song. Your interpretation on each line is very close to mine. If you don't mind I'd like to give my interpretation as a reply to yours due to many similarities. In fact I may copy and paste many of your lines because I like the way you phrased the lines that i agree with.
First I differ in my interpretation because I feel that she was cheating on her man with someone else, and he knows.
First I differ in my interpretation because I feel that she was cheating on her man with someone else, and he knows.
Now here is how I break
Now here is how I break
Was it a huntsman or a player- (the man she ends up cheating...
Was it a huntsman or a player- (the man she ends up cheating on) That made you pay the cost- cost being cheating on the narrator That now assumes relaxed positions - 'Relaxed positions' means sex (the man is now having sex with her). And prostitutes your loss? - So the "loss" is the girl's loss of the current relationship she is in. I believe that the narrator are together through the end of the song, however once you've cheated on your spouse or significant other you lose something speacial that you once had. and remember it's the "hunter/player" who's prostituting it. If you prostitute something you make money or benefit from it. So the man is benefitting off the girl new special relationship(cause he gets to have sex/pleasure). Were you tortured by your own thirst - You couldn't stop yourself....
In those pleasures that you seek - From seeking love/affection..... That made you Tom the curious - That made you curious That makes you James the weak? - That now makes you weak And you claim you got something going - You're telling me you have a good relationship going now with a new person
Something you call unique - You think the relationship/love is unique and new, not like your current bad relationship
But I've seen your self-pity showing- I can tell that that your hiding something from me by the way that your acting.
And the tears rolled down your cheeks.- and now i can tell that you feel remorse "because she's crying"
So con, convince your mirror - Convince yourself, As you've always done before - Like you always do Giving substance to shadows - Giving substance ever more. - (repetitious line) And you assume you got something to offer - You want to with me but i want to leave. Secrets shiny and new- trying new things But how much of you is repetition- that you didnt whisper to him to- your telling me the exact same thing that you told him
Great, thought-provoking song! I have been wondering about it for about 40 years. Reading some of the insights here helped me understand the meaning that I now ascribe to the song - thanks to all! I think it is dialogue between his spiritual or higher self and his own mind. His mind operates in the ways he describes, which results in him losing touch with his higher self due to the activities of his mind. But eventually, he asserts his true purpose which is to trancend his mind, to exist above the realm of the mind.
I can't believe someone as vapid as Lady Gaga or Britney Spears or whoever, has more comments on one song than Rodriguez has with all his songs combined. It's mindboggling to me.
This is one of my all-time favourite songs, it's beautiful.
I'm pretty sure that this song isn't directed at any one specific person, but to society as a whole. How we all think we're so unique, and our thoughts are so original, but they are not our thoughts at all, just drummed into us by countless religions, governments and organisations.
This is my favourite song of all time & it is absolutely Beautiful.
This song speaks to me on very personal level. The words are so powerful & it is a DAMN shame that no one really knows of Rodriguez
I became a big Rodriguez fan overnight after watching Searching for Sugar Man. I love this song and wonder what it means. I'd like to read some interpretations.