Good Graces

This song is from the perspective of a man looking back on his childhood, realizing how ignorant he was to the fact that his mother was sleeping with the Church's "Father" to prevent him from molesting the children (including himself).

"Remember how we tried Just to stay in your good graces While you were washing all our faces Whoa, remember how we lied Just to stay in your good graces While you were watching all your faces"

^ At first, it shows his ignorance just talking about his care-free childhood, subtly mentioning his Mom's suffering, but he didn't know what was going on--he was too young & childish

"Mama don't love her work Oh but she do what the Parson say Just dont tell her oh dont tell her that it is Sunday And we dont go to bed at night, no 'Cause we don't like the way it feels But we aint afraid of sunlight, no Oh, just dont let it sink to low ... Remember how we lived Remember how we died Remember how we hated watching Ma cry "

^ Clearly, Mama isn't happy. For her, Sunday is the day she has to submit to the Parson for the sake of her children. No wonder she doesn't like Sunday. And the children don't want to go to bed at night because they "don't like the way it feels." Chilling.

Then the meaning of the song is given absolutely:

"We were always upset at you for the childhood we missed But you were sleeping with the father so that he wouldn't sleep with us kids

No, sorry did not know The pain you was in When you were raising us kids No, sorry I did not know The pain you was in When you were raising us kids"

Chad is an amazing song writer. This song expresses so much emotion with such a few key lines. Can you imagine a childhood like that? Can you imagine your relationship with your mother once you found out? Can you imagine how sorry you'd be for never appreciating her for all the suffering she's done for your benefit?

i think this song is told in the first person perspective of some children who had a mother who did so much to try and help them live a good life, but the kids are not appreciative until they look back and think about waht she did for them.

Great song. It's actually a large reference to the corruption in the priesthood of the Archdiocese of Boston in recent years, "But you were sleeping with the father so that he wouldn't sleep with us kids." and also the previous reference to "don't tell her that it is Sunday"

good guess Klal531 but i'm not seeing anything about priesthood corruption. the reference "don't tell her that it is sunday" is just the kids not wanting to go to church, and "but you were sleeping with the father so he wouldn't sleep with us kids" says that the father would hurt the children or possibly rape them, who knows. But i'm pretty sure the other two reviews have it right

cs1993, i like what your saying, but personally i think it is church related. It's not ANTIchurch, or anti christian in any way though. It refers to a Parson, "Oh but she do what the Parson say ". a parson is some one who is in charge of a church, but is not affiliated with any higher authority other than god, that is to say, he runs his own show and his word is final. (google it if you want, it might give a better explanation). I think it speaks of a mother who put forth her own purity (sexualy speaking) in order to safe guard her kids from a "holy father". i think Klal531 has got it right.

It is about the archdiocese and corruption in the Catholic Church in Massachusetts. Chad confirms this in a couple of interviews done in Cologne. In addition, his frustration with the Catholic Church is why there is an anarchy symbol on the cover of Year of the Crow. The picture is from a cool box his parents or grandparents had. It's a bird wedding, so the book in the picture should be a bible, but in light of recent corruption, he found the anarchy symbol less offensive.

Yeah I think thats just about right on.