This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Antioch agent wrote a letter per usual
Dated it's 100 degrees perpetual,
Sent via the swift dromedary traversing her ways
On the odd and even days.
It said the lion's come up from his thicket
And they've managed to void, "My lottery ticket.
Drunk on wormwood in Widow City,
Widow City's drunk on wormwood.
Tomorrow night when the sun sets at nine
I might need tangle myself with the
degenerate plant of a strange little vine.
And foxes on the mountain, girls!
There're foxes on the mountain, girls.
So to negotiate the deserts and pits
You can't rely on your dim wits."
Wag your head and clean your clocks;
Ready for the rendezvous with the sticks and the stocks.
Taught the wicked ones the ways,
said what was sent via the swift dromedary
traversing on the odd and even days.
Drunk on wormwood in Widow City,
Widow City's drunk on wormwood.
Tomorrow night when the sun sets at nine
I might need tangle myself with the
degenerate plant of a strange little vine.
They've made my chain even heavier--if you can imagine.
Dated it's 100 degrees perpetual,
Sent via the swift dromedary traversing her ways
On the odd and even days.
It said the lion's come up from his thicket
And they've managed to void, "My lottery ticket.
Drunk on wormwood in Widow City,
Widow City's drunk on wormwood.
Tomorrow night when the sun sets at nine
I might need tangle myself with the
degenerate plant of a strange little vine.
And foxes on the mountain, girls!
There're foxes on the mountain, girls.
So to negotiate the deserts and pits
You can't rely on your dim wits."
Wag your head and clean your clocks;
Ready for the rendezvous with the sticks and the stocks.
Taught the wicked ones the ways,
said what was sent via the swift dromedary
traversing on the odd and even days.
Drunk on wormwood in Widow City,
Widow City's drunk on wormwood.
Tomorrow night when the sun sets at nine
I might need tangle myself with the
degenerate plant of a strange little vine.
They've made my chain even heavier--if you can imagine.
Lyrics submitted by Spacecow
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I think this is the last song on Widow City for a reason. It's as if the narrator of the album is reflecting on all the adventures they've lead, and they've ended up in Widow City. Their adventures being the first 15 tracks. Since they're "drunk on wormwood" that would explain why the album is all disjointed and why there isn't a totally clear narrative throughout. "They've made my chain even heavier if you could imagine" could mean that since the events of the first 15 tracks took place, even more heaviness has happened to the narrator. "Negotiate the deserts and pits" would be the narrator reflecting on Cairo, Egypt, and Arabia...