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The Captain and the Hourglass Lyrics

You kick the blow, now you've gotta kick the car.
You sat alone under billowing sky
If I feel God judging me,
Well I fell into the water, now I’m free.

My friends they don’t really get me,
think I’m the only one
Well i sold my soul to Jesus and since then ive had no fun
Behind every tree is a cutting machine and a kite fallen from grace
Inside every man is a heart of sand you can see it in his face.
He’ll tick tick tick tick tick tick tick away.
Another second lost with every fallen grain.
He’ll tick tick tick tick tick tick tick away.
Another second lost with every fallen grain.

The wind and I, we speak the same, but he don’t hear so well.
You’re gonna have to curse him,
Well you’re gonna have to yell.
The sky and I, we’ve had our fights and I’m coming round to rain,
If the rain come round and it don’t come out, then I’ll never have to speak again,
I can tick tick tick tick tick tick tick away.
Another second lost with every fallen grain.
Can tick tick tick tick tick tick tick away.
Another second lost with every fallen grain.

The captains got his boots on and he’s heading out the door,
Leaving his lady alone thinkin' "He don’t love me no more."
He’s done with all this bullshit,
He’s going back to war,
If Heaven is as Heaven does,
then this is Hell for sure...
And he’ll tick tick tick tick tick tick tick away.
Another second lost with every fallen grain.
He’ll tick tick tick tick tick tick tick away.
Another second lost with every fallen grain.

You kick the blow, now you've gotta kick the car.
You sat alone under billowing sky
If I feel God judging me,
Well I fell into the water, now I’m free...
Song Info
Submitted by
elfrijol On Feb 15, 2008
22 Meanings

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Cover art for The Captain and the Hourglass lyrics by Laura Marling

Personally, I think this song is about her disillusionment from Christianity. If I'm not mistaken, she went to church on her own until she was 12 or 13, then became a Buddhist, and now is an Agnostic.

I think that the line "I fell into the water and now I'm free" is referring to the idea that some religious people don't worry about committing sins because they know they'll be forgiven by God (hence, they're free from responsibility or guilt).

I do think it is about the dillusions from Christianity. That's a good way to put it damienfan09.

I agree, when I first heard the song, I thought it was about her coming to religion, but upon further listening I came to the conclusion that she was discussing disillusionment from relegion.

Cover art for The Captain and the Hourglass lyrics by Laura Marling

You kick the blow, now you've gotta kick the car. You sat alone under billowing sky If I feel God judging me, Well I fell into the water, now I’m free

^ is she talking about how she converted to Christianity? And any other person has to feel the effects of wrong-doings, where as she "falls into the water" (of her faith) and she can be forgiven??

Cover art for The Captain and the Hourglass lyrics by Laura Marling

On one hand, i think it's about how Christianity affects different people. For some, it's a form of escape, while for others it only creates problems. "Well i sold my soul to Jesus and since then i've had no fun"

However, it also suggests that we live every minute like its' our last. Rather than allowing other people to judge us, we should just follow our own mind. ?

Cover art for The Captain and the Hourglass lyrics by Laura Marling

The Song Book says

"You kicked the blow, now you've got to kick the guy You sat alone, under bellowing sky

If I feel God judging me, I fell into the water And now I'm free"

The rest is accurate. I think the first line is referring to defence then attack because the song is about a captain weary of experience or something. Bellowing - windy and noisy makes more sense than billowing.

Cover art for The Captain and the Hourglass lyrics by Laura Marling

"You kicked the blow, now you've got to kick the GUY"

Cover art for The Captain and the Hourglass lyrics by Laura Marling

I would agree with damienfan09 since she seems to being comparing "the guy" to a drug habit. And when you refer to selling your soul to something its usually a negative connotation.

Cover art for The Captain and the Hourglass lyrics by Laura Marling

i love laura marling she truly is gifted

Cover art for The Captain and the Hourglass lyrics by Laura Marling

i love laura marling she truly is gifted

Cover art for The Captain and the Hourglass lyrics by Laura Marling

I wondered what people thought this verse in particular meant:

"The captains got his boots on and he’s heading out the door, Leaving his lady alone thinkin' "He don’t love me no more." He’s done with all this bullshit, He’s going back to war, If Heaven is as Heaven does, then this is Hell for sure... And he’ll tick tick tick tick tick tick tick away. Another second lost with every fallen grain."

siobhan x

amazing song!

I think the verse is kind of about how he [the captain] has wasted his time and his wife feels bad that he is leaving, but he just wants to go.

'If heaven is as heaven does than this is hell for sure' I think it's kind of saying that is heaven is what it preaches about etc then this is far from it, which is basically easy to figure out. Perhaps it's also about how he's leaving her for something better, but also questioning if there is something better, or perhaps he has left her and now he realises that...

I think that verse reflects a fear of abandonment. "Leaving his lady alone thinking he don't love me no more, he's done with all this bullshit, he's going back to war" sounds to me like she is voicing her fears about him leaving her.

Cover art for The Captain and the Hourglass lyrics by Laura Marling

i'm mostly with rebeccalily way up there.

the song is about wasting life in escapism

i think "If Heaven is as Heaven does, then this is Hell for sure..."

is saying that even if you believe in a perfect afterlife, it doesn't change the fact that this life is still full of terrible things, and that we might as well face it and live life as it is.

 
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