The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Dear prodigal you are my son and I
Supplied you not your spirit, but your shape.
All Eden's wealth arrayed before your eyes,
I fathomed not you wanted to escape.
And though I only ever gave you love,
Like every child you've chosen to rebel.
Uprooted flowers and filled the holes with blood,
Ask not for whom they toll, the solemn bells.
A child of dust, to mother now return,
For every seed must die before it grows.
And though above the world may toil and turn,
No prying spades will find you here below.
Now safe beneath their wisdom and their feet
Here I will teach you truly how to sleep.
Supplied you not your spirit, but your shape.
All Eden's wealth arrayed before your eyes,
I fathomed not you wanted to escape.
And though I only ever gave you love,
Like every child you've chosen to rebel.
Uprooted flowers and filled the holes with blood,
Ask not for whom they toll, the solemn bells.
A child of dust, to mother now return,
For every seed must die before it grows.
And though above the world may toil and turn,
No prying spades will find you here below.
Now safe beneath their wisdom and their feet
Here I will teach you truly how to sleep.
Lyrics submitted by jmguindon1
Child of Dust Lyrics as written by Edward Carrington Breckenridge Dustin Michael Kensrue
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is my own interpretation of the song, accept it or not, it will not change my belief unless it comes from the mouth of dustin, thnx
Okay first and foremost "I beleive" each verse is from a different POV
First Verse: Earth Second Verse: God Third Verse (6 lines not four): Cain
Three things first, i think in this song earth is portrayed as a "mother" in first verse because everything comes from earth just as a mother bears a child but for that child to even be there someone had to put it there so the other part of the song is "God" and the third part of the song is the creation "cain." I can clearly see this by reading the first sentence of every verse
Earth "bore" a child God gave it "love" Cain killed his brother: "A child of dust to mother now return;"
IF U WANT TO UNDERSTAND A SINGLE THING I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT u can read the bible passage, it's rather interesting to read :D Genesis 4:1-15 (im not forcing anyone to read the bible but if u want to understand wut in the world im talking about u will want to read in on it)
Okay so here's my interpretation:
"Dear prodigal, you are my son and I Supplied you not your spirit, but your shape."
(he's just establishing from whose point of view this verse is from)
"All Eden's weath arrayed before your eyes; I fathomed not you wanted to escape."
okay the lyrics are WRONG 100% sure of it it's supposed to say "All Eden's WEALTH" Weath isn't even a stinkin word... anyways lol
Since earth grows the plants and stuff it (earth) talks about showing the people the glory it made in the garden of "eden"; since its supposedly one of the most beautiful places ever on earth and earth is saying how it can't fathom how someoen would want to leave a place like that because adam and eve knew they would die (leave eden) if they broke God's law
"And though I only ever gave you love, like every child you’ve chosen to rebel;"
as i already said i think this verse is already from God's POV
"uprooted flowers and filled the holes with blood;"
this line to me is God talking about CAIN (adam and eve's son) from the bible, he was a person that dealt with earth and stuff and killed his brother (able) in a field (READ THE BIBLE PASSAGE AND U WILL SEE WHY I THINK THIS AND THAT IM NOT JUST TRYING TO STICK MY BELIEFS IN THIS WONDERFUL FORUM)
"ask for not whom they toll the solemn bells."
Gods disgust at how cain tried to cover up his wrong doing by saying to God that he doesnt know where his brother abel is and then asking God a rhetorical question "am i my brother's keeper?" (simply disgusting)
"A child of dust to mother now return; for every seed must die before it grows. and though above the world may toil and turn, no prying spade will find you here below. Now safe beneath their wisdom and their feet, Here i will teach you truly how to sleep."
from cains point of view like killing his brother in the field to make sure no one finds him in the ground "no prying spade will find you here below." like thinking that no one knows, but the thing is that it doesnt matter that no one knew, God still knew what he did
So what do I think the song means? Basically to cherish everything we have here on earth and just being happy with what we have and definitely a lot of other stuff but i dont want to get into it, ill keep it to myself :) sorry that it's so long