Violet Hill

I think this song is a flat-out masterpiece. Hell, I even made it my screen name! :)

So rarely is a statement on the woes of the world so beautifully put together, so truly poetic. I was blown away when I first heard it. This stuff is deep, dude.

It made me think of this MLK, Jr. quote - which seems like the theme here to me:

"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people." Seriously - "if you love me, won't you let me know...... "

I'll take you through what this song means to me.

"Was a long and dark December From the rooftops I remember There was snow White snow

Clearly I remember From the windows they were watching While we froze down below"

This reminds me of the Dickens line "Now is the winter of our discontent." We are in a metaphorical December that is dark, long, and cold. Instead of helping us, those "above us," the ones warm inside, just watch us freeze down below. Sounds familiar.

"When the future's architectured By a carnival of idiots on show You'd better lie low"

Those in power, those guiding the direction of the world are nothing more than idiots on show. We are being led astray by people who will eventually destroy us for their own selfish interests.

"If you love me Won't you let me know?"

I love this line. So much of this song is about silence, about cold, etc. Love is desperately needed in this environment. There was also an early post that suggested this is the world speaking to us... I am down with this idea too.

"Was a long and dark December When the banks became cathedrals And the fog Became God"

Banks becoming cathedrals- that's already happened in our society. Money is God-like, and its temple is the banks. The fog of money and greed has blinded us, and we no longer see clearly.

"Priests clutched onto bibles Hollowed out to fit their rifles And the cross was held aloft"

Priests who are supposed to be beacons of faith, of hope, of virtue, they still clutch their bibles. But the content is gone, it's been hollowed out - on purpose!!! The whole heart of religion is gone, leaving only a shell that accommodates a militaristic agenda. But the cross is still held aloft, trying to pass off a hollow and soul-less war fought for greed as somehow holy or God's will.

"Bury me in honor When I’m dead and hit the ground My Love is opposed when unfold"

He still wants to be a person who has honor, to truly stand for something. I also think this line implies that he will die on his feet, which makes me think of Emiliano Zapata - "I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees." He will not bow down to the establishment.

"If you love me Won't you let me know?"

Again - a cry out for love!!

"I don't want to be a soldier With the captain of some sinking ship Would stow far below"

Who wants to fight for a lie?? Who wants to fight for someone who will only stab you in the back?

"If you love me Why'd you let me go?"

Perhaps this fits in best with the idea mentioned above that this the world crying out to us... why and how did we let things get so bad??

"I took my love down to Violet Hill There we sat in snow All that time she was silent still"

I don't know if I have this right, but this line makes me think of another MLK, Jr. quote - "In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

"So if you love me Won't you let me know?

If you love me, Won't you let me know?"

So if you love the world, for God's sake take action. Speak out against the regime!!!