In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Laugh in the face of death under masthead
Hold your breath through late breaking disasters
Next to news of the trite
And the codes
And the feelings that meant to be noble
Like coke in the nose of the nobles
Keeps it alight
And the wrath
And the riots
And the races on fire
And the music for tanks with no red lights in sight
Got you
Cryin'
Cryin'
Oh whyin'
Oh my my my
Gold is another word for culture
Leads to fattening
Of the vultures
Till this bird can barely fly
And Mary and David smoke dung in the trenches
While Zion's behavior never gets mentioned
The writings
On your wall
And the blood on the cradle
And the ashes you wade through
Got you callin' God's name in vain
Leaved the damned to damn it all!
's got you
Cryin'
Cryin'
Oh whyin'
Oh my my my
Broken rose, colored glasses
Can't see for the thorns
And you just can't stand no more!
What a clumsy kind of low
Time to take the wheel and the road
From the masters
Take this car, drive it straight into the wall
Build it back up from the floor
And stop our
Cryin'
Cryin'
Oh whyin'
Oh my my my
Our cryin'
Our cryin'
Our cryin'
Still you try, try, try
Hold your breath through late breaking disasters
Next to news of the trite
And the codes
And the feelings that meant to be noble
Like coke in the nose of the nobles
Keeps it alight
And the wrath
And the riots
And the races on fire
And the music for tanks with no red lights in sight
Got you
Cryin'
Cryin'
Oh whyin'
Oh my my my
Gold is another word for culture
Leads to fattening
Of the vultures
Till this bird can barely fly
And Mary and David smoke dung in the trenches
While Zion's behavior never gets mentioned
The writings
On your wall
And the blood on the cradle
And the ashes you wade through
Got you callin' God's name in vain
Leaved the damned to damn it all!
's got you
Cryin'
Cryin'
Oh whyin'
Oh my my my
Broken rose, colored glasses
Can't see for the thorns
And you just can't stand no more!
What a clumsy kind of low
Time to take the wheel and the road
From the masters
Take this car, drive it straight into the wall
Build it back up from the floor
And stop our
Cryin'
Cryin'
Oh whyin'
Oh my my my
Our cryin'
Our cryin'
Our cryin'
Still you try, try, try
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“And Mary and David smoke dung in the trenches”
Then “while Zion’s behavior never gets mentioned, the writings on your wall”
I understand the second part. He obviously disagrees with Israel’s policy towards its neighboring countries and the way it is depicted by the media. I also get the allegorical significance of “writing on the wall” which comes from the story in the Bible about Daniel who reads the handwriting on the wall predicting the end of the kingdom of Babylon. Then the “blood on the cradle and the ashes that they wade through” is a reference to the war and destruction in Iraq which is sometimes referred to as the “cradle of civilization”. But what about the first part? What do Mary and David have to do with smoking dung in the trenches?
i think the "And Mary and David smoke dung in the trenches" line refers to Mary the mother of Jesus and David being King David of Israel.<br /> <br /> I think this line just talks of how Christians and Jews are sort of in the same trench together facing Muslims in the other trench and they're doing this sh** together (smoking dung) when they shouldn't. My guess is that TVotR are just trying to say how it shouldn't be this religion infused war that it has become.
Good insight. I think you nailed it.
I agree with what most of you guys are saying about the songs meaning, our society is busted.
I think the lyric in the 3rd verse is "Broken rose colored glasses". Its an idiom that means you see things as better than they really are. Makes sense, no?
"Broken rose-colored glasses"<br /> <br /> Good catch. If you wear rose-colored glasses, then you are taking an overly optimistic view of things. So now they're broken, and a realistic view has come into place.
Probably the funkiest call for a revolution ever.
word up!
couldn't sound any more like prince if they tried. not that that's a bad thing. great song from a great band off a fucking fantastic album.
pure fun and excitement about life's allegedly simplicity. great
absolutely incredible song!
sounds just like basia! what a great song and a great album
Damn good work mjshop11 i would've never thought of that stuff. As far as what i did figure out...
"Time to take the wheel and the road From the masters Take this car, drive it straight into the wall Build it back up from the floor."
Basically saying we not only need to take the power from those in charge but also take all of civilization as we know it, and let this destructive civilization crash as it is bound to do, and then build everything back up and start anew with a different way of living. They seem to be really intrigued by the possibility of the end of civilization as we know- that's pretty much all they talked about in an interview with them I read.
i hear "land, in the face of death under masthead". this makes more sense to me and becomes a a line about salvation, utter relief, a beacon of life and a ray of hope, when all hope was lost.
i think it is a running theme of the entire album. idk i've been reading this book about the theories concerning 1012. it seems like this song goes out to all those who are watching this world go to shit and feel like they can't do a thing about it so they cry. TOTR is saying that the current system is fattend with gold Gold is another word for culture. Leads to fattening Of the vultures Till this bird can barely fly.
they are saying that our way of life is bankrupt and we must destroy it and start over new.