This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
The circle is vicious of
Thoughts altogether vain
Haunted by battles lost
Still living on Idian land
I clap my dirty hands
Given over to self and left
To own devices
A quaking in the person
All his glory
All his glory
Deep devotion
At the bottom of the sea
Iniquity goes down like water
I have been staff struck
By a finger in the sand
All his glory
All his glory
This circle is vicious
Spoken behind the hand
It is the storm
That brought me in
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Thoughts altogether vain
Haunted by battles lost
Still living on Idian land
I clap my dirty hands
Given over to self and left
To own devices
A quaking in the person
All his glory
All his glory
Deep devotion
At the bottom of the sea
Iniquity goes down like water
I have been staff struck
By a finger in the sand
All his glory
All his glory
This circle is vicious
Spoken behind the hand
It is the storm
That brought me in
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Lyrics submitted by ecorchee1
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"Deep Devotion at the bottom of sea iniquity goes down like water" The acting out from the sea of the unconcious our iniquity goes unseen in that we rationalise , justify and think it rightgeous and it does indeed go down like water.. Soooo Subtle.. Most Traditions are deadly , stale and bereft of life.. Are you getting a clear view??? or is the view you see, what you have been taught to see? Do you feel Alive living embracing the moment or Dead escaping to the dreams in your head? What is now your a slave to down on your knees out in your shack?
Grace will leave you to your own devices and the storm will reveal what is hidden if your brave enough to look... Thoughts are altogether vain when arising from auto pilot.. Always pay attention to "What Is" no matter how ugly.. What lurks beneath??? Check for yourself before you wreck yourself.. The Truth will gut your foundation as the Whirlwind scatters sand. Real Freedom can only be found if you dare enter in..
"I have been staff struck by a finger in the sand" John 8:11
ALL His Glory! Halle Hallelujah
In the 30's depression, Winter Shakers were people who pretended faith to gain shelter and food in the winter. The lyrics seem to bear out the meaning: "clap my dirty hands" = dirt as a symbol for both poverty and the speaker's deceit "living on Indian land" = living off misappropriated goods "deep devotion at the bottom of the sea" = devotion as a refuge of those already drowned in misery "iniquity does down like water" = gross injustice becoming so normalised it becomes a natural part of survival "spoken behind the hand" = as if lying, or fearful that the proclamations of GO's grace, "all his glory", are in fact in any way sincere "It is the storm that brought me in" = the personal misfortune that made the speaker desperate enough to proclaim rabid faith in an attempt to gain shelter