The Stable Song

Thank you

Pretty sure you nailed it with that one. That's exactly what I pulled from this song. I think it is a beautiful song.

Thank you so much for posting your thoughts, because so much of them were mine as well. <br /> <br /> I agree with you that "I threw stones at the sky but the whole sky fell" could mean he was over-indulgent (maybe a reference to the story of icarus?) and I thought of addiction too, but the I thought I was just projecting my life onto the song. <br /> <br /> "well I dragged you straight in the muddy ground"-perhaps he brought someone down with him, and was abandoned by that person? <br /> <br /> I interpreted "the moon was just a sliver back then" as "there was only a little bit of hope", especially when feeling something as paradoxical as wanting to feel . <br /> <br />

                                                I agree with this because I know Isakov said something along the lines that this song is about life. 

@jabarhead reminds me of a young man going off to Marine Bootcamp all excited for his new life full of adventure and then seeing the ugly truth about war. He becomes old and wise from his experience even though he's still so young. War changes you.

@jabarhead I agree with your assessment, but with one specific addition: I believe this is about an engagement that never came to fruition, i.e. marriage. The references to "ring like silver, ring like gold," "wedding bells," and "turn these diamonds straight back into coal" really paint a picture. The engagement ended and he's grief-stricken, so he goes on a heavy drinking binge and self-reflects. When he's on the other side of that binge, he can see things more clearly and is ready to move on.

@jabarhead To add to the above, I think that the artist also likes to use words with double meanings. In this song, I think that "stable" refers more to the idea of a stable relationship / marriage as it does a building where horses are kept. "I drank and sang, and passed in the stable" is the description of a man giving up on his youthful years and settling down for a "stable" relationship. I think this song is about the artist getting married to the wrong person by settling for the "stable" life.

@jabarhead Joining this Party Late , But I am Deep into this song Again and it’s meaning . So I wanted to throw my two cents in . I am not a Poetic man . I am not highly intelligent or claim to be . So here is my interpretation of The Stable Song from a Simple Man . And that’s where I begin . It’s Just A Simple Story and I try not to make sense of every word and what it pertains to. In My Meat Cutter Opinion , The beginning describes Life or a relationship . If it’s about Life, then I interpret as becoming independent and have grown up with nothing but Faith and Spiritual Belief and Positive expectations . But soon you were not prepared for the Pressures of every day life continuing to be a battle everyday one day after another And it all just happens (Were we the belly of the beast or the sword that fell ..... ? ) Was life in shambles because of circumstances out of your control or did you make bad choices and decisions to put you in this position. That’s what I take from the beginning as it sets the tone . Let’s say it’s a bad business decision, or Being irresponsible or let’s say it was Alcohol . And What started out as just drinking to be social or to deal with the new stresses of life , it turned into something bad and it made EVERYTHING worse ( Threw stones at the stars but the whole sky fell ....... ) then the Passing out drunk , Belly Up on a Table , Drinking in the Stable . I see that as the moment everything was gone , lost , taken away. Especially his faith and spiritual strength. He has nowhere to go but back home . When he says “ You “ I feel he is referring to his relationship with God or His Spirit and how he Took that down with him . So Then he goes back to that Hollow again , and Finds himself . He was Broken and sad and lost and confused but eventually understood and took responsibility and accountability for the choices that were made and the circumstances that lead him back to the beginning again ( Cursed and I cried but now I know ......... ) . And to end it , Maybe he Now knows where everything fell apart , what he needs to do differently, and the most important thing is to Find his Faith and Spirit again , and to never lose it again . <br /> <br /> Was that too Deep ?? I am probably wrong . But the beginning Describes a Spiritual connection and Then losing it , Then Finding it again at the end and it’s Stronger than ever . <br /> <br /> So that’s my opinion. Having faith , holding onto it , if you fail or hit rock bottom , Go back to the start when u were the happiest and Start over and learn from your past endeavors. <br /> <br />

I don't care if you're right or wrong, but I think you are spot on with your interpretation because of the last sentence in his song. I created an account just to say your explanation was so truly beautiful... and I'm out.

I'm sorry, but I think this song has nothing to do with a woman he loved and such, but it's about his journey of self-realization and going back to the simple self he is happy to be. I think Jarbarhead is much more on track. It is sort of looking back into your childhood and seeing how simple and sweet things were. But then, he began pondering about life and what could be of it, causing him to feel empty, yearning and dissatisfied...."throw stones at the sky but the whole sky fell."....And you sent me back to where I roam...Well I cursed and I cried, but now I know... Now I know. implies he is "put back to his place".....humbled and one with his mind and universe, untainted by the temptations and desires that make people hollow. The very end....turn this diamond back into coal, he yearns to be back to where he started, childlike and free of mind, blissful and uncluttered with what we all adults go thru. Coal being the most simple carbon as oppose to diamond the most expensive form of carbon, he opts for the simple innocence of childhood rather then the complexity of chasing the rat wheel we all are familiar with.

homewreck, the more I listen to the lyrics, the more I think you and jabar is right. I think my bruised self wanted to believe in iwishiwere's heart felt explanation.

Oh, also -- I noticed another thing that was wrong. Diamonds come from coal, and that's what he says -- not gold. "Turn these diamonds straight back into coal."

fnordatpanix's idea is pretty abstract and fits the pattern and feel better than any of these other wayyy too specific interpretations. It works with both the first person perspective as well as the introspective second person.. ("I dragged you through the mud" is what I mean by introspective second person). Jabarhead seems close but I think it's also about creativity - as it relates to emotion and songwriting

and it could be "I remember when a song's written just like prayer" -- he kinda mumbles it..

Saw him live at the Bluebird in Denver and he was absolutely amazing! He told the crowd people have asked him about his lyrics and how he comes up with them and he said he thinks up various parts from all sorts of places he's been and experiences he's had then he combine them into a song. He seemed pretty nervous performing to a sold out show but nonetheless did amazing! My favorite of his is "Big Black Car".

I agree. The lyrics posted here are wrong. Diamonds back into gold?? Makes no sense.<br /> <br /> This is a song about finding the indescribable source of inspiration he calls "reverence" that enables him to write beautiful music. He begins by begging the heavens to come down and "ring." He longs to recapture the ability to make songs "like gospel hymns that called in the air." Music so beautiful it rings like silver and gold and comes straight from his heart.<br /> <br /> He took this ability for granted and trivialized it and then lost it. It was only until he searched and longed for it and re-traced his steps that he found his heart and his inspiration again. He went back to the his roots and the things in nature which are what really matter and are the most beautiful that make the diamonds of prosperity and wealth seem as insignificant as the coal from which they originated.<br /> <br />