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Seven-Mile Island Lyrics
Take my body to Seven-Mile Island.
Lay my head down where Indians sleep.
Take your shoes off and walk across the water.
It's been so long so I heard a man speak.
Watch the spillways when the water starts rising.
Take your hat off when the sun goes down.
Keep your eyes on that concrete tower.
Maybe one day it will crumble to the ground.
Mary's crying 'cause she can't hold water
and her clothes don't fit her right.
She used to say that she wanted a daughter,
now she only wants a Saturday night.
There were days when that dusty cave was empty,
back before this city made a claim
on that hotel for wanderers and strangers,
back before you could live off of your name.
We all live in an Airstream trailer
about three-hundred yards up the lake.
Call the doctor, Mary's going into labor
and you can't raise a baby on shake.
So take my body to Seven-Mile Island
Lay some stones down on top of my grave.
Tell my lady I just couldn't bear to see her
Tell my daughter I just couldn't be saved.
Lay my head down where Indians sleep.
Take your shoes off and walk across the water.
It's been so long so I heard a man speak.
Take your hat off when the sun goes down.
Keep your eyes on that concrete tower.
Maybe one day it will crumble to the ground.
and her clothes don't fit her right.
She used to say that she wanted a daughter,
now she only wants a Saturday night.
back before this city made a claim
on that hotel for wanderers and strangers,
back before you could live off of your name.
about three-hundred yards up the lake.
Call the doctor, Mary's going into labor
and you can't raise a baby on shake.
Lay some stones down on top of my grave.
Tell my lady I just couldn't bear to see her
Tell my daughter I just couldn't be saved.
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I'm from the Muscle Shoals area where Jason grew up. I'm not exactly sure what this song means, but I have pretty good theory. Seven Mile Island is basically a seven mile island right below wilson dam on the tennessee river in muscle shoals. You can find many indian artifacts there and it's pretty much deserted. I believe this song is about a guy who got a girl pregnant, but didn't think he could afford to help raise the child and thought killing himself to try and collect the insurance money for the wife and child seemed like the best option.
Here's some insight as to what some words mean.
The spillways refer to the wilson dam spillways right above seven mile island. The concrete tower probably refers to either the dam or the tower restaurant on the north side of the river (big tower with a restaurant on top, next to the dam).
It's obvious he's the father and the girl is pregnant and then is eventually having the child. The parts about "before you could live off of your name" not being able to "raise a baby on shake" and "living in a airstream trailer" all point to the fact that they don't have much money. Along with him wanting to be buried cheaply on a deserted island where no one would find him, I deduced that it was probably a suicide for insurance money attempt.