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The Giant of Illinois (Handsome Family cover) Lyrics
The Giant of Illinois
Died of a blister on his toe
After walking all day
Through the first winters' snow
Throwing bits of stale bread
to the last speckled doves
He never even felt,
his shoes fill with blood
Delirious with pain,
his bedroom walls began to glow
And he felt himself floating
up through falling snow
And the sky was a woman's arms
And the sky was a woman's arms
::vocalizing::
A boy with a clubbed foot
sat next to him at school
Once upon a summer's day
they went walking through the woods
They spotted a sleeping swan
On the banks of a muddy stream
They stoned it with rocks
till it collapsed in the reeds
They laid out on the grass
full of chocolate and lemonade
And underneath it all
the Giant was afraid
And the sky was a woman's arms
Oh, the sky was a woman's arms
And the sky was a woman's arms.
Died of a blister on his toe
Through the first winters' snow
to the last speckled doves
his shoes fill with blood
his bedroom walls began to glow
up through falling snow
And the sky was a woman's arms
sat next to him at school
they went walking through the woods
On the banks of a muddy stream
till it collapsed in the reeds
full of chocolate and lemonade
the Giant was afraid
Oh, the sky was a woman's arms
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It is based on Robert Wadlow, the tallest person ever. He was nicknamed "The Giant of Illinois" being from Illinois. He died from a brace causing a blister on his ankle. Very tall people have trouble dealing with problems in their extremities. Pretty sad really. That which made him famous was his Achilles's heel. Also the song is a "The Handsome Family" cover.
Beautiful strings, the whole song makes me feel dreamy and nostalgic. And the lyrics tell an amazing story...
Gorgeous string intro, feels like a piece of me I didn't realize was missing.
"delirious with pain his bedroom walls began to glow"
Such beautiful imagery; the lyrics make the images in my head so vivid.