Biting Your Tail

My take on the song is that it's a benediction encouraging the listener to accept that we walk through this world being both the bruiser and the bruised and that this is ok, that powerful lessons can be learned if we're willing to understand and embrace this dichotomy.

I just caught a few missed words on a live performance, The word that's inaudible in the studio recording is:

Both the (egg) and the red fox grinning

And also instead of "someday all face worth slapping" It's:

Someday well all make a face worth slapping

Thanks for the lyrics, as different as this song is from the rest of Sams stuff it's still great and deserves some comments!

"May you know how the fight was started; won(?) as much for the snake as the garden."

perhaps "Know that peace is the shape of a circle"?

"Short hands on the clock still ticking,"

"See straight through the captain your kissing, the helm loose in his hand."

Beam's lyrics never disappoint.

How about: "the butcher gone for the blade"?

Great song.

WANT as much for the snake... some suggestions...

a glove that you CAN WAVE

the pig you're UNTYING

BUTCHER GOING for the blade

STRONG hands on the clock...

AND ALL FORGET that we'll get what's coming

BROKE the egg and the red fox...

"Want as much the snake as the garden Wear them both like a glove that you can't wave"

"Both the post and the pig you're untying"

"Someday I'll make a face worth slapping"

"May you end it bruised and purple"

"'Cause round and round you'll go, bitin' your tail"

"We're the children the wind is whipping"

"And I'll forget that we'll get what's coming"

You can hear the lyrics much more clearly in his acoustic 4AD Session.

Ok, so below are the lyrics: may your eyes be wide and seeing

may you learn from the view where you're kneeling

know the fear of the world that you're feeling

is the fear of a slave

may you know how the fight was started

and want as much from the snake as the garden

and wear them both like a glove

that you can wave

may your mouth betray your wisdom

may you get what they fail to mention

may your love be your only religion

and preach it to us all

may you lose what you offer gladly

and may you worship the time and its passing

the stars won't ever wait for you

to watch them fall

we're the smoke on a burned horizon

we're the boat on a tide that's rising

both the post and the pig you're untying

the butcher gone for the blade

someday we may all be happy

someday all make a face worth slapping

someday we may be shocked to be laughing

at the way we behave

may your hands be strong and willing

and may you know when to speak and to listen

may you find every friend that you're missing

is no check in the mail

may you end at bruised and purple

and know that peace is the shape of a circle

‘cuz round and round you’ll go

biting your tail

we're the children the wind is whipping

the short hands on the clock still ticking

both the egg and the red fox grinning

his belly full for the day

someday we may all want nothing

and all forget we'll get what’s coming

someday all say the world was something

that we just couldn’t change

may your tongue be something wicked

and know your part in the calf and the killing

and see straight through the captain you're kissing

the helm lose in his hands

may your words be well worth stealing

and put your hand on your heart when you’re singing

the choir’s sick of the song

but they still gotta stand