Sundown (Back in the Briars) Lyrics
Here come the church mice trying too hard
She had a way to be kind with words
I had a knife in the back of my car
Nobody wants to wake up and be cruel
She locked the door and the sun went down
In South Carolina with nothing to lose
And not even I was true
Very intriguing lyrics. Just no idea what they mean! Any idea anyone? Samuel Beam (aka Iron & Wine) is from Chapin, South Carolina. There is a song by Iron & Wine, Caught In The Briars, has the same "briars" in the name and it contains a similar line: <poem>Where all of the naked boys Lay down beside her.</poem> See http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107859449192/ More than that I just have no idea.
@benqish my best guess is the first two lines are his thoughts racing through his head. Imagine one thought chasing the other like the thought like reality chasing a fantasy. It's a sequel to back in the briars and that song is about two kids falling in love and the "naked boys" symbolizes every guy she turned down because she loved him. The lines in that song constantly outline a very naïve and isolated life style in a small town in South Carolina. So you got a naïve isolated girl and a man who falls in love with her and she...
@benqish my best guess is the first two lines are his thoughts racing through his head. Imagine one thought chasing the other like the thought like reality chasing a fantasy. It's a sequel to back in the briars and that song is about two kids falling in love and the "naked boys" symbolizes every guy she turned down because she loved him. The lines in that song constantly outline a very naïve and isolated life style in a small town in South Carolina. So you got a naïve isolated girl and a man who falls in love with her and she loves him back and she feels he will be with her for ever. Now this song, the lines "she locked the door when the sun went down in South Carolina with nothing to lose." the represents the love dying. I think he cheats on her. So if you listen to both songs with this notion in your mind I think a lot of the lines will start to make more sense.