Arsonist's Lullaby

I think this song is about battling but also embracing personal demons. It's about taking those terrible things that may have happened and creating strength.

When I was a child I heard voices, Some would sing and some would scream, You soon find you have few choices, I learned the voices died with me. -- I think this part indicated that something tragic may have happened when this person was a child. This event was impactful. He indicated that some things were good "singing" , and some were not "screaming", inthis event or series of events. We could be hearing the description of an abused child. He has no escape, no choices, as he is just a child. The abuse goes on long enough to "kill" his soul and the voices "die" because good or bad no longer make a difference.

When I was a child I'd sit for hours, Staring into open flame, Something in it had a power, Could barely tear my eyes away. -- I believe the flame represents what was tragic. He is trapped experience the impactful event. It is apart of his life. Something he has to deal with all the time. Again if we look at the flame as abuse, it is something that he sees all the time, something powerful in it. However, it could be anything negatively eventful.

When I was sixteen my senses fooled me, Thought gasoline was on my clothes, I knew that something would always rule me, I knew the scent was mine alone. -- Teenage years are often a time when people have an emerging sense of who they are and who they may be. I think that he is saying that at 16 he felt as if he may be allowing his fire to spread out of control due to his own actions (gasoline). However, he realizes that it is something that will always be apart of him, something that would dictate certain decisions and courses of actions. It wasn't that he was actually creating "fire", he was just recognizing what was inside of him.

All you have is your fire, And the place you need to reach, Don't you ever tame your demons, But always keep them on a leash. -- I think the use of fire here is very meaningful. As I stated above, I think the flame was the impactful event. Since it was impactful, it is not hard to believe that it left residual damage to him. He has a bit of that flame in him, as flames and fire can spread. However, he is using what happened to him, his fire to push him forward. It is referring to the fact that things happen to everyone and those things change us, inspire us, etc. and we should use it to move forward and be where we need to be. We should never get rid of what can drive us, even if it stems from something bad, Just contain it don't allow it to control us (ie-keep it on a leash)

When I was a man I thought it ended When I knew love's perfect ache, But my peace has always depended On all the ashes in my wake. -- I think as he becomes an adult it is easier for him to come to terms with what happened to him. He is in control of this demons, or he thinks he is. However, since he is using that "fire" as a drive forward it is inevitable that there are going to be times when he is not in compete control of it. His peace is depends on how he controls that fire. If this is a story of an abused child, love(a wife) could be wonderful and fulfilling for him. However, he knows that the fire is still inside if him, and his peach is dictated by his control of that..