Witch Image

I think this song is about a pope during the middle ages that sells favors to people in order to get to heaven.

In the beginning verse the guy had never touched real power and I believe sells his soul to gain that. When he becomes the Pope he sells indulgences to gain wealth and more power - remember at this time the Pope was probably the most powerful person on earth.

This person is selling out others for his own benefit, but at the same time fears death creeping in on him to collect on his promise, but does not want this to end.

Could be about someone that has done everything for power and status, even sold their soul (what you sell, you cannot unsell), but when the time comes to pay for their crimes, someone that loves them (like no other to you) offers to take the fall for them (perhaps the mother we hear of in the last verse?). This powerful individual gladly accepts (While you sleep in earthly delight, someone's flesh is rotting tonight). But despite the events of the here and now, death is coming for them and the afterlife or those who have a bone to pick with them, will give them what they deserve (still your soul will suffer this plight). The mother saving her child can also mean to do anything for someone, in this case it could mean that both the power-thursty individual, and the one loving them, would do anything for them/ themself.

Perhaps a bit off, but this song reminds me of the story of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. "You'd never want me to appear You'd never want this to be over" (a life if sin and pleasures) "While you sleep in earthly delight" (everyone loved him and he could get away with anything) "Someone's flesh is rotting tonight" (the deaths of Sybil, Basil, or even his own portrait) "Like no other to you" (his lover, one of his best friends, or himself/ his soul) "Still your soul will suffer this plight" (the portrait representing his soul was rotting away with his sins) "Like a mother would save Her own child from digging a grave" (A mother would do anything for her child, just like Dorian would do anything for himself, his youth and his beauty).

I sort of interpret this song as Death speaking to somebody who has sold their soul for immortality. Likely somebody who follows Satan, and from the song title, probabaly a witch at that. "Like your father in hell, what you've sold, you cannot unsell"

The Reaper is pretty much expressing that thanks to the individual whom this song is about, he is unable to collect their life. "While you sleep in earthly delight, someone's flesh is rotting tonight" kind of makes me think he is sorta saying:

"Well, now you get to live forever, while I take the lives of many souls rich or poor, and you've disrupted the balance. I hope you're happy."

And then "Like no other to you, what you've done, you cannot undo." The person has sealed this pact, and there is no going back. Should they regret their descision and become lonely as all their friends and loved ones die around them, they themselves no longer have the opportunity to die along with them.

The other lyrics in the song I think you could pretty much piece together for my interpretation from there. May not be accurate, but that's what it sounds like to me. It's most definitely Death speaking, though, as the mention of riding behind the subject on a pale white horse is there.

The narrator in the song seems to be the first horseman of the apocalypse: "I am riding in the shadows behind you on a pale white horse", "You'd never want me to appear" etc. (The fourth horseman, Death, rides on a green horse). Typically the first horseman of the apocalypse is thought to appear to spark the beginning of armageddon (the end-times). There are different theories about the symbolism of the first horseman, he has been interpreted as conquest, pestilence, christ or anti-christ. In the context of the song and the band, I think it's reasonable to interpret the narrator as the anti-christ here. (It makes sense with Death being the narrator too, but that would be inaccurate - white/green horse).

The narrator keeps warning the listener that what he's done can not be undone etc., while painting a picture of rotting flesh etc. On a general level the song explores the idea of the consequences of one's actions, and that one must accept their fate.

However, considering the song's title "Witch Image", my thoughts go towards the witch-hunts (1450-1750). My interpretation is that the song is a condemnation of everyone involved in the burning and killing of (so-called) witches. Believe it or not, but children are actually being accused of witchcraft in Africa (e.g. in Nigeria) even today. Maybe the song is first and foremost a condemnation of the priests and the parents of these children being abused and outcast from society for witchcraft in Africa today.

[Edit: Edited for accuracy]