In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
There was a decorated General with a heart of gold
That likened him to all the stories he told
Of past battles won and lost and legends of old
A seasoned veteran in his own time
On the battlefield he gained respect for fame
With many metals of bravery and stripes to his name
He grew a beard as soon as he could to cover the scars on his face
And always urged his men on
But on the eve of great battle with the infantry and dream
The old general tossed in his sleep and wrestled with its meaning
He awoke from that night to tell what he had seen
And walked slowly out of his tent
All the men held tall with their chests in the air
With the courage in their blood and a fire in their stare
And it was a gray morning and they all wondered how they would fair
Till the old general told them to go home
He said
I have seen the others
And I have discovered
That this fight is not worth fighting
And I've have seen their mothers
And I will no other
To follow me where I'm going
So, take your shower, shine your shoes
You got no time to lose
You are young men, you must be living
Take your shower, shine your shoes
Well, you got no time to lose
You are young men, you must be living
Go now, you are forgiven
But the men stood fast with their guns on their shoulders
Not knowing what to do with the contradicting orders
The general said he would do his own duty but he would extend it no further
The men could go as they pleased
But not a man moved, their eyes gazed straight ahead
Till one by one they stepped back and not a word was said
And the old general was left with his own words echoing in his head
He then prepared to fight
He said
I have seen the others
And I have discovered
That this fight is not worth fighting, no
And I've have seen their mothers
And I will no other
To follow me where I'm going
So, take your shower, shine your shoes
You got no time to lose
You are young men, you must be living, yeah
Take your shower, shine your shoes
Well, you got no time to lose
You are young men, you must be living
Go now you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven
Go
Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven
Go
Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, got to be, got to be, got to be, got to be, got to be, hey (go now you are forgiven)
That likened him to all the stories he told
Of past battles won and lost and legends of old
A seasoned veteran in his own time
On the battlefield he gained respect for fame
With many metals of bravery and stripes to his name
He grew a beard as soon as he could to cover the scars on his face
And always urged his men on
But on the eve of great battle with the infantry and dream
The old general tossed in his sleep and wrestled with its meaning
He awoke from that night to tell what he had seen
And walked slowly out of his tent
All the men held tall with their chests in the air
With the courage in their blood and a fire in their stare
And it was a gray morning and they all wondered how they would fair
Till the old general told them to go home
He said
I have seen the others
And I have discovered
That this fight is not worth fighting
And I've have seen their mothers
And I will no other
To follow me where I'm going
So, take your shower, shine your shoes
You got no time to lose
You are young men, you must be living
Take your shower, shine your shoes
Well, you got no time to lose
You are young men, you must be living
Go now, you are forgiven
But the men stood fast with their guns on their shoulders
Not knowing what to do with the contradicting orders
The general said he would do his own duty but he would extend it no further
The men could go as they pleased
But not a man moved, their eyes gazed straight ahead
Till one by one they stepped back and not a word was said
And the old general was left with his own words echoing in his head
He then prepared to fight
He said
I have seen the others
And I have discovered
That this fight is not worth fighting, no
And I've have seen their mothers
And I will no other
To follow me where I'm going
So, take your shower, shine your shoes
You got no time to lose
You are young men, you must be living, yeah
Take your shower, shine your shoes
Well, you got no time to lose
You are young men, you must be living
Go now you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven
Go
Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven
Go
Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, you are forgiven
Go now, got to be, got to be, got to be, got to be, got to be, hey (go now you are forgiven)
Lyrics submitted by dragonflower44, edited by taramae88
The General Lyrics as written by Peter Heimbold Bradley Joseph Corrigan
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Jesus refrences fit anything. I don't think there is one here. I think the song is a bit deeper than ya'll think.
First its the sotry of a general. The general's life is to fight. Fighting is his job, duty, and probably the reason the general thinks he exists.
He "sees the others" his opponents and sees we are the same as everyone else. We are all human we all have mothers dying isn't worth it.
He tells his men, who are not living to fight and die but only ordered to at his command, that he has re-thaught his life-- his purpose.
The men, or the common folk, really don't want to fight--thats for the general and the poloticans to do. Most folks just want to live and exsist happily. "the men could go as they please"-- the general releases them from certain death. They are young men they must be living. They are fogiven--they are not the ones messing up to world--its him. Take a shower, shine your shoes-- cleanse yourself. just live happily.
But the general is born to fight and cannot live happily. he exsists to fight-- he has no other purpose, but now he realizes war is evil. "he then prepares to fight." He charges the enemy by himself to certain death. He will die. but his men will live. The war will be over and lives will be saved.
Since there are no more men to lead to battle--and indeed he doesn't want to fight anymore because he realizes everyone is really the same-- his life is essentially over. It doesn't matter if he fights, lives or dies. He essentially dies when his army disbands-- he disbands it and essentially commits suicide in the name of pacifism. I would assume he is forgiven too.
Thats my two cents. Try looking at the story told more than the catch phrases. Most old-school generals had beards that doesn't mean he is jesus.
Granted the way I tell the story with him scarficing himself may seem jesus-like. I guess it could be but I prefer to keep the image of the song as a general not as jesus.
What would the implication be if the general was a jesus figure? Well... it appears jesus is fighting a war? A holy war. In other words the song symbolizes religious wars. But religious wars and forced conversions are bad as per this song. The other are like us. There is no reason to opress the native Americans, the arabs, and others in the name of jesus. The general realizes this in his dream. He realizes his whole life--and exsistence-- is full of "it." The general disbands his followers. The men are no longer in his command--no longer sheep. The general charges and essentially dies. If its jesus like it seems to be that religion destroys itself in this song.
If the general is a jesus figure then the song is anti-religion. The songs meaning would then be that religion doesn't matter and for the most part is foolish because it leads to war. Just live your lives with kindness and compassion for "the other." There is no reason to make yourself a slave to a general who just opresses others.
Jesus refrences aren't allways pro-jesus. -D