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The Small Hours (Holocaust cover) Lyrics
GARAGE INC. (1998)
(Original: Holocaust)
Look out at the darkness, and you will see
Just call my name and I'll be there
You cannot touch me, you would not dare
I am the chill that's in the air
And I try to get through to you, in my own special way
As the barriers crumble at the end of the day
Dark rivers are flowing back into the past
You are the fish for which I cast
And what of the future, what is to be
As the rivers flow into the sea
And I try to get through to you, in my own special way
As the barriers crumble at the end of the day
Do not take for granted, powers out there
Don't step into the demon's lair
Time is an illusion, rising from time
Steep is the mountain which we climb
And I try to get through to you, in my own special way
As the barriers crumble at the end of the day
This song is about séances, confirmed by the lead singer of the band Holocaust who wrote it.
What makes it particularly interesting is that the lyrics are from the perspective of the spirit being contacted, and reflect that the lyricist has semi-insider knowledge of metaphysics and demonology and has probably studied the same.
"Look out at the darkness, and you will see Just call my name and I'll be there"
Spirits are summoned by their name
"You cannot touch me, you would not dare"
The spirit is discarnate/incorporeal- it has no physical body therefore one cannot touch it
"I am the chill that's in the air"
According to many demonologists/exorcists, when a demonic spirit is present, the room temperature drops dramatically to cold enough temperatures that one can see their breath
It is speculated that this temperature drop is the spirit taking thermal heat energy from the air so that it can levitate or move objects, or cause other paranormal phenomena
Incidentally many who have done 'ghost hunting' investigations report cold spots in a particular location as indication of a spirit presence
"And I try to get through to you, in my own special way"
The spirit communicating during the séance
"As the barriers crumble at the end of the day"
There is a veil ('barrier') between the spiritual and physical worlds that ebbs or wanes when the general hubbub or vibrations of daytime cease
"Dark rivers are flowing back into the past"
During the séance, questions are typically asked about past or future events; the 'dark river' is a description of what the past 'looks' like in the spirit realm
"You are the fish for which I cast"
The living person conducting the séance (the questioner) is the 'fish'; the séance itself is part of the spirit's entrapment but the naive questioner doesn't realize it
"And what of the future, what is to be As the rivers flow into the sea"
Again, future events are often asked about in séances; this is a description of what the future 'looks' like in the spirit realm
"Do not take for granted, powers out there"
There are 9 orders of spirits: Principalities, POWERS, Virtues, Dominions, Thrones, Cherubim, Seraphim, Archangels, and Angels. Demons are fallen angels and have the same 9 orders. So the word 'powers' in the lyrics could refer to the order or 'rank' of the spirit itself
"Don't step into the demon's lair"
Perhaps a warning for people not to hold séances as the spiritual dimensions with which they are in communication, are the abode of evil or demonic spirits
"Time is an illusion, rising from time"
A most interesting phrase... one of the principles of spiritualism and metaphysics is that in the dimensions beyond our physical world, time does not exist. Ghosts for instance exist in a perpetual 'present' or limbo where Space and Time as we know them, are absent
"Steep is the mountain which we climb"
There are many references to mountains in incantations/conjurations for summoning demons, referring to mountains as the (either literal or metaphoric) place where spirits dwell
Creepy...
This song has my favorite riff of all time in it....i love this song.
One of Metallicas best cover songs.
makes me angry, i fucking love it when i know i'm going to go to school knowing some fuckwit is going start something with me, having this song in my head makes me 10 times stronger. "you would touch me! you would not dare!"
and the meaning of the song - i've no fucking clues, any help??
Yes great song. Maybe it's the unknown? Or some occult unknown...thingy. It says the barriers crumble at the end of the day which could mean when we go to sleep or it could mean when darkness falls.
I think it's about a dead guy's spirit trying to contact his girlfriend. Spirits certainly would seem to be chilly, and I doubt you could touch them.
this was the first song i had ever heard by Meattalica.i was hokked instantly.even though they didnt write it the beginning riff is bad ass!!!especially when the drums start.awesome name too....the small hours.could the small hours be in the middle of the night? hmmm.....
whoops...meant Metallica damn sensitive keyboard
Yeah fukin sik song, especially that intro, so eery! jus wonderin, any mtn bykers here who myte own the video "kranked 4 "search 4 the holy trail""? there'z a section where a dude'z getin hiz ass kikd jus to break up the ridin n has a sik riff thatz identical to the verse riff in this track! itz fukin bonkerz man...dunno wots goin on