This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
(Through you I see I)
Between a broken nose and a fake smile
Between piety and gunpowder
Between fighting and fleeing the scene
Between murder and diplomacy
Between aggression and oblivion
Between brutal and realistically well-behaved
Between screaming and pulling in the reins
Between tiptoeing and ambling
What am I to do with all this fire?
(I'd like to hit you but I would never hit you)
Would you stay with me in this red space?
(I'd like to slap you but I would never slap you)
Between violence and silently seething
Between my fist and my pollyanna flower
Between "fuck you" to your face and "it's alright"
Between war and denial
Between violence and silently seething
Between my fist and my pollyanna flower
Between "fuck you" to your face and "it's alright"
Between war and denial
Between flying vases and secretly weeping
Between loose cannons and ever downplaying
Between bruises and rudely differing
Between bursting and boiling
What am I to do with all this burning?
(I'd like to hurt you but I could never hurt you)
Do I overwhelm you in this place?
(I'd like to kill you but I could never kill you)
Between violence and silently seething
Between my fist and my pollyanna flower
Between "fuck you" to your face and "it's alright"
Between war and denial
Between violence and silently seething
Between my fist and my pollyanna flower
Between "fuck you" to your face and "it's alright"
Between war and denial
What am I to do with all this fire?
Can you understand me in this place?
Between a broken nose and a fake smile
Between piety and gunpowder
Between fighting and fleeing the scene
Between murder and diplomacy
Between aggression and oblivion
Between brutal and realistically well-behaved
Between screaming and pulling in the reins
Between tiptoeing and ambling
What am I to do with all this fire?
(I'd like to hit you but I would never hit you)
Would you stay with me in this red space?
(I'd like to slap you but I would never slap you)
Between violence and silently seething
Between my fist and my pollyanna flower
Between "fuck you" to your face and "it's alright"
Between war and denial
Between violence and silently seething
Between my fist and my pollyanna flower
Between "fuck you" to your face and "it's alright"
Between war and denial
Between flying vases and secretly weeping
Between loose cannons and ever downplaying
Between bruises and rudely differing
Between bursting and boiling
What am I to do with all this burning?
(I'd like to hurt you but I could never hurt you)
Do I overwhelm you in this place?
(I'd like to kill you but I could never kill you)
Between violence and silently seething
Between my fist and my pollyanna flower
Between "fuck you" to your face and "it's alright"
Between war and denial
Between violence and silently seething
Between my fist and my pollyanna flower
Between "fuck you" to your face and "it's alright"
Between war and denial
What am I to do with all this fire?
Can you understand me in this place?
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
beautiful song from a beautiful woman!!!