In The Lord's Arms

I think the line is: "I was told, I was WARNED" not "I was wrong"... but this is one of my favorite songs ever... it almost makes me cry every time i hear it. I can't decide if this is about someone close to him dying or Jesus... it could go either way, but maybe that's what he meant by it - maybe it's supposed to be ambiguous.

I wonder if this song isn't an allusion to the story of Peter and Jesus.

"I was told I was warned." In the scriptures, Jesus tells his disciples that he's going to die and Peter doesn't believe (or want to believe) him. Peter, being one of the three closest people in Jesus' life, did not want to believe that his friend would suffer a terrible death.

"I drink this wine to him, with each glass a memory" Possibly a reference to the eucharist?

No matter what the inspiration for the song is, it can certainly speak to different people on different levels.

This song strangely came on my random playlist the night my grandmother died. Evoked emotions I had not felt for some time. had never heard it before that night. She is all i think of when I hear it now.

'a dove caught in a storm'

awww...I've been lucky enough not to lose any grandparents, I'm sorry to hear you have. This song doesn't have quite a deep meaning for me, I just really love this song. I think it might be talking about Jesus "He left me with his crown of thorns" That line suggests it could be. But it might just be a tribute to a friend or something, not sure. If anyone knows or thinks anything different, please post it

youwantedahero is quite right, the line is "I was told, I was warned". He's saying that he knew it would happen but couldn't do anything to stop it and simply had to wait and watch, and watching and waiting for someone you love to die is beyond painful.

I don't think Jesus has anything to do with it. I think he's using the "crown of thorns" as a metaphor for "burden" or "responsibility". The line is "He left ME with his crown of thorns".

However it could be a metaphor for "pain", as in the person who has passed was in pain but is no longer yet he is now in pain for having lost them. I think this is a far too simplistic interpretation for a Harper song but it's another possibility. I favour the burden though.

Yeah, I have actually always been convinced that this song is about Jesus... a lot more of Ben Harper's songs are than most people realize. However, I do think that it is a bit ambiguous, and a song is only what you really make of it, so think what you want. It does still make me think about people in my life that have died...

This is such a sad but hopeful song. I think it is about knowing someone is going to die and when he does, you know that he has gone to be with the Lord. You find peace and comfort in that.

Maybe it doesn't have to be the death or a person...? Maybe it is simply the death of something precious.......