Garden

The current lyrics at the end are wrong and are very important to the interpretation of the song.

I don't know I don't care I don't need you for me to live

The song is about facing death without buying into the consolation provided by faith in a religion that promises an afterlife. "Garden of stone" is a cemetery.

The narrator has lost his faith.

"The direction of the eye So misleading The defection of the soul Nauseously quick"

He doesn't care about questions of existence. He is concerned with the present . "I don't question our existence I just question our modern need"

He has come to terms with the finality death, and though he accepts it he will strive to get all he can out of this life until that day inevitably comes

"I will walk...with my hands bound I will walk...with my face blood I will walk...with my shadow flag Into your garden Garden of stone"

He emphasizes once again that "after all is done we're still alone."

"After all is done and we're still alone I won't be taken Yet I'll go"

He keeps his lack of faith to himself and would appreciate if you kept your faith to yourself.

"I don't show I don't share I don't need what you have to give"

Lastly he explains that he doesn't know and he doesn't care. He can live without that consolation.

"I don't know I don't care I don't need you for me to live"

like dylan thomas and "do not go gentle into that good night" the protagonist will not leave this mortal coil without a fight!

I agree with many of the post that this song was probably has references to the Persian gulf war - the time line works since the 10 album came out in August of '91 and the war started in August of '90.

1st verse - She don't wander in Don't wander in here, she She don't wander in here Don't wander in here

I think the idea that first verse is about a mother who has lost a child in the war who does not want to go to the "garden of stone" AKA the cemetery.

2nd verse - The direction of the eye, so misleading The defection of the soul, nauseously quick I don't question our existence I just question our modern needs

first 2 sentences have me bewildered a bit - but the last 2 lines are about the mom questioning why her child died in this war - She knows what life is suposed to be about (I don't question our existence) but she questions our reasons for the war - our need for oil.. which was a HUGE discussion among liberals that oil was the real reason for our "interest" in the region.

3rd verse -

She don't wander in Don't wander in here, she She don't wander in here

there is the sad mom again not wanting to go in to the cemetery

4th verse - I will walk with my hands bound I will walk with my face down (I always thought this was the word "blood") I will walk with my shadow flag Into your garden, garden of stone, yeah

The religious imagery here is CRAZY BLATANT - just like Jesus walking Calvary - with is hands tied and the crown of of thorns on his head making his face bloody - and his head down - but instead of carrying a cross he is carrying the weight of a flag - a shadow flag - does it really have meaning or is it a farce..

5th verse -

After all is done and we're still alone I won't be taken Yet I'll go with my hands bound I will walk with my face down I will walk with my shadow flag Into your garden, garden of stone

She eventually takes the plunge and goes to the cemetery - she won't be taken - she will go for her child

5ht verse - I don't show, I don't share I don't need, yeah What you have to give, yeah

She does not show her emotion - she doesn't talk about her feelings - she doesn't need anyone - because her child is gone and she is merely a shell of her former self

That is what I think - PJ forever!

This is about willingly accepting death without necessarily believing in an afterlife and being okay with it. The term "garden of stone" is a cemetery and the narrator is accepting death as the end of everything and is at peace with it.

They did on 8/12/00 in Tampa FL. I have a copy if you want, email me at benplace@yahoo.com

To whohemademe: ??? whatever dude.

whohemademe and blksky: why you choose this forum to explain things that are not related with the theme un here? i have no problem with your religious message, but I think you can go to religious web page, can´t you? and blksky, you really think PJ song´s are that superficial?, I think you haven´t been paying attention to the lyrics. Nirvana and PJ didn´t go on so well, but that doesn´t mean one is over another, just 2 great bands. I agree with the nowadays lifestyle version of the song, there are so many things we just don´t need, we have lost the true meaning of life.

It seems obvious to me that "garden of stone" is a metaphor for a graveyard. This song is about death and being taken but not wanting to go.

Incredible Song... It's also played live in GET OUT OF L.A. LIVE with a critic to George Bush... "I don't question our existance, I just question... President George Bush..."

To me it speaks about war, I see a garden of stone in the war greveyards, thousands of stone crosses... She who doesn't wander in the garden is a mother who's lost a son in a recent war... (probably Gulf War 1990's)

I will walk with my hands bound... means that I won't volunteer to go to any war... I will walk with my face ... blood... my face covered in blood from the killing... Shadow flag... american flag... brings shadows where it's taken... to war...

I don't show I don't share... I don't know I don't need ... these phrases to me refer to the "motivations" polilticians use to go to war...

well that's my understanding of this song... and I think al PJ's songs do have deep meanings to them.

I saw PJ in Boston in 2006 and Eddie said that he wrote this song about a soldier going off to war. The soldier may not have agreed with the war but he would go with his hands tied and try to make it home safe. I was floored because he normally doesn't get up and say what his songs are about. But, he had been taking heat for protesting the war and wanted to let everyone know that he admired the bravery of the troops that went to war.