I feel like the previous interpretations concerning the the first verse is correct. The interpretations that were given for the second and third verses were, I feel, too vague. Of course, when it comes to lyrical interpretation one can only speculate.
The second verse I feel is referring to the United States Government. "The institution on the Hill" is Capitol Hill which is supposed to be the mecca of democracy; a beacon of freedom that burns in the "New World." Of course, it is not. What the "shadowed stain" is, I don't know, but whatever it is he is referring to is being used to "enshroud the fraud"; the corruption or crimes that are occurring in high places. The "descendents"[us] find it "oh so odd" when the same old tale of the abuse of power is uncovered. What I think Greg is trying to say here is that the "institution on the Hill" has been corrupt and fraudulent since its conception and a rich history of its fraudulence has been known all this time. Despite this, the "descendents" still seemed surprised when news breaks that the government is involved in somthing that the public decrees as foul. Example: The current war in Iraq. I dont think it would have occurred if the general populace understood the workings of the American government concerning foreign policy. Yet everybody fell for the "Saddam's gonna blow us all to hell if we dont go in there and kill him first" line. The freest population in human history is also the stupidest (generally speaking). One has the freedom to be stupid and ignorant. "What pretension!"
Third verse:
"grave memorial hewn white stone like the comforting caress of a mother or a friend you've always known"
Here Greg is being sarcastic, I feel.
What is so "comforting" about a statue or a memorial? They're made out of "hewn white stone", not something warm like a "caress of a mother." Yet this is one manner in which we remember/record our history: the erecting of statues/memorials, but since they are made from stone they are cold and we cannot relate to them in a warm and humanistic manner. For example, the Vietnam memorial in D.C. It's just a wall with a bunch of names on it. How are we supposed to feel the "pain and significance" of those remembered on this wall that actually experienced it? If we truly felt the "pain and significance" then maybe the invasion of Iraq would not have occurred. Of course we cannot feel this through "grave memorials" or "hewn white stone" so instead our history gets "reduced to remembrance" and the "generations pass without recompense". We lose the clear and holistic understanding of our history. We pass without being afforded the lessons that could be learned from days past. "What pretension!"
Overall, I think Greg is trying to paint of portrait of absurdity in this song. How do we prohibit the absurdity from "spreading randomly"? The answer is in the title.
I feel like the previous interpretations concerning the the first verse is correct. The interpretations that were given for the second and third verses were, I feel, too vague. Of course, when it comes to lyrical interpretation one can only speculate.
The second verse I feel is referring to the United States Government. "The institution on the Hill" is Capitol Hill which is supposed to be the mecca of democracy; a beacon of freedom that burns in the "New World." Of course, it is not. What the "shadowed stain" is, I don't know, but whatever it is he is referring to is being used to "enshroud the fraud"; the corruption or crimes that are occurring in high places. The "descendents"[us] find it "oh so odd" when the same old tale of the abuse of power is uncovered. What I think Greg is trying to say here is that the "institution on the Hill" has been corrupt and fraudulent since its conception and a rich history of its fraudulence has been known all this time. Despite this, the "descendents" still seemed surprised when news breaks that the government is involved in somthing that the public decrees as foul. Example: The current war in Iraq. I dont think it would have occurred if the general populace understood the workings of the American government concerning foreign policy. Yet everybody fell for the "Saddam's gonna blow us all to hell if we dont go in there and kill him first" line. The freest population in human history is also the stupidest (generally speaking). One has the freedom to be stupid and ignorant. "What pretension!"
Third verse:
"grave memorial hewn white stone like the comforting caress of a mother or a friend you've always known"
Here Greg is being sarcastic, I feel. What is so "comforting" about a statue or a memorial? They're made out of "hewn white stone", not something warm like a "caress of a mother." Yet this is one manner in which we remember/record our history: the erecting of statues/memorials, but since they are made from stone they are cold and we cannot relate to them in a warm and humanistic manner. For example, the Vietnam memorial in D.C. It's just a wall with a bunch of names on it. How are we supposed to feel the "pain and significance" of those remembered on this wall that actually experienced it? If we truly felt the "pain and significance" then maybe the invasion of Iraq would not have occurred. Of course we cannot feel this through "grave memorials" or "hewn white stone" so instead our history gets "reduced to remembrance" and the "generations pass without recompense". We lose the clear and holistic understanding of our history. We pass without being afforded the lessons that could be learned from days past. "What pretension!"
Overall, I think Greg is trying to paint of portrait of absurdity in this song. How do we prohibit the absurdity from "spreading randomly"? The answer is in the title.
@MrPryMinista Great analysis. This song is one of those songs that BR make that I put on when I feel..weak, like Live Again or Only Rain.
@MrPryMinista Great analysis. This song is one of those songs that BR make that I put on when I feel..weak, like Live Again or Only Rain.