I was looking forward to some insight into this song and was somewhat disappointed by the lack of entries on this wonderful song. I suppose if this was the late 70s, this song would have tons of entries... in any event, I googled it and found this entry which should be credited to Joseph Dixon: "The view I take on the song is that it's a metaphor for birth, and in the grander scheme of things, survival.
Let me give you some quick references on why I think that.
I always like starting with the title of pieces to find some sort of inkling as to what something's about. The Carpet Crawlers could suggest babies, and they grow up and start the birth process all over again (and that's where "we've got to get in to get out" refers to I believe. It's a metaphor about having to get into the womb, through intercourse, to have a baby come out. "We" referring to humankind in a general sense.)
Parts of the song describes the process in which sperm gets to the egg in the beginning of the birth process.
"The fleas cling to the golden fleece hoping they'll find peace" This could refer to how each individual sperm tries to cling onto and penetrate into the egg in order to survive and live on.
"The crawlers cover the floor, in the red ochre corridor" The red ochre corridor could refer to the vaginal canal.
"Where the needle's eye is winking, closing on the poor" This could be referring to how not every sperm even makes it that far along in the process. The poor not making it. Interesting reference to old Jerusalem there as well.
"There's only one direction in the faces that I see, and it's upward to the ceiling, where the chamber's said to be" Again, this is where every sperm is on its way to, the egg to complete fertilization.
And toward the end of the song, "The liquid has congealed, which has seeped out through the crack, and the tickler takes his stickleback" Well, not to be too graphic... But this is basically after the act of intercourse. A stickleback is a scaleless bony fish, which could refer to a penis. The crack could be referring to the vagina and the liquid seeping out could be semen.
Another possible interpretation of those lines is that at the onset of labor, there is a jelly like discharge from the vagina which happens right before a woman's water breaks."
I see this song as having a "second" level. The clue is in the words: "Where the needle's eye is winking, closing in on the poor". The reference would be to the biblical saying that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get enter the kingdom of God. The "carpet crawlers" are humans "crawling" through life while trying to get upward to the stairwell that spirals out of sight - to a heavy wooden door (i.e. the door to heaven). And of course, to go through life to hopefully get to heaven, "you've got to get in to get out". In any event, this is an amazing song...
I agree! Especially after they made the video for Carpet Crawlers 1999. I know the Lamb is a concepet album but this song has always seemed out of context to me. Just think, we all had to get in to get out.
I agree! Especially after they made the video for Carpet Crawlers 1999. I know the Lamb is a concepet album but this song has always seemed out of context to me. Just think, we all had to get in to get out.
I was looking forward to some insight into this song and was somewhat disappointed by the lack of entries on this wonderful song. I suppose if this was the late 70s, this song would have tons of entries... in any event, I googled it and found this entry which should be credited to Joseph Dixon: "The view I take on the song is that it's a metaphor for birth, and in the grander scheme of things, survival.
Let me give you some quick references on why I think that.
I always like starting with the title of pieces to find some sort of inkling as to what something's about. The Carpet Crawlers could suggest babies, and they grow up and start the birth process all over again (and that's where "we've got to get in to get out" refers to I believe. It's a metaphor about having to get into the womb, through intercourse, to have a baby come out. "We" referring to humankind in a general sense.)
Parts of the song describes the process in which sperm gets to the egg in the beginning of the birth process.
"The fleas cling to the golden fleece hoping they'll find peace" This could refer to how each individual sperm tries to cling onto and penetrate into the egg in order to survive and live on.
"The crawlers cover the floor, in the red ochre corridor" The red ochre corridor could refer to the vaginal canal.
"Where the needle's eye is winking, closing on the poor" This could be referring to how not every sperm even makes it that far along in the process. The poor not making it. Interesting reference to old Jerusalem there as well.
"There's only one direction in the faces that I see, and it's upward to the ceiling, where the chamber's said to be" Again, this is where every sperm is on its way to, the egg to complete fertilization.
And toward the end of the song, "The liquid has congealed, which has seeped out through the crack, and the tickler takes his stickleback" Well, not to be too graphic... But this is basically after the act of intercourse. A stickleback is a scaleless bony fish, which could refer to a penis. The crack could be referring to the vagina and the liquid seeping out could be semen.
Another possible interpretation of those lines is that at the onset of labor, there is a jelly like discharge from the vagina which happens right before a woman's water breaks."
I see this song as having a "second" level. The clue is in the words: "Where the needle's eye is winking, closing in on the poor". The reference would be to the biblical saying that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get enter the kingdom of God. The "carpet crawlers" are humans "crawling" through life while trying to get upward to the stairwell that spirals out of sight - to a heavy wooden door (i.e. the door to heaven). And of course, to go through life to hopefully get to heaven, "you've got to get in to get out". In any event, this is an amazing song...
I agree! Especially after they made the video for Carpet Crawlers 1999. I know the Lamb is a concepet album but this song has always seemed out of context to me. Just think, we all had to get in to get out.
I agree! Especially after they made the video for Carpet Crawlers 1999. I know the Lamb is a concepet album but this song has always seemed out of context to me. Just think, we all had to get in to get out.