To me, "the weight" described in the song is the responsibility of the people in the living world. The singer has recently "left his body" but is in a place between life and death, soon to face judgement.
"Ms. Fanny, who the narrator offers to take the 'load' for, is someone close to him, perhaps a lover or possibly some other family member. Fanny had died previously and left her responsibilities to the author.
I pulled in to Nazareth, was feeling 'bout half past dead
I just need some place where I can lay my head
Hey mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?'' He just grinned and shook my hand,No'' was all he said
The narrator is very tired from the weights of the world, and wants to rest. Currently he's in Nazareth. which I think means he's between earth and heaven. There's no rest for this man yet, he must first face judgement.
I picked up my bag, I went looking for a place to hide
When I saw Carmen and the Devil walking side by side
I said Hey Carmen, come on, let's go downtown'' She saidI gotta go but my friend can stick around''
Carmen hanging with the Devil might mean she's destined for hell. As for the author wanting to hide, it might mean that he doesn't want to face judgement yet, indeed he says he's looking for a place to hide. The devil might be sticking around to usher in his new captives who are judged unworthy of heaven.
Go down Miss Moses, there's nothing you can say
It's just old Luke, and Luke's waiting on the judgement day
Well, Luke my friend, what about young Anna-Lee?'' He saidDo me a favour son, won't you stay and keep Anna-Lee company?''
Miss Moses might be Anna-Lee's mother, who is trying to convince Luke to return to life. Clearly Luke is in line for judgement and in the same situation as the narrator. He's decided to stay to face judgement, but asks the narrator to stay and keep anna-lee company. Perhaps Anna-Lee is Luke's daughter in the living world, and he wants the narrator to look after her when he's gone. Also, Miss Moses might be in line for judgement but less willing to accept it. I'm not sure what "go down" means between Miss Moses and Luke, and the relationship between them.
Crazy Chester followed me and he caught me in the fog
He said I will fix your rat if you'll take Jack my dog'' I saidWait a minute Chester, you know I'm a peaceful man''
He said ``That's okay boy, won't you feed him when you can?''
This is the easiest of the segments to understand. Chester is dead, and he asks the narrator to stay alive to look after his dog. The narrator says hes a peaceful man, which might mean that he doesn't want to fight against death. But, Chester says feed him WHEN you can, which confuses me. If it were IF, it fit better with my interpretation. Still, though, i think that Chester asks the narrator to return to life to look after his dog.
Catch a cannonball now to take me down the line
My bag is sinking low and I do believe it's time
To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she's the only one
Who sent me here with her regards for everyone
The line might be a mass transit system in Nazareth, or it might actually be a waiting line to judgement. Either way, the cannonball, whatever it is, it might be a train, has taken him to judgement. The last line, about Fanny sending the narrator to Nazareth, makes me think that he was killed by Fanny, but more possibly, he committed suicide because of her death and because of the weight she left behind. Or, he may have died of depression, without killing himself. Either way, it's clear Fanny is involved in his death, but it's also pretty certain that Fanny herself is dead, because he's going to "get back to" her.
A pretty deep and awesome song, I'm not even the religious type, but its just awesome.
Although I think Fanny was the name of the donkey who carried Mary into Nazareth? I'm not very familiar with the Bible, so I wouldn't know for sure. That would make sense to me though.
Although I think Fanny was the name of the donkey who carried Mary into Nazareth? I'm not very familiar with the Bible, so I wouldn't know for sure. That would make sense to me though.
According to songwriter Robertson, "The Weight" was inspired by the films of Luis Buñuel, about which Robertson once said:
(Buñuel) did so many films on the impossibility of sainthood. People trying to be good in Viridiana and Nazarin, people trying to do their thing. In ‘The Weight’ it’s the same thing. People like Buñuel would make films that had these religious connotations to them but it wasn’t necessarily a religious meaning. In Buñuel there were these people trying to be good and it’s impossible to be good. In "The Weight" it was this very simple thing. Someone says, "Listen, would you...
According to songwriter Robertson, "The Weight" was inspired by the films of Luis Buñuel, about which Robertson once said:
(Buñuel) did so many films on the impossibility of sainthood. People trying to be good in Viridiana and Nazarin, people trying to do their thing. In ‘The Weight’ it’s the same thing. People like Buñuel would make films that had these religious connotations to them but it wasn’t necessarily a religious meaning. In Buñuel there were these people trying to be good and it’s impossible to be good. In "The Weight" it was this very simple thing. Someone says, "Listen, would you do me this favour? When you get there will you say 'hello' to somebody or will you give somebody this or will you pick up one of these for me? Oh? You’re going to Nazareth, that’s where the Martin guitar factory is. Do me a favour when you’re there." This is what it’s all about. So the guy goes and one thing leads to another and it’s like "Holy Shit, what’s this turned into? I’ve only come here to say 'hello' for somebody and I’ve got myself in this incredible predicament." It was very Buñuelish to me at the time.[8]
@smuggler - Nazareth is in Pennsylvania, per Robbie Robinson himself. He was not going for any specific meaning in the song. It just sounded good to him.
@smuggler - Nazareth is in Pennsylvania, per Robbie Robinson himself. He was not going for any specific meaning in the song. It just sounded good to him.
@smuggler - Nazareth is in Pennsylvania, per Robbie Robinson himself. He was not going for any specific meaning in the song. It just sounded good to him.
@smuggler - Nazareth is in Pennsylvania, per Robbie Robinson himself. He was not going for any specific meaning in the song. It just sounded good to him.
@smuggler - Nazareth is in Pennsylvania, per Robbie Robinson himself. He was not going for any specific meaning in the song. It just sounded good to him.
@smuggler - Nazareth is in Pennsylvania, per Robbie Robinson himself. He was not going for any specific meaning in the song. It just sounded good to him.
@smuggler Well that's a mouthful said! But I fear you are running away with your colorful imagination! The song is a catchy, rather unusually literate string of meaningless rhymes. Like The Beatles "Two Of Us." It's fun, silly. Still a good exercise in musical enjoyment.
@smuggler Well that's a mouthful said! But I fear you are running away with your colorful imagination! The song is a catchy, rather unusually literate string of meaningless rhymes. Like The Beatles "Two Of Us." It's fun, silly. Still a good exercise in musical enjoyment.
@smuggler
I agree that it seems to represent the responsibility each of us have, or should have, in life.
I don't know if it was intended this way, but I interpret it as the narrator telling Fanny (God) that he will help care for people he meets along the way or people he already knows in life (put the load right on me). Each person mentioned in the song needs help in some capacity. Some are people he actively tries to help (Carmen - who is either with someone unsavory or she is about to get into some trouble herself. He tries...
@smuggler
I agree that it seems to represent the responsibility each of us have, or should have, in life.
I don't know if it was intended this way, but I interpret it as the narrator telling Fanny (God) that he will help care for people he meets along the way or people he already knows in life (put the load right on me). Each person mentioned in the song needs help in some capacity. Some are people he actively tries to help (Carmen - who is either with someone unsavory or she is about to get into some trouble herself. He tries to get her away from the Devil, but it doesn't work). Some are people he just has casual conversations with (when the narrator talks to Luke, who is dying, and asks him about his either younger wife or daughter. Luke asks the narrator to keep her company when he is gone.) Some seek him out (Chester, who can't care for his dog). In each situation, the narrator can not help entirely, even though he tries or wishes he could, but trying to help/checking in with people, is enough. He is looking out for others as God would = Fanny sending the regards.
@smuggler
I agree that it seems to represent the responsibility each of us have, or should have, in life.
@smuggler
I agree that it seems to represent the responsibility each of us have, or should have, in life.
I don't know if it was intended this way, but I interpret it as the narrator telling Fanny (God) that he will help care for people he meets along the way or people he already knows in life (put the load right on me). Each person mentioned in the song needs help in some capacity. Some are people he actively tries to help (Carmen - who is either with someone unsavory or she is about to get into some trouble herself...
I don't know if it was intended this way, but I interpret it as the narrator telling Fanny (God) that he will help care for people he meets along the way or people he already knows in life (put the load right on me). Each person mentioned in the song needs help in some capacity. Some are people he actively tries to help (Carmen - who is either with someone unsavory or she is about to get into some trouble herself and he tries to get her away from the Devil). Some are people he just has casual conversations with (when the narrator talks to Luke, who is dying, and asks him about his either younger wife or daughter. Luke asks the narrator to keep her company when he is gone.) Some seek him out (Chester, who can't care for his dog).
Since we don't know what the outcome of each of the interactions, it is unclear if the narrator did help each person. However, maybe Carmen did not know the danger she was around or about to get into and by avoiding the narrator, she changed her plans and, perhaps, the course of her life.
Maybe Luke had a burden on him with wondering about how to take care of his young wife or daughter. Perhaps the narrator said he couldn't stay but he would check up on Anna Lee from time to time. Maybe that eased Luke's concerns, allowing him to die peacefully. Maybe the narrator took Chester's dog, which would have helped out Chester and the dog. Perhaps the narrator gave the dog to someone else or maybe he gave Chester money to help care for the dog.
In any event, whether the narrator ended up helping or not, he tried and trying to help/checking in with people, is enough. He is looking out for others as God would = Fanny (God) sending the regards.
To me, "the weight" described in the song is the responsibility of the people in the living world. The singer has recently "left his body" but is in a place between life and death, soon to face judgement.
"Ms. Fanny, who the narrator offers to take the 'load' for, is someone close to him, perhaps a lover or possibly some other family member. Fanny had died previously and left her responsibilities to the author.
I pulled in to Nazareth, was feeling 'bout half past dead I just need some place where I can lay my head
Hey mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?'' He just grinned and shook my hand,No'' was all he saidThe narrator is very tired from the weights of the world, and wants to rest. Currently he's in Nazareth. which I think means he's between earth and heaven. There's no rest for this man yet, he must first face judgement.
I picked up my bag, I went looking for a place to hide When I saw Carmen and the Devil walking side by side I said
Hey Carmen, come on, let's go downtown'' She saidI gotta go but my friend can stick around''Carmen hanging with the Devil might mean she's destined for hell. As for the author wanting to hide, it might mean that he doesn't want to face judgement yet, indeed he says he's looking for a place to hide. The devil might be sticking around to usher in his new captives who are judged unworthy of heaven.
Go down Miss Moses, there's nothing you can say It's just old Luke, and Luke's waiting on the judgement day
Well, Luke my friend, what about young Anna-Lee?'' He saidDo me a favour son, won't you stay and keep Anna-Lee company?''Miss Moses might be Anna-Lee's mother, who is trying to convince Luke to return to life. Clearly Luke is in line for judgement and in the same situation as the narrator. He's decided to stay to face judgement, but asks the narrator to stay and keep anna-lee company. Perhaps Anna-Lee is Luke's daughter in the living world, and he wants the narrator to look after her when he's gone. Also, Miss Moses might be in line for judgement but less willing to accept it. I'm not sure what "go down" means between Miss Moses and Luke, and the relationship between them.
Crazy Chester followed me and he caught me in the fog He said
I will fix your rat if you'll take Jack my dog'' I saidWait a minute Chester, you know I'm a peaceful man'' He said ``That's okay boy, won't you feed him when you can?''This is the easiest of the segments to understand. Chester is dead, and he asks the narrator to stay alive to look after his dog. The narrator says hes a peaceful man, which might mean that he doesn't want to fight against death. But, Chester says feed him WHEN you can, which confuses me. If it were IF, it fit better with my interpretation. Still, though, i think that Chester asks the narrator to return to life to look after his dog.
Catch a cannonball now to take me down the line My bag is sinking low and I do believe it's time To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she's the only one Who sent me here with her regards for everyone
The line might be a mass transit system in Nazareth, or it might actually be a waiting line to judgement. Either way, the cannonball, whatever it is, it might be a train, has taken him to judgement. The last line, about Fanny sending the narrator to Nazareth, makes me think that he was killed by Fanny, but more possibly, he committed suicide because of her death and because of the weight she left behind. Or, he may have died of depression, without killing himself. Either way, it's clear Fanny is involved in his death, but it's also pretty certain that Fanny herself is dead, because he's going to "get back to" her.
A pretty deep and awesome song, I'm not even the religious type, but its just awesome.
That pretty much wraps the whole thing up. Kudos.
That pretty much wraps the whole thing up. Kudos.
Although I think Fanny was the name of the donkey who carried Mary into Nazareth? I'm not very familiar with the Bible, so I wouldn't know for sure. That would make sense to me though.
Although I think Fanny was the name of the donkey who carried Mary into Nazareth? I'm not very familiar with the Bible, so I wouldn't know for sure. That would make sense to me though.
According to songwriter Robertson, "The Weight" was inspired by the films of Luis Buñuel, about which Robertson once said: (Buñuel) did so many films on the impossibility of sainthood. People trying to be good in Viridiana and Nazarin, people trying to do their thing. In ‘The Weight’ it’s the same thing. People like Buñuel would make films that had these religious connotations to them but it wasn’t necessarily a religious meaning. In Buñuel there were these people trying to be good and it’s impossible to be good. In "The Weight" it was this very simple thing. Someone says, "Listen, would you...
According to songwriter Robertson, "The Weight" was inspired by the films of Luis Buñuel, about which Robertson once said: (Buñuel) did so many films on the impossibility of sainthood. People trying to be good in Viridiana and Nazarin, people trying to do their thing. In ‘The Weight’ it’s the same thing. People like Buñuel would make films that had these religious connotations to them but it wasn’t necessarily a religious meaning. In Buñuel there were these people trying to be good and it’s impossible to be good. In "The Weight" it was this very simple thing. Someone says, "Listen, would you do me this favour? When you get there will you say 'hello' to somebody or will you give somebody this or will you pick up one of these for me? Oh? You’re going to Nazareth, that’s where the Martin guitar factory is. Do me a favour when you’re there." This is what it’s all about. So the guy goes and one thing leads to another and it’s like "Holy Shit, what’s this turned into? I’ve only come here to say 'hello' for somebody and I’ve got myself in this incredible predicament." It was very Buñuelish to me at the time.[8]
your comment just gave me shivers
your comment just gave me shivers
your comment just gave me shivers
your comment just gave me shivers
@smuggler - Nazareth is in Pennsylvania, per Robbie Robinson himself. He was not going for any specific meaning in the song. It just sounded good to him.
@smuggler - Nazareth is in Pennsylvania, per Robbie Robinson himself. He was not going for any specific meaning in the song. It just sounded good to him.
@smuggler - Nazareth is in Pennsylvania, per Robbie Robinson himself. He was not going for any specific meaning in the song. It just sounded good to him.
@smuggler - Nazareth is in Pennsylvania, per Robbie Robinson himself. He was not going for any specific meaning in the song. It just sounded good to him.
@smuggler - Nazareth is in Pennsylvania, per Robbie Robinson himself. He was not going for any specific meaning in the song. It just sounded good to him.
@smuggler - Nazareth is in Pennsylvania, per Robbie Robinson himself. He was not going for any specific meaning in the song. It just sounded good to him.
@smuggler
@smuggler
@smuggler Well that's a mouthful said! But I fear you are running away with your colorful imagination! The song is a catchy, rather unusually literate string of meaningless rhymes. Like The Beatles "Two Of Us." It's fun, silly. Still a good exercise in musical enjoyment.
@smuggler Well that's a mouthful said! But I fear you are running away with your colorful imagination! The song is a catchy, rather unusually literate string of meaningless rhymes. Like The Beatles "Two Of Us." It's fun, silly. Still a good exercise in musical enjoyment.
@smuggler I agree that it seems to represent the responsibility each of us have, or should have, in life. I don't know if it was intended this way, but I interpret it as the narrator telling Fanny (God) that he will help care for people he meets along the way or people he already knows in life (put the load right on me). Each person mentioned in the song needs help in some capacity. Some are people he actively tries to help (Carmen - who is either with someone unsavory or she is about to get into some trouble herself. He tries...
@smuggler I agree that it seems to represent the responsibility each of us have, or should have, in life. I don't know if it was intended this way, but I interpret it as the narrator telling Fanny (God) that he will help care for people he meets along the way or people he already knows in life (put the load right on me). Each person mentioned in the song needs help in some capacity. Some are people he actively tries to help (Carmen - who is either with someone unsavory or she is about to get into some trouble herself. He tries to get her away from the Devil, but it doesn't work). Some are people he just has casual conversations with (when the narrator talks to Luke, who is dying, and asks him about his either younger wife or daughter. Luke asks the narrator to keep her company when he is gone.) Some seek him out (Chester, who can't care for his dog). In each situation, the narrator can not help entirely, even though he tries or wishes he could, but trying to help/checking in with people, is enough. He is looking out for others as God would = Fanny sending the regards.
@smuggler I agree that it seems to represent the responsibility each of us have, or should have, in life.
@smuggler I agree that it seems to represent the responsibility each of us have, or should have, in life.
I don't know if it was intended this way, but I interpret it as the narrator telling Fanny (God) that he will help care for people he meets along the way or people he already knows in life (put the load right on me). Each person mentioned in the song needs help in some capacity. Some are people he actively tries to help (Carmen - who is either with someone unsavory or she is about to get into some trouble herself...
I don't know if it was intended this way, but I interpret it as the narrator telling Fanny (God) that he will help care for people he meets along the way or people he already knows in life (put the load right on me). Each person mentioned in the song needs help in some capacity. Some are people he actively tries to help (Carmen - who is either with someone unsavory or she is about to get into some trouble herself and he tries to get her away from the Devil). Some are people he just has casual conversations with (when the narrator talks to Luke, who is dying, and asks him about his either younger wife or daughter. Luke asks the narrator to keep her company when he is gone.) Some seek him out (Chester, who can't care for his dog).
Since we don't know what the outcome of each of the interactions, it is unclear if the narrator did help each person. However, maybe Carmen did not know the danger she was around or about to get into and by avoiding the narrator, she changed her plans and, perhaps, the course of her life. Maybe Luke had a burden on him with wondering about how to take care of his young wife or daughter. Perhaps the narrator said he couldn't stay but he would check up on Anna Lee from time to time. Maybe that eased Luke's concerns, allowing him to die peacefully. Maybe the narrator took Chester's dog, which would have helped out Chester and the dog. Perhaps the narrator gave the dog to someone else or maybe he gave Chester money to help care for the dog.
In any event, whether the narrator ended up helping or not, he tried and trying to help/checking in with people, is enough. He is looking out for others as God would = Fanny (God) sending the regards.