Sea Lion

"Sea Lion" – from the album "A Healthy Distrust"

The force of my love was strong. The sea lion lay down long. Song in the air. Why should singer care? When singer can be among song.

        These lines in my opinion are about Sage's love for rap music (the force of my love was strong), his subsequent desire to create the music, but hesitation to jump right in (the sea lion lay down long) and finally a question is proposed as to why other artist's are hating on him and his style (Song in the air, why should singer care, when singer can be among song?)

Ma, Ma--look what i did, Ma. Look what i did to my hands, I broke 'em. You gave me the stone, gave me the chisel, didn't say how to hold 'em. Didn't say to give away every piece of the puzzle 'til i was left with nothin'. But i took it upon myself to crush it up and distribute the dust.

        The above lines are essentially Sage talking to his mother. He's telling her to look

at him, and his "Broken Hands". He says she gave him the stone, and the chisel, but didn't tell him how to hold them. I feel that he's talking about a talent, physical ability or a general mindset that he inherited through his mother's genes, and/or the way she raised him.

        The stone and chisel may also be metaphors for the fire that was ignited during his attendance to that fateful concert where he seen Public Enemy. He also came from a strict family which he had to keep his true ambition secret from, which the "didn't say how to hold 'em" metaphor could be referring to. Meaning he had the ambition and the love for rap, but didn't know how to create the beats, and or produce his music.

        When he took it upon himself to "Crush them up and distribute the dust" could mean that he didn't care if he didn't exactly know how things are supposed to be done and he went ahead with it anyway.

Get in the bus. Hop in the van. Jump in the water. Crawl to the land. Build another castle out of sand. Break it down and then get into the saddle again. I'm going city to city - i'm already lost. Tell the boss who is new in town. I'll ride this horse 'til it it bucks me off and i'm forced to shoot it down. I'll take him out for some gasoline. Trade this cow for some magic beans. Gonna make mom proud of the deals that I made, 'cause I'm just a modern day Johnny Appleseed

The above lines in my opinion are about Sage traveling great lengths to try and promote his music (get in the bus, hop in the van, jump in the water, crawl to the land)

Releasing another song or album that gives you an image as to what Sage Francis is. (Build another Castle out of the sand.) and his subsequent inevitable reinvention. (Break it down and then get into the saddle again.)

(I'm going city to city – I'm already lost. Tell the boss who is new in town) Is another line about his touring to promote his music, this time he's speaking to the higher powers in the industry and the respective scenes he's playing.

He's not going to stop touring, performing and releasing albums until he's washed up. (I'm a ride this horse till it bucks me off and I'm forced to shoot it down.) But even immediately following that Sage retracts his previous statement with (I'll take him out for some gasoline, trade this cow for some magic beans) which I think he means he'll re-invent himself once again, with the trading of the cow for the magic beans. Although that line might just mean he's going to cash out at the end of his career and live off royalties, but that's not really the Sage Francis attitude, and I don't think his music will start popping up in any media anytime soon, let alone if he'd even let it be used in any mainstream movies or television.

He then speaks of his mother again saying that he's going to make her proud with his choices to help promote himself (Gonna make mom proud of the deals that I made cuz I'm just a modern day Johnny Appleseed)

But i'm glad that I never passed the genes, and I never put down the axe. Piano man got a checkered dance floor to grace and a painful look on his face. 'Cause the crowd is packed and the louder they clap the less he is able to make the connection between what he sees when he hears certain notes and the hurt that is shown in his facial expression. Ahhhhhh.

        The lines above this are essentially saying that he's happy he never had a child because he doesn't necessarily like himself and he knows his child would essentially be the same person he is.(But I'm glad that I never passed the genes)

        He's also saying he's glad he's kept up the fight to maintain a will to live, and that he's glad he never gave up on his musical career. (and I never put down the axe.)

        And that he's a musician who needs to perform live to promote his music and be able to stay on his respective label, regardless of how much it hurts him to put himself on display in front of all those people. (Piano man got a checkered dance floor to grace and a painful look on his face)

        The three lines following the ones I just analyzed are about his disassociation with reality due to audience misperception, or not so much audience misperception as it is his problems with their applause, lots of times Sage's lyrics are about his faults, personal experiences that aren't applaudable and social injustice, their applause confuses him and his mission. ('Cause the crowd is packed and the louder they clap the less he is able to make the connection between what he sees when he hears certain notes and the hurt that is shown in his facial expression. Ahhhhhh.)

I don't need your "go ahead" to go ahead. No, I know no one said it was gonna be easy, but sweet jesus who wants to sleep with me? Too many moves to learn. Not enough people to put 'em on. Look it, mom! No hands. I built this suit of armor with wooden arms.

        The above lines which end the song are about how he went forward with his dream regardless of what anyone could of told him. (I don't need your go ahead to go ahead)

        His understanding that it was going to be hard, and his desire for people to appreciate him (No I know no one said it was gonna be easy, but sweet Jesus who wants to sleep with me?)

        All the different techniques involved in rapping, and his lack of audience. (way too many moves to learn, but not enough people to put 'em on.)

        And that he's reached a certain level in his career where he's safe. (Look it mom! I built this suit of armour with wooden arms)