To me this song is all about being heartbroken because of someone very close to you dying, and contemplating suicide just so you could get near to that person again. "Feathers in my hand" maybe refers to how Adam once felt he was close to an angel, but now all he has are remnants and memories of that person, i.e. feathers, in his hands. "Leave me where I stand" and "might not be too many who would stand beside you now" refers to how his angel has left him, and implies that the person is now in heaven, i.e. no longer standing beside other people in the human world.
The chorus "Only good for/Waiting for you" shows that nothing in life interests him anymore and he is merely waiting for his own turn to die so that he can be with the person again; "All my sins...I would pay for them if I could come back to you" - seems to me that he doesn't mind going through purgatory just so he could go to heaven and be with that person. I think his "angels of the silences" are not so much to do with guilt but tempting him to the other side, by telling him that they are still waiting for him and offering him their arms (to go with them). The dreams of Michelangelo refers to how he is seeing angels on the ceiling, like those in the Sistine Chapel, every time he sleeps - in other words he is dreaming of death.
Finally, he seems to give in to his wish to kill himself: his blood is sucked and his nerve is broken, and he only wants to "stand here" and let his angels take him. The "I'm gone, I'm gone, I'm gone" repeated endlessly over the closing notes of course refers to how he has now removed himself from this world.
Anyway, there is no doubt that is this a truly awesome song. Of course I'm not saying that my interpretation is the only one possible, the best thing about counting crows is how Adam doesn't write lyrics but poetry, so everyone can interpret it however he or she likes. Just thought I'd drop in my 2 cents because I love this song so much and can't stop thinking about it.
To me this song is all about being heartbroken because of someone very close to you dying, and contemplating suicide just so you could get near to that person again. "Feathers in my hand" maybe refers to how Adam once felt he was close to an angel, but now all he has are remnants and memories of that person, i.e. feathers, in his hands. "Leave me where I stand" and "might not be too many who would stand beside you now" refers to how his angel has left him, and implies that the person is now in heaven, i.e. no longer standing beside other people in the human world.
The chorus "Only good for/Waiting for you" shows that nothing in life interests him anymore and he is merely waiting for his own turn to die so that he can be with the person again; "All my sins...I would pay for them if I could come back to you" - seems to me that he doesn't mind going through purgatory just so he could go to heaven and be with that person. I think his "angels of the silences" are not so much to do with guilt but tempting him to the other side, by telling him that they are still waiting for him and offering him their arms (to go with them). The dreams of Michelangelo refers to how he is seeing angels on the ceiling, like those in the Sistine Chapel, every time he sleeps - in other words he is dreaming of death.
Finally, he seems to give in to his wish to kill himself: his blood is sucked and his nerve is broken, and he only wants to "stand here" and let his angels take him. The "I'm gone, I'm gone, I'm gone" repeated endlessly over the closing notes of course refers to how he has now removed himself from this world.
Anyway, there is no doubt that is this a truly awesome song. Of course I'm not saying that my interpretation is the only one possible, the best thing about counting crows is how Adam doesn't write lyrics but poetry, so everyone can interpret it however he or she likes. Just thought I'd drop in my 2 cents because I love this song so much and can't stop thinking about it.