This song is clearly about death and dying, one of their most profound songs. The first few stanzas are nebulous, but are about getting sick, perhaps an acute stroke, perhaps a fracture (words flow, decisions made by others when initally sick), getting transfused (strawberry wine), being sedated. The middle is about approaching death, with most of your friends being gone already (friends even higher), having to defend your actions in life to God, finally waiting to be called to be one with God. Finally dying, that one defining moment - where at the end of your life you are taken care of like a child, as you were in the beginning. The final lyrics are about being creamated: soot in your hair, and stars in your hands.
This song is clearly about death and dying, one of their most profound songs. The first few stanzas are nebulous, but are about getting sick, perhaps an acute stroke, perhaps a fracture (words flow, decisions made by others when initally sick), getting transfused (strawberry wine), being sedated. The middle is about approaching death, with most of your friends being gone already (friends even higher), having to defend your actions in life to God, finally waiting to be called to be one with God. Finally dying, that one defining moment - where at the end of your life you are taken care of like a child, as you were in the beginning. The final lyrics are about being creamated: soot in your hair, and stars in your hands.