I can't believe how little comments there are on most "Screaming Trees" songs, they're a truly great band that are almost completely ignored.
My take on the first verse is that the character is contemplating suicide and he sees no way out "The Hour's ending can't you see, there's no way now to get free." At this point the character sees nothing to left to live for.
In the second verse he is describing how fucked up the world is and describes suicide once again in the line "In a world of hurting, I'm moving on." The character feels like he can't carry on and wants to give up "Can't climb the mountain, so very tall."
In the third verse he finds hope in religion breifly by asking "Lord please give me what I need." However religion gives him no fulfillment and his problems still exist "He said there's pain and misery." Left dissatisfied with religion the character discovers drugs, most likley opiates in the line "Oh sweet oblivion, feels allright."
I think the "she" refered to in the final verse is heroin and how he is in the grip of addiction by this point "She calls me onward to her side, and feels her song deep inside." The character is then troubled with the need to keep up his addiction. "To find a reason, to carry on." This line is very similar to "Without a reason to carry on" but has a disctinct meaning in that he has discovered the thing he needs to carry on but he needs to find it instead of being without it.
Lastly I think this song is really great I especially like Mark Lanegan's vocals sung in an almost whispered scream that purveys a sense of intensity and desperation.
I can't believe how little comments there are on most "Screaming Trees" songs, they're a truly great band that are almost completely ignored.
My take on the first verse is that the character is contemplating suicide and he sees no way out "The Hour's ending can't you see, there's no way now to get free." At this point the character sees nothing to left to live for.
In the second verse he is describing how fucked up the world is and describes suicide once again in the line "In a world of hurting, I'm moving on." The character feels like he can't carry on and wants to give up "Can't climb the mountain, so very tall."
In the third verse he finds hope in religion breifly by asking "Lord please give me what I need." However religion gives him no fulfillment and his problems still exist "He said there's pain and misery." Left dissatisfied with religion the character discovers drugs, most likley opiates in the line "Oh sweet oblivion, feels allright."
I think the "she" refered to in the final verse is heroin and how he is in the grip of addiction by this point "She calls me onward to her side, and feels her song deep inside." The character is then troubled with the need to keep up his addiction. "To find a reason, to carry on." This line is very similar to "Without a reason to carry on" but has a disctinct meaning in that he has discovered the thing he needs to carry on but he needs to find it instead of being without it.
Lastly I think this song is really great I especially like Mark Lanegan's vocals sung in an almost whispered scream that purveys a sense of intensity and desperation.