I disagree but fair enough, I like your interpretation!
It's about life and death, as with some others on the album too. It seems to be an ongoing theme. Maybe you'll see where I'm coming from if you keep the idea in mind when listening to the song, but here's a few points:
The first few lines make up the definition of death. The second part is being told you're going to die soon.
Warned of 6 or seven days before they go (what WOULD you do?), ending up with a couple extra days, but how long can you really put it off? Seems we're living longer and longer these days, but you know it's the end sooner or later.
The song then goes on to the next part with the decisions you'd make before 'they come for you'. What he 'read' may be referring to the bible/any holy book and he's told he has committed too many sins and can't be saved. (In this case, would you do the right thing or wrong thing before you died?) However 9 times out of 10 they've lied to him and he doesn't believe in their preachings. Similarly it's seen again in the house of stone - if you keep wrapped up and scared, you're only living half a life. We're all going to die in the end, it's unavoidable, so make the most of life whilst you can. Furthermore, the 'one foot on the gas, one foot in the grave' is again another reference to death being inevitable (trying to get away) and laughter at the irony of having it made.
'They claim we'll die without it' - could be religion or a higher power? Within religion or humanity? etc. Nevertheless he thinks they are wrong, ever the optimist.
If you see it this way, it goes on like this in rest of the song in the same vein. Good song, good album.
--Angela.
I disagree but fair enough, I like your interpretation! It's about life and death, as with some others on the album too. It seems to be an ongoing theme. Maybe you'll see where I'm coming from if you keep the idea in mind when listening to the song, but here's a few points:
The first few lines make up the definition of death. The second part is being told you're going to die soon.
Warned of 6 or seven days before they go (what WOULD you do?), ending up with a couple extra days, but how long can you really put it off? Seems we're living longer and longer these days, but you know it's the end sooner or later.
The song then goes on to the next part with the decisions you'd make before 'they come for you'. What he 'read' may be referring to the bible/any holy book and he's told he has committed too many sins and can't be saved. (In this case, would you do the right thing or wrong thing before you died?) However 9 times out of 10 they've lied to him and he doesn't believe in their preachings. Similarly it's seen again in the house of stone - if you keep wrapped up and scared, you're only living half a life. We're all going to die in the end, it's unavoidable, so make the most of life whilst you can. Furthermore, the 'one foot on the gas, one foot in the grave' is again another reference to death being inevitable (trying to get away) and laughter at the irony of having it made.
'They claim we'll die without it' - could be religion or a higher power? Within religion or humanity? etc. Nevertheless he thinks they are wrong, ever the optimist.
If you see it this way, it goes on like this in rest of the song in the same vein. Good song, good album. --Angela.