I always took this as a song of a child singing to or about a dead father.
I imagine a strict, uneducated, hard working father. A man who never showed any emotions to his children, because that would be considered a weakness, unmanly. A father who never seemed to be able to utter I love you, or to hug his child. This doesn't mean the father doesn't love the child, but it does leave the child thinking "..So I'm left to pick up the hints, the little symbols of your devotion."
And all the child can hold on as proof of that father's love is the disciple that child received. The "fist", the "whip", the "burning eyes."And child realizes that maybe the father never expressed his love, but the father showed his love when he disciplined his children when they did wrong. Not as an act of abuse, but whith the intention of correcting his children. Maybe because the father was uneducated, he didn't know any better way to discipline his children. once again, the "fist", the "whip", the "burning eyes."
It's a beautiful song, and I'd hate to think that there was an underlying sarcasm when Antony sings, "It's out of love." I interpret it as an adult coming to terms with his relationship with his dead father. "I accept and I collect upon my body
The memories of your devotion"
"Fistful of Love"..truly a wonderful, beautiful song.
I always took this as a song of a child singing to or about a dead father.
I imagine a strict, uneducated, hard working father. A man who never showed any emotions to his children, because that would be considered a weakness, unmanly. A father who never seemed to be able to utter I love you, or to hug his child. This doesn't mean the father doesn't love the child, but it does leave the child thinking "..So I'm left to pick up the hints, the little symbols of your devotion."
And all the child can hold on as proof of that father's love is the disciple that child received. The "fist", the "whip", the "burning eyes."And child realizes that maybe the father never expressed his love, but the father showed his love when he disciplined his children when they did wrong. Not as an act of abuse, but whith the intention of correcting his children. Maybe because the father was uneducated, he didn't know any better way to discipline his children. once again, the "fist", the "whip", the "burning eyes."
It's a beautiful song, and I'd hate to think that there was an underlying sarcasm when Antony sings, "It's out of love." I interpret it as an adult coming to terms with his relationship with his dead father. "I accept and I collect upon my body The memories of your devotion"
"Fistful of Love"..truly a wonderful, beautiful song.