I always figured the choruses were about predestination, fate, etc. Why should someone (one of the "falling leaves") be accountable to God ("their branches") for their actions, temperament, etc. ("where they should fall") when it was God who put them in that situation? It's definitely a tricky question, and I'm sure a lot of people, even (or especially) Christians, struggle with it from time to time.
Another thing that I find interesting about the song is the line "And why are some hellbent upon there being an answer / While some are quite content to answer: 'I don't know'?" At first I thought this was a bit of a hole in the album's 'argument'... but now I believe it's something of a paradox that he uses to turn some questions back around to Christians...
A Bible-believing Christian will pretty much be forced to answer "I don't know" to the 'questions' Bazan raises in this song, and the many other songs on the album in which he points out problems or contradictions in the Bible and the Christian faith (ex. Hard to Be, In Stitches). Being able to say "I don't know" - to acknowledge that you don't have all the answers - and be at peace with it is critical to having complete faith in a god... especially with such an ancient text that has been translated and re-translated and analyzed to death. Here Bazan is using the same argument: Christians could say "How are you here if there is no God?"... "What gives you the power to think critically on these questions?", etc.... and Bazan is giving them the same response: "Why does there need to be an answer? Sometimes you just have to say 'I don't know.'"
Hopefully that makes sense... I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on this song... It's very dense, I think, and there's a lot of meaning in the few words he chooses (carefully!) for each verse. I'm actually at a bit of a loss in understanding the first verse entirely... any ideas what the colours could represent?
Okay...First and foremost allow me to begin by stating that I felt so compelled to respond to your question(regarding the first verse) that I opened an account.
As far as the color metaphor goes; I think Bazan is addressing how arbitrary it is to be shoved on/into a plane of existence and have to choose the "right" answer; as well as sign for it.(commit, covert, whatev. etc..)= "I need your signature before you leave."
You know. Like make up your mind on which God to choose before you die.
I hope this answers your question. I also find it fitting that Olde...
Okay...First and foremost allow me to begin by stating that I felt so compelled to respond to your question(regarding the first verse) that I opened an account.
As far as the color metaphor goes; I think Bazan is addressing how arbitrary it is to be shoved on/into a plane of existence and have to choose the "right" answer; as well as sign for it.(commit, covert, whatev. etc..)= "I need your signature before you leave."
You know. Like make up your mind on which God to choose before you die.
I hope this answers your question. I also find it fitting that Olde Bazan chose to release this album in the fall. I'm apologizing for my spelling.
Thank you for your response! I was thinking something along those lines, but I was wondering if there was any specific meaning behind the colours he chose... I guess it's probably not overly important in understanding the song, though.
Thank you for your response! I was thinking something along those lines, but I was wondering if there was any specific meaning behind the colours he chose... I guess it's probably not overly important in understanding the song, though.
Well, they both represent a dying or dead leaf. Perhaps there is no meaning other than to represent leaves but maybe Red and orange means fire and heat (perhaps in faith) and blue and yellow mean coldness or luke-warmness (for atheism or those who doubt). In any regard, I believe they are contrasting and divided in their beliefs (either way limited in their options-believe or not believe before you fall). Always there is a notion of predetermined destination. Fated either way.
Well, they both represent a dying or dead leaf. Perhaps there is no meaning other than to represent leaves but maybe Red and orange means fire and heat (perhaps in faith) and blue and yellow mean coldness or luke-warmness (for atheism or those who doubt). In any regard, I believe they are contrasting and divided in their beliefs (either way limited in their options-believe or not believe before you fall). Always there is a notion of predetermined destination. Fated either way.
Wow... the leaves thing is so obvious but it hadn't even occurred to me. Makes more sense considering he usually says "red and orange or brown and yellow" live, and on the record he says "red and orange and red and yellow"... I don't know where the person who put up the lyrics got "blue" from, but otherwise they are all just autumn leaf colours.
Wow... the leaves thing is so obvious but it hadn't even occurred to me. Makes more sense considering he usually says "red and orange or brown and yellow" live, and on the record he says "red and orange and red and yellow"... I don't know where the person who put up the lyrics got "blue" from, but otherwise they are all just autumn leaf colours.
I guess the basic idea is no matter what choice you make, you're still a falling leaf... just different colours or versions of the same thing?
I guess the basic idea is no matter what choice you make, you're still a falling leaf... just different colours or versions of the same thing?
I always figured the choruses were about predestination, fate, etc. Why should someone (one of the "falling leaves") be accountable to God ("their branches") for their actions, temperament, etc. ("where they should fall") when it was God who put them in that situation? It's definitely a tricky question, and I'm sure a lot of people, even (or especially) Christians, struggle with it from time to time.
Another thing that I find interesting about the song is the line "And why are some hellbent upon there being an answer / While some are quite content to answer: 'I don't know'?" At first I thought this was a bit of a hole in the album's 'argument'... but now I believe it's something of a paradox that he uses to turn some questions back around to Christians...
A Bible-believing Christian will pretty much be forced to answer "I don't know" to the 'questions' Bazan raises in this song, and the many other songs on the album in which he points out problems or contradictions in the Bible and the Christian faith (ex. Hard to Be, In Stitches). Being able to say "I don't know" - to acknowledge that you don't have all the answers - and be at peace with it is critical to having complete faith in a god... especially with such an ancient text that has been translated and re-translated and analyzed to death. Here Bazan is using the same argument: Christians could say "How are you here if there is no God?"... "What gives you the power to think critically on these questions?", etc.... and Bazan is giving them the same response: "Why does there need to be an answer? Sometimes you just have to say 'I don't know.'"
Hopefully that makes sense... I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on this song... It's very dense, I think, and there's a lot of meaning in the few words he chooses (carefully!) for each verse. I'm actually at a bit of a loss in understanding the first verse entirely... any ideas what the colours could represent?
Okay...First and foremost allow me to begin by stating that I felt so compelled to respond to your question(regarding the first verse) that I opened an account. As far as the color metaphor goes; I think Bazan is addressing how arbitrary it is to be shoved on/into a plane of existence and have to choose the "right" answer; as well as sign for it.(commit, covert, whatev. etc..)= "I need your signature before you leave." You know. Like make up your mind on which God to choose before you die. I hope this answers your question. I also find it fitting that Olde...
Okay...First and foremost allow me to begin by stating that I felt so compelled to respond to your question(regarding the first verse) that I opened an account. As far as the color metaphor goes; I think Bazan is addressing how arbitrary it is to be shoved on/into a plane of existence and have to choose the "right" answer; as well as sign for it.(commit, covert, whatev. etc..)= "I need your signature before you leave." You know. Like make up your mind on which God to choose before you die. I hope this answers your question. I also find it fitting that Olde Bazan chose to release this album in the fall. I'm apologizing for my spelling.
Thank you for your response! I was thinking something along those lines, but I was wondering if there was any specific meaning behind the colours he chose... I guess it's probably not overly important in understanding the song, though.
Thank you for your response! I was thinking something along those lines, but I was wondering if there was any specific meaning behind the colours he chose... I guess it's probably not overly important in understanding the song, though.
Well, they both represent a dying or dead leaf. Perhaps there is no meaning other than to represent leaves but maybe Red and orange means fire and heat (perhaps in faith) and blue and yellow mean coldness or luke-warmness (for atheism or those who doubt). In any regard, I believe they are contrasting and divided in their beliefs (either way limited in their options-believe or not believe before you fall). Always there is a notion of predetermined destination. Fated either way.
Well, they both represent a dying or dead leaf. Perhaps there is no meaning other than to represent leaves but maybe Red and orange means fire and heat (perhaps in faith) and blue and yellow mean coldness or luke-warmness (for atheism or those who doubt). In any regard, I believe they are contrasting and divided in their beliefs (either way limited in their options-believe or not believe before you fall). Always there is a notion of predetermined destination. Fated either way.
Wow... the leaves thing is so obvious but it hadn't even occurred to me. Makes more sense considering he usually says "red and orange or brown and yellow" live, and on the record he says "red and orange and red and yellow"... I don't know where the person who put up the lyrics got "blue" from, but otherwise they are all just autumn leaf colours.
Wow... the leaves thing is so obvious but it hadn't even occurred to me. Makes more sense considering he usually says "red and orange or brown and yellow" live, and on the record he says "red and orange and red and yellow"... I don't know where the person who put up the lyrics got "blue" from, but otherwise they are all just autumn leaf colours.
I guess the basic idea is no matter what choice you make, you're still a falling leaf... just different colours or versions of the same thing?
I guess the basic idea is no matter what choice you make, you're still a falling leaf... just different colours or versions of the same thing?