Yes, this one is definitely about mafia, and someone who broke the omerta. Think about it. The entire song, every single sentence, could have some kind of meaning behind it. It's rather cinematic in my eyes.
Come by you have come far
All I had I lost in the flood
He meets an old acquaintance, probably from the Mafia. An old companion, I assume. He informs said ex-companion that he has lost all he once had (could be his former life, and could be what he had since he left it)
Come sit with me at the bar
Tell me of progress strengthen my blood
Quite simple. He's polite and friendly, since this is an old friend, and he still has feelings about his former life, wanting to know how the family and business goes. If they're happy news, it "strengthens his blood", making him feel better.
No one here knows my name
I have traded my memories for things
But I remember you clearly
Do you remember that I used to sing
He has moved to a place where no-one would recognize him. "Traded my memories for things" is a direct metafor for informing the police, getting some kind of payment or perhaps getting out of a punishment for telling on someone else. He also keeps up the polite-ness, remembering his old friend clearly, and exchanging some old memories.
Come by you have come far
Long since I saw you so how have you been
Come sit with me at the bar
How long since they told you that they had found him
More polite, friendly talk, but the subject inevitably changes to what he has told the police (or other enemies of the mafia), as evidenced by "How long since they told you that they had found him".
No one here knows my name
I gave up my worries for one good thing
But I remember you clearly
Do you remember that I used to sing
More evidence to support him breaking the omerta, giving up all worries and the danger of mafia life for 'one good thing', which I assume is some kind of new life, moving to a new, safe place far away from the mafia.
Was it because I never told you
I was going away
That you waited so long
Was it because your fucking dreams
Meant nothing to me
That you waited so long
He wonders why it took so long time for them to come for him. He has always known that he was going to be found and murdered, but he thought it would happen sooner. Was it because he left unexpectedly, they simply didn't know how/where to find him?
But the second half, "was it because your fucking dreams~", indicates that he tells this old friend about why he did it, why he broke the omerta. Their dreams of expansion, and their methods, never appealed to him.
The last part is about his death, and final words. His companion must've put some kind of poison into his drink, slowly killing him (the poison runs from the top of his fingers, into his hands). His final words indicate that he regrets telling, and asks his old friend to inform everyone he ever knew and loved back home, that he still loves them, and that he has always missed them.
Incredible song. I apologize for the long post, but I've been thinking about this one for quite some time.
@Mellanslaget wow, almost 8 years since your interpretation. i would agree on everything except "gave up my worries for one good thing". i'm not sure that a good thing is him being safe from them.. since his final words reveal that he has a family, maybe the good thing is that they are still alive and well, and he's not worried they will get hurt because he's not with them anymore. also.. is it his brother that killed him? or he just uses this expression to show the strength of their relationship? i mean, we dont actually know if its...
@Mellanslaget wow, almost 8 years since your interpretation. i would agree on everything except "gave up my worries for one good thing". i'm not sure that a good thing is him being safe from them.. since his final words reveal that he has a family, maybe the good thing is that they are still alive and well, and he's not worried they will get hurt because he's not with them anymore. also.. is it his brother that killed him? or he just uses this expression to show the strength of their relationship? i mean, we dont actually know if its a friend or companion or ..a brother maybe. he just says to the person to come by and sit. and in the last verse, "i do not understand".. i think he knew he was being poisoned, but didn't understand that someone this close would really do it, even though he could have suspected it. and by saying "im so glad you came" maybe he offers his forgiveness. and if its his brother, then he could really "pass his regards to the ones" he loves.. back to the begining.. strengthen my blood.. someone's blood is his family. so, it could be a hint. or maybe i just like to complicate things :)
Yes, this one is definitely about mafia, and someone who broke the omerta. Think about it. The entire song, every single sentence, could have some kind of meaning behind it. It's rather cinematic in my eyes.
Come by you have come far
All I had I lost in the flood
He meets an old acquaintance, probably from the Mafia. An old companion, I assume. He informs said ex-companion that he has lost all he once had (could be his former life, and could be what he had since he left it)
Come sit with me at the bar Tell me of progress strengthen my blood
Quite simple. He's polite and friendly, since this is an old friend, and he still has feelings about his former life, wanting to know how the family and business goes. If they're happy news, it "strengthens his blood", making him feel better.
No one here knows my name I have traded my memories for things But I remember you clearly Do you remember that I used to sing
He has moved to a place where no-one would recognize him. "Traded my memories for things" is a direct metafor for informing the police, getting some kind of payment or perhaps getting out of a punishment for telling on someone else. He also keeps up the polite-ness, remembering his old friend clearly, and exchanging some old memories.
Come by you have come far Long since I saw you so how have you been Come sit with me at the bar How long since they told you that they had found him
More polite, friendly talk, but the subject inevitably changes to what he has told the police (or other enemies of the mafia), as evidenced by "How long since they told you that they had found him".
No one here knows my name I gave up my worries for one good thing But I remember you clearly Do you remember that I used to sing
More evidence to support him breaking the omerta, giving up all worries and the danger of mafia life for 'one good thing', which I assume is some kind of new life, moving to a new, safe place far away from the mafia.
Was it because I never told you I was going away That you waited so long Was it because your fucking dreams Meant nothing to me That you waited so long
He wonders why it took so long time for them to come for him. He has always known that he was going to be found and murdered, but he thought it would happen sooner. Was it because he left unexpectedly, they simply didn't know how/where to find him?
But the second half, "was it because your fucking dreams~", indicates that he tells this old friend about why he did it, why he broke the omerta. Their dreams of expansion, and their methods, never appealed to him.
The last part is about his death, and final words. His companion must've put some kind of poison into his drink, slowly killing him (the poison runs from the top of his fingers, into his hands). His final words indicate that he regrets telling, and asks his old friend to inform everyone he ever knew and loved back home, that he still loves them, and that he has always missed them.
Incredible song. I apologize for the long post, but I've been thinking about this one for quite some time.
I think your interpretation is "spot on" ;)
I think your interpretation is "spot on" ;)
@Mellanslaget wow, almost 8 years since your interpretation. i would agree on everything except "gave up my worries for one good thing". i'm not sure that a good thing is him being safe from them.. since his final words reveal that he has a family, maybe the good thing is that they are still alive and well, and he's not worried they will get hurt because he's not with them anymore. also.. is it his brother that killed him? or he just uses this expression to show the strength of their relationship? i mean, we dont actually know if its...
@Mellanslaget wow, almost 8 years since your interpretation. i would agree on everything except "gave up my worries for one good thing". i'm not sure that a good thing is him being safe from them.. since his final words reveal that he has a family, maybe the good thing is that they are still alive and well, and he's not worried they will get hurt because he's not with them anymore. also.. is it his brother that killed him? or he just uses this expression to show the strength of their relationship? i mean, we dont actually know if its a friend or companion or ..a brother maybe. he just says to the person to come by and sit. and in the last verse, "i do not understand".. i think he knew he was being poisoned, but didn't understand that someone this close would really do it, even though he could have suspected it. and by saying "im so glad you came" maybe he offers his forgiveness. and if its his brother, then he could really "pass his regards to the ones" he loves.. back to the begining.. strengthen my blood.. someone's blood is his family. so, it could be a hint. or maybe i just like to complicate things :)