So Max says that this song is the most spiritual song he's ever written, and that it's probably one of his favourites that he's ever written, and we all know what a brilliant song-writer he is so it's really difficult to try to understand what he's conveying.
I think he touches on a lot of points, regarding the afterlife and his beliefs, on how important and filling his love is, his thoughts and worries about the future, and the undeniable problems that human nature can bring. It seems to me that ultimately he decides that all we have to accept everyone for who they are, because we're all the same race. We need to learn from our mistakes. Also about the way that we as a race relate to God, or any greater being, I reckon that's why this song is named 'Ahhh... men' Which sort of demonstrates that after pondering us for a while, and although he is reluctant, he will accept everyone anyway, because that's the way that we are as a race.
And I know the concept's muddy and trite
That all that is large and all that is slight
Is flowing in the stream of holy floodlights.
At writing holy books, Lord knows we bite
But if this is your will and my testament,
I will bow to no belief that they bent.
Still I'm just a sperm begat from your love,
Basking in the bread, the blood of your dove.
I believe this is where Max is getting down to brass tacks about how he believes the universe works, and religion and all that. He's saying he knows that no one really knows the answer, and that we all think about it a lot, but the idea of a traditional god or the idea of god that we see in organised religion - one that has been edited and used as a tool of manipulation- is not something that he can see himself believing in, even if he was created by such a being. His idea of God is omniscient and omnipresent, but is not the same as you could read about in the bible (writing holy books...i will bow to no belief they bent). Ultimately he accepts that he is only a tiny being, born from something larger than himself, and grateful for it because he has been provided for by this other being, it has provided him with life that is pure which, as SeaverWhat said, represents Jesus to an extent, and that side of religion.
I think the last verse shows what Max believes about the afterlife. it makes me think of how he must feel about the holocaust, he says that we should never forget what they did to the victims, we have to remember and show the future generations so that we can learn as a race, but it also shows that he believes that even though they did unspeakably evil things, we will reluctantly let them into 'heaven' because of human nature. He says that not all things can be explained by physics, and at the end of the day, anything physical that we do to one another will fade away but forever leaves a spiritual imprint, which is why i think he believes that we all have an afterlife, regardless of the physical deeds we have committed, but I do not think Max believes in a conventional Heaven, but he does believe that the universe is much larger than us, and that it is one organism that we have to respect and worship. I'm not completely sure how he demonstrates what he really thinks happens after you die, but he is showing reluctant acceptance towards all humans, which i think he believes has an impact on the evolution of peoples souls, and how they congregate, and how everything in the world is connected.
And once again, it shows us how important love is to Max and how it can penetrate every cell of his body, that even if he was sat at the end of the world he would be completely taken up with his bright, filling love.
I know this is a bit sporadic and patchy, but it's a difficult song to interpret.
I love this album, and I think this song is amazing :)
Sorry for how long it is!
So Max says that this song is the most spiritual song he's ever written, and that it's probably one of his favourites that he's ever written, and we all know what a brilliant song-writer he is so it's really difficult to try to understand what he's conveying. I think he touches on a lot of points, regarding the afterlife and his beliefs, on how important and filling his love is, his thoughts and worries about the future, and the undeniable problems that human nature can bring. It seems to me that ultimately he decides that all we have to accept everyone for who they are, because we're all the same race. We need to learn from our mistakes. Also about the way that we as a race relate to God, or any greater being, I reckon that's why this song is named 'Ahhh... men' Which sort of demonstrates that after pondering us for a while, and although he is reluctant, he will accept everyone anyway, because that's the way that we are as a race.
And I know the concept's muddy and trite That all that is large and all that is slight Is flowing in the stream of holy floodlights. At writing holy books, Lord knows we bite But if this is your will and my testament, I will bow to no belief that they bent. Still I'm just a sperm begat from your love, Basking in the bread, the blood of your dove.
I believe this is where Max is getting down to brass tacks about how he believes the universe works, and religion and all that. He's saying he knows that no one really knows the answer, and that we all think about it a lot, but the idea of a traditional god or the idea of god that we see in organised religion - one that has been edited and used as a tool of manipulation- is not something that he can see himself believing in, even if he was created by such a being. His idea of God is omniscient and omnipresent, but is not the same as you could read about in the bible (writing holy books...i will bow to no belief they bent). Ultimately he accepts that he is only a tiny being, born from something larger than himself, and grateful for it because he has been provided for by this other being, it has provided him with life that is pure which, as SeaverWhat said, represents Jesus to an extent, and that side of religion.
I think the last verse shows what Max believes about the afterlife. it makes me think of how he must feel about the holocaust, he says that we should never forget what they did to the victims, we have to remember and show the future generations so that we can learn as a race, but it also shows that he believes that even though they did unspeakably evil things, we will reluctantly let them into 'heaven' because of human nature. He says that not all things can be explained by physics, and at the end of the day, anything physical that we do to one another will fade away but forever leaves a spiritual imprint, which is why i think he believes that we all have an afterlife, regardless of the physical deeds we have committed, but I do not think Max believes in a conventional Heaven, but he does believe that the universe is much larger than us, and that it is one organism that we have to respect and worship. I'm not completely sure how he demonstrates what he really thinks happens after you die, but he is showing reluctant acceptance towards all humans, which i think he believes has an impact on the evolution of peoples souls, and how they congregate, and how everything in the world is connected.
And once again, it shows us how important love is to Max and how it can penetrate every cell of his body, that even if he was sat at the end of the world he would be completely taken up with his bright, filling love.
I know this is a bit sporadic and patchy, but it's a difficult song to interpret. I love this album, and I think this song is amazing :) Sorry for how long it is!