Someone I know wrote this essay. I thought it was an interesting take on the meaning of the lyrics. Love how it was used in both Silence of the Lambs and Clerks 2. Both excellent movies.
The song “Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazarus dramatizes the conflict between the speaker and his beliefs, which he begins to question. He holds a conversation with a “man” through the song as they discuss the significance of life. The man tells the speaker that “all things pass into the night” (4) to which the speaker responds “I must say you’re wrong” (6). “Night” could symbolize the end of a certain thing, and the man is telling the speaker that all things will end; they will cease to exist. The speaker disagrees with the man and by doing so, suggests that he believes there is more after death and it is not just a flat end. As the song progresses, the speaker seems to gradually realize that what the man is telling him may, in fact, be possible. This truth hits him quite heavily.
The tone of the song has a dark quality. The music remains simple but strong as the speaker continues his struggle to accept the reality that the man is presenting him with. The singer’s voice is almost desperate as he sings “Won’t you listen to me” (7), as if he is not begging the man but is rather pleading with his own mind, trying to make himself believe there is a continuation after death. By the end of the song, he seems to grasp the concept he is being told but in a longing way. As he sings “Good-bye horses” (16) he slowly lets go of his previous mindset and allows himself to become painfully enlightened by his new acceptance.
These emotions are expressed through an array of different types of figurative language used in the lyrics. The man, whom the speaker is conversing with, says “I’ve seen my hopes and dream/Are lying on the ground” (9, 10) which is an example of personification. Those hopes and dreams cannot literally be lying on the ground. He means they are no longer attainable. The lyricist also uses personification when writing “All things pass into the night” (4) to show that mortality is inescapable. Allusion is used to reference Eastern philosophy when the horses are discussed. Horses symbolize the five senses which tie us to our physical existence. The speaker, once he accepts his inevitable fate, sings “Good-bye Horses- I’m flying, flying, flying over you” (17) to show that, though reluctant to do so, he is able to appreciate his reality.
This song demonstrates the difficulty of grasping an idea which goes against everything one may have thought was true. In this song’s situation, the speaker must wrap his head around the notion that there is no life after death. Though he wants to believe it is not true, he feels as though it is. He initially denies the idea of irrevocable and ultimate death but as time progresses he begins to feel the possible truth in the man’s words. This is demonstrated as the speaker sings “I’ve seen the sky just being to fall.” (11) Falling skies can be associated with getting hit on the head suddenly and that is basically what happens to the speaker. He experiences an epiphany, but again denies it when he repeats his previous line “I must disagree, oh no sir, I must say you’re wrong/ Won’t you listen to me” (14, 15) though under the circumstances in this stanza, his statement of objection isn’t as sincere as the first time he said it. Still though, the looming thought of a complete end haunts the speaker and he is finally convinced of its truth. While he sings “Good-bye horses” (16), he is letting his mind appreciate the freedom in drawing such a conclusion but also accepting the fear and insecurity that comes along with it. He is flying above and away from his previous thoughts while giving himself room to perceive new and foreign ideas.
Someone I know wrote this essay. I thought it was an interesting take on the meaning of the lyrics. Love how it was used in both Silence of the Lambs and Clerks 2. Both excellent movies.
The song “Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazarus dramatizes the conflict between the speaker and his beliefs, which he begins to question. He holds a conversation with a “man” through the song as they discuss the significance of life. The man tells the speaker that “all things pass into the night” (4) to which the speaker responds “I must say you’re wrong” (6). “Night” could symbolize the end of a certain thing, and the man is telling the speaker that all things will end; they will cease to exist. The speaker disagrees with the man and by doing so, suggests that he believes there is more after death and it is not just a flat end. As the song progresses, the speaker seems to gradually realize that what the man is telling him may, in fact, be possible. This truth hits him quite heavily. The tone of the song has a dark quality. The music remains simple but strong as the speaker continues his struggle to accept the reality that the man is presenting him with. The singer’s voice is almost desperate as he sings “Won’t you listen to me” (7), as if he is not begging the man but is rather pleading with his own mind, trying to make himself believe there is a continuation after death. By the end of the song, he seems to grasp the concept he is being told but in a longing way. As he sings “Good-bye horses” (16) he slowly lets go of his previous mindset and allows himself to become painfully enlightened by his new acceptance. These emotions are expressed through an array of different types of figurative language used in the lyrics. The man, whom the speaker is conversing with, says “I’ve seen my hopes and dream/Are lying on the ground” (9, 10) which is an example of personification. Those hopes and dreams cannot literally be lying on the ground. He means they are no longer attainable. The lyricist also uses personification when writing “All things pass into the night” (4) to show that mortality is inescapable. Allusion is used to reference Eastern philosophy when the horses are discussed. Horses symbolize the five senses which tie us to our physical existence. The speaker, once he accepts his inevitable fate, sings “Good-bye Horses- I’m flying, flying, flying over you” (17) to show that, though reluctant to do so, he is able to appreciate his reality. This song demonstrates the difficulty of grasping an idea which goes against everything one may have thought was true. In this song’s situation, the speaker must wrap his head around the notion that there is no life after death. Though he wants to believe it is not true, he feels as though it is. He initially denies the idea of irrevocable and ultimate death but as time progresses he begins to feel the possible truth in the man’s words. This is demonstrated as the speaker sings “I’ve seen the sky just being to fall.” (11) Falling skies can be associated with getting hit on the head suddenly and that is basically what happens to the speaker. He experiences an epiphany, but again denies it when he repeats his previous line “I must disagree, oh no sir, I must say you’re wrong/ Won’t you listen to me” (14, 15) though under the circumstances in this stanza, his statement of objection isn’t as sincere as the first time he said it. Still though, the looming thought of a complete end haunts the speaker and he is finally convinced of its truth. While he sings “Good-bye horses” (16), he is letting his mind appreciate the freedom in drawing such a conclusion but also accepting the fear and insecurity that comes along with it. He is flying above and away from his previous thoughts while giving himself room to perceive new and foreign ideas.