This song is one of my favorites that Oh, sleeper has done. So I'm going to share what I think it means.
Step by step: "Regaining consciousness-" he is a Christian who wondered off from God and everything of the world has left him confused (because of letdown) "-under the swinging moon-".
"He speaks of alliances that beckoned me long before the womb" God has been and is calling him (the man) back to Him (God).
"I've caused more wounds than I'm worth." he feels he does not deserve God's grace, mercy, or redemption because he has sinned more than he's worth.
"I see now, you must not have heard... I am the natural born killer." basically saying "I don't deserve this forgiveness because, in nature, I've been born to sin from the start.".
CHORUS: Not for sure, but i believe it is voiced from God except for the quoted parts.
"There is freedom past your history" God saying "i will still forgive you even though you've fallen"
"This air won't fill my lungs!" The man saying "The world cannot satisfy me" then God replying "Because you should be breathing blood." in other words "I am the only one that can satisfy you"
"See, this death, it was your victory so..." "this death" meaning Jesus' death, "was your victory" meaning that since Jesus has conquered death and claimed victory over sin, then this man's forgiveness has been paid for (just not by him)
"Teach me to fill my lungs!... never stop breathing blood" obviously "I'm looking to you for satisfaction from now on" then God replying "You only need me for satisfaction, nothing else"
"I had it all so very wrong, but I fought... I fought with only song." this was the foggy part for me but I think it's saying that the man was going about everything all wrong, but he was still fighting with God in mind just in the wrong way, and "I fought with only song" means he was all talk but didn't act on his words (a hypocrite).
"God, I've tried... I'm trying like a beast all alone" he has tried to follow God, but he didn't have God with him because he was following the wrong path.
"but my words... my words have aired in poison." again saying that he has followed the completely wrong path (with the world)
"Please teach me how to breathe because this air keeps failing my need. Fill my lungs with what wont bleed from my enemies." this line sums up the song saying "God, show me the true path. I don't want to follow the path the hypocrites follow, because following this world is getting me nowhere"
"He said, If death is victory how afraid of life can you be?" this is the man arguing with himself (him against his worldly self) saying "why should I be afraid to do God's will when even if they kill me I will still of have had victory?" (this could be in the apocalypse because then people will persecute Christians to the point of death)
"I'm born a war machine not knowing which beckon to heed. Will I rise as a tool for glory or be lost in dormancies?" saying that he is too eager to fight for something to know if it's what he should be fighting for.
"I've regained consciousness under this swinging moon." or "I know who to follow now, through all the confusion, and I'm letting God take control, and doing his will"
"I hear him speaking to me. For the first time he cleared my head..." now that he has giving all of himself to God's will, God has made his will clear to him.
"that's when he said, Only cowards keep dormant their sleeping strength, and soon you'll find,only the fearless will reach their potential's peak." God showing him that only cowards don't give all of themselves because they are afraid of reputation loss, relationship loss, death, losing items, going poor, etc... and only the fearless, who give all of themselves, can reach their potential of doing God's will and bringing people and glory to Him.
"(What will wing these words if even the air is poisoned? If the air is poisoned, what will wing these words?)" the man is talking to God, basically asking "who will reach their potential if they are a hypocrite?"
then the last and most powerful line "Tell me, If death is victory how afraid of life can we be? If death is victory how afraid of life can we be?" is God simply replying "Why would anyone be feared into being a hypocrite if they have nothing to be afraid of?".
WELL there it is. That's what i thought it meant. Sorry this is such a long message, but these are very profound lyrics.
This song is one of my favorites that Oh, sleeper has done. So I'm going to share what I think it means.
Step by step: "Regaining consciousness-" he is a Christian who wondered off from God and everything of the world has left him confused (because of letdown) "-under the swinging moon-". "He speaks of alliances that beckoned me long before the womb" God has been and is calling him (the man) back to Him (God). "I've caused more wounds than I'm worth." he feels he does not deserve God's grace, mercy, or redemption because he has sinned more than he's worth. "I see now, you must not have heard... I am the natural born killer." basically saying "I don't deserve this forgiveness because, in nature, I've been born to sin from the start.". CHORUS: Not for sure, but i believe it is voiced from God except for the quoted parts. "There is freedom past your history" God saying "i will still forgive you even though you've fallen" "
This air won't fill my lungs!" The man saying "The world cannot satisfy me" then God replying "Because you should be breathing blood." in other words "I am the only one that can satisfy you" "See, this death, it was your victory so..." "this death" meaning Jesus' death, "was your victory" meaning that since Jesus has conquered death and claimed victory over sin, then this man's forgiveness has been paid for (just not by him) "Teach me to fill my lungs!... never stop breathing blood" obviously "I'm looking to you for satisfaction from now on" then God replying "You only need me for satisfaction, nothing else" "I had it all so very wrong, but I fought... I fought with only song." this was the foggy part for me but I think it's saying that the man was going about everything all wrong, but he was still fighting with God in mind just in the wrong way, and "I fought with only song" means he was all talk but didn't act on his words (a hypocrite). "God, I've tried... I'm trying like a beast all alone" he has tried to follow God, but he didn't have God with him because he was following the wrong path. "but my words... my words have aired in poison." again saying that he has followed the completely wrong path (with the world) "Please teach me how to breathe because this air keeps failing my need. Fill my lungs with what wont bleed from my enemies." this line sums up the song saying "God, show me the true path. I don't want to follow the path the hypocrites follow, because following this world is getting me nowhere" "He said,If death is victory how afraid of life can you be?" this is the man arguing with himself (him against his worldly self) saying "why should I be afraid to do God's will when even if they kill me I will still of have had victory?" (this could be in the apocalypse because then people will persecute Christians to the point of death) "I'm born a war machine not knowing which beckon to heed. Will I rise as a tool for glory or be lost in dormancies?" saying that he is too eager to fight for something to know if it's what he should be fighting for. "I've regained consciousness under this swinging moon." or "I know who to follow now, through all the confusion, and I'm letting God take control, and doing his will" "I hear him speaking to me. For the first time he cleared my head..." now that he has giving all of himself to God's will, God has made his will clear to him. "that's when he said,Only cowards keep dormant their sleeping strength, and soon you'll find,only the fearless will reach their potential's peak." God showing him that only cowards don't give all of themselves because they are afraid of reputation loss, relationship loss, death, losing items, going poor, etc... and only the fearless, who give all of themselves, can reach their potential of doing God's will and bringing people and glory to Him. "(What will wing these words if even the air is poisoned? If the air is poisoned, what will wing these words?)" the man is talking to God, basically asking "who will reach their potential if they are a hypocrite?" then the last and most powerful line "Tell me, If death is victory how afraid of life can we be? If death is victory how afraid of life can we be?" is God simply replying "Why would anyone be feared into being a hypocrite if they have nothing to be afraid of?".WELL there it is. That's what i thought it meant. Sorry this is such a long message, but these are very profound lyrics.