"In Rastafarianism, they're talking about fighting back against an imperial power with the best tools at their disposal, which are music and soul and weed and community," [Conor] says. "The symbolism in that music seemed very potent to me, and very appropriate."
Conor expressed in interviews that he wanted to include the Rasta message of being one. Not in the music, but in the lyrics.
"Hitchhiking back to Zion"
Zion is what some Christians refer to as Israel, or the society that will be formed in the last days. It is said that these people will be of "one heart and one mind" which seems to go along with the Rasta idea.
The Wheel of Sevens is a wheel that has the seven verses of the Lord's prayer, from what I understand.
Haile Selassie is seen by the Rastafarian people "as a messianic figure who will lead a future golden age of eternal peace, righteousness, and prosperity." so he's like their Messiah. Again, this idea of Rastafarianism, and a people of peace, like Zion.
"Pilgrim beside the fire
It’s been a long winter
We got a lot in common
Cover our heads as they split the atom
All of our days are numbered
I’ve taken some comfort
In knowing the wave has crested
Knowing I don’t have to be an exception"
as in he is relieved that this Omega Day hasn't come, so he can live life as usual? Not sure. I'm guessing the Omega Day is the day that this oneness is achieved. Sort of like Judgement Day?
No idea what he means by tree of smoke - anyone?
Book of Hours is a Christian book from the Middle Ages...
"We are the chosen people
Safe from the next evil"
as in they're working towards some Eternal Salvation?
"One Love, magnetic memory
(the idea of one, rasta theme)
Reel after reel spinning within me"(over and over again, history, time moving forward?)
A cenote is a pool of land water surrounded by rock, basically.
The swimming in this cenote that "the heavens made with black fire" is compared to a dream, so maybe he's saying he isn't sure the heavens are really there, like Heaven is only somewhere you can believe in in dreams. I'm not sure.
hey. you guys are compiling information so i thought i'd add what i knew.
hey. you guys are compiling information so i thought i'd add what i knew.
"A cenote is a pool of land water surrounded by rock, basically.
"A cenote is a pool of land water surrounded by rock, basically.
The swimming in this cenote that "the heavens made with black fire" is compared to a dream, so maybe he's saying he isn't sure the heavens are really there, like Heaven is only somewhere you can believe in in dreams. I'm not sure."
The swimming in this cenote that "the heavens made with black fire" is compared to a dream, so maybe he's saying he isn't sure the heavens are really there, like Heaven is only somewhere you can believe in in dreams. I'm not sure."
In addition to a cenote being a deep whole surrounded by rocks, they were used in ancient times as sort of holes to hell/heaven. Sacrifices of plants/animals...
In addition to a cenote being a deep whole surrounded by rocks, they were used in ancient times as sort of holes to hell/heaven. Sacrifices of plants/animals and even humans were often thrown into the cenotes as religious rituals. While this might be completely unrelated to Rastafarian culture which is a strong theme on this album, cenotes of south and central america were commonly used for this purpose. and knowing conor, he probably knew about the human sacrifices related to them.
"In Rastafarianism, they're talking about fighting back against an imperial power with the best tools at their disposal, which are music and soul and weed and community," [Conor] says. "The symbolism in that music seemed very potent to me, and very appropriate."
Conor expressed in interviews that he wanted to include the Rasta message of being one. Not in the music, but in the lyrics.
"Hitchhiking back to Zion" Zion is what some Christians refer to as Israel, or the society that will be formed in the last days. It is said that these people will be of "one heart and one mind" which seems to go along with the Rasta idea.
The Wheel of Sevens is a wheel that has the seven verses of the Lord's prayer, from what I understand.
Haile Selassie is seen by the Rastafarian people "as a messianic figure who will lead a future golden age of eternal peace, righteousness, and prosperity." so he's like their Messiah. Again, this idea of Rastafarianism, and a people of peace, like Zion.
"Pilgrim beside the fire It’s been a long winter We got a lot in common Cover our heads as they split the atom All of our days are numbered I’ve taken some comfort In knowing the wave has crested Knowing I don’t have to be an exception"
as in he is relieved that this Omega Day hasn't come, so he can live life as usual? Not sure. I'm guessing the Omega Day is the day that this oneness is achieved. Sort of like Judgement Day?
No idea what he means by tree of smoke - anyone?
Book of Hours is a Christian book from the Middle Ages...
"We are the chosen people Safe from the next evil"
as in they're working towards some Eternal Salvation?
"One Love, magnetic memory (the idea of one, rasta theme) Reel after reel spinning within me"(over and over again, history, time moving forward?)
A cenote is a pool of land water surrounded by rock, basically.
The swimming in this cenote that "the heavens made with black fire" is compared to a dream, so maybe he's saying he isn't sure the heavens are really there, like Heaven is only somewhere you can believe in in dreams. I'm not sure.
Still, daytime ghosts, tree of smoke?
Help me, people, please:]
YOU ARE AMAZING.
YOU ARE AMAZING.
The only thing I have to add is that the splitting atom and "Omega Day" (like Judgement Day) refers to the atom bomb/nuclear war/the end of the world.
The only thing I have to add is that the splitting atom and "Omega Day" (like Judgement Day) refers to the atom bomb/nuclear war/the end of the world.
Oh! Maybe the tree of smoke is Moses' burning bush, and everything that represents? Miracles, the word of God, and whatnot?
Oh! Maybe the tree of smoke is Moses' burning bush, and everything that represents? Miracles, the word of God, and whatnot?
I'm so excited for tomorrow I could pee.
I'm so excited for tomorrow I could pee.
The reference to splitting the atom makes me think that the "tree of smoke" refers to a mushroom cloud.
The reference to splitting the atom makes me think that the "tree of smoke" refers to a mushroom cloud.
Thank you guys. I can definitely see the mushroom cloud "tree of smoke" reference. Makes so much sense. Again, thanks for the reply.
Thank you guys. I can definitely see the mushroom cloud "tree of smoke" reference. Makes so much sense. Again, thanks for the reply.
I like your interpretation.
I like your interpretation.
I'd like to add that the concept of zion is part of rastafari as well and refers to an utopia in Africa/Ethiopia.
I'd like to add that the concept of zion is part of rastafari as well and refers to an utopia in Africa/Ethiopia.
hey. you guys are compiling information so i thought i'd add what i knew.
hey. you guys are compiling information so i thought i'd add what i knew.
"A cenote is a pool of land water surrounded by rock, basically.
"A cenote is a pool of land water surrounded by rock, basically.
The swimming in this cenote that "the heavens made with black fire" is compared to a dream, so maybe he's saying he isn't sure the heavens are really there, like Heaven is only somewhere you can believe in in dreams. I'm not sure."
The swimming in this cenote that "the heavens made with black fire" is compared to a dream, so maybe he's saying he isn't sure the heavens are really there, like Heaven is only somewhere you can believe in in dreams. I'm not sure."
In addition to a cenote being a deep whole surrounded by rocks, they were used in ancient times as sort of holes to hell/heaven. Sacrifices of plants/animals...
In addition to a cenote being a deep whole surrounded by rocks, they were used in ancient times as sort of holes to hell/heaven. Sacrifices of plants/animals and even humans were often thrown into the cenotes as religious rituals. While this might be completely unrelated to Rastafarian culture which is a strong theme on this album, cenotes of south and central america were commonly used for this purpose. and knowing conor, he probably knew about the human sacrifices related to them.
i'll leave the rest of the extrapolation to you.