Lyric discussion by returnofapollo 

Cover art for Natural Mystic lyrics by Bob Marley and the Wailers

Personal Assessment at bottom. But first, here's a Line by line interpretation of what this song has come to mean to me:

There's a natural mystic Blowing through the air If you listen carefully now you will hear

Translation: You don't need religion, mystics, spiritual teachers, the only mystic you need is blowing through the air. It's a natural mystic, it's in nature. It's the great spiritual teacher that exists right here, right now, all the time. If you listen carefully (e.g. meditate) you will hear what it is telling you, and what it will tell you is TRUTH, it will reveal the secrets of the world to you as it has to me (the writer of this song)

This could be the first trumpet Might as well be last Many more will have to suffer Many more will have to die Don't ask me why

Translation: This could be just the beginning, a blip, a rough patch, but all things considered, it wouldn't be surprising if it was armageddon, because things are F***ED UP, this world definitely warrants a slate cleaning and fresh start, not to mention the frustrations and agony that YOU (the one listening to this song) are going through in your own private slice of life. Basically, I ( the writer of the song) know things are bad, they're really bad and just how bad they are can't be understated; your melancholy is warranted. Note: Regarding "Last trumpet," see: http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/whats-the-so-called-last-trump/

Things are not the way they used to be I won't tell no lie One and all got to face reality now

Translation: Wake up and accept it, things are forever different. Stop trying to regain some long lost love, chasing some illusion of "the good times" or trying to get back to being "yourself." Things have changed, they're never going to be the same again, you're only keeping yourself in a loop by refusing to accept that whatever you're chasing is GONE and never coming back (at least not in the previous form). Stop trying to be someone/something you're not and accept the new you and new circumstances. The first step to becoming a new, better You is accepting that things have changed and giving up your desire to "go back" to another time. You have to wake up and face reality if you ever want to make progress in your life. Accept the (seemingly painful) reality that is so simple but has been sitting here under your nose for so long. Note: It's not always a negative thing that things are not the way they used to be; it's inherently neither good nor bad, but accepting it is the ONLY way to move on.

Though I try to find the answer To all the questions they ask Though I know it's impossible To go living through the past Don't tell no lie

Translation: People ask me (the writer of this song) questions about life, and I try to answer them, but ultimately it's futile for me to try and answer their questions. Rather, they should do as I said in the first line and LISTEN to the Natural Mystic that is blowing through the air. People keep chasing some former glory, some lost love, some "old self" that they're trying to get back, everyone's f***ed up from the abuses and tragedies that happened to them in earlier in their lives...everyone is living in the PAST, but it's impossible because it will only keep you depressed, lost, dissatisfied. Stop kidding yourself, stop lying to yourself, and do what I said earlier: WAKE UP AND ACCEPT THIS NEW REALITY.

END There's more to the song, obviously, but it's mostly just repeating of the same stuff above.

This is not a song, it's prophecy. It's one of those adaptogenic messages that reaches everyone exactly where they are with exactly what they need. This song is ALSO an instant cure for a bad mushroom trip or pot paranoia. This song (and bob marley in general) has saved my LIFE on bad shroom trips twice...when the infinite darkness of living hell had all but consumed me, this song was a torch in the darkness, a lifeline...

not to be lewd, but to be as accurate and descriptive as possible: This song instantly grabs holds of my soul's cock and balls, immediately getting its full attention, stimulating my soul to orgasm in the full grip of focused, wide-eyed, dumbfounded ecstasy.

Hearing this song high is like shooting heroin into your eardrum High or sober I will listen to this song on repeat for hours. Either in my car with speakers and bass booming or on sound canceling headphones, completely entranced. I can regularly rely on this song to give me chills, euphoria, awakening, emotional release as much as any impassioned speech, emotive imagery, supernatural experience, or drug...

My Interpretation

Hey MAAN . finally somebody that gets this ! Its not about bible its about natural spirit in the air when you get high in Jamaica .... no need to false prophets or gurus or mystics to guide you when you have a natural mystic yourself right? .... We are it.... :)