My personal interpretation on the lyrics, as always, step by step.
I am serving time
All for a crime I did commit
You want the truth?
You know I'd do it all again
Left for dead, heaven is only in my head
Introduction to the first part of the story -- he knows that if it happened all over again, he would do the same thing, and as a result of his actions he is trapped and left for dead (note left for dead, I'll get to that later)
I heard a voice
Calling from down inside the well
"See that silver shine?"
She said to come claim what was mine
So down I fell, down into the water black
My prison cell, only the moon was shining back
He was greedy and saw silver down inside the well so went to pursue his riches, but it turns out the silver was only the moonlight shining back at him, now he is trapped inside the well with nothing gained.
If I seem lost
Well, I weighed the cost
And chose my crime
Now it's mine, all mine!
He made his decision, the 'crime' he chose is all his decision...he weighed the cost of pursing riches and did it anyways.
I heard the voice
Calling from just outside the well
She said
"You fool, now that you know your end is near
You always fall for what you desire or what you fear"
The voice calls from outside the well telling him he is a fool for pursuing the riches, as it led to his entrapment...now that he knows his end is near (repitition of left for dead, his greed led to his demise...he always falls for his desires (riches) or his fears (entrapment)
Resurrected, living in a lighthouse
If you leave them ships are going wreck
Now he is resurrected...due to the wording (left for dead, your end is near, and then 'resurrected') I believe it is the same character as before. In this life he is living in a lighthouse, attempting to light the way so that the ships don't wreck, like he had in his past life...if he leaves his post the ships will wreck.
Resurrected, living in a lighthouse
The lions and the lambs ain't sleeping yet
The lion and the lamb lying together is a common phrase in Christianity speaking of the time of peace when Jesus will reign...alas the lion and the lamb aren't sleeping yet -- there is more work to be done.
Resurrected, living in a lighthouse
Can you see the funny side?
The ships are gonna wreck
This is the part I find interesting...can you see the funny side? Desipte all of the protagonist's efforts to guide others to safety rather than wrecking like he did, the lyrics don't state only "If you leave, them ships are gonna wreck" but also states that "The ships are gonna wreck" with no particular cause...regardless of all of his efforts, the ships are gonna wreck anyways...nothing lasts forever, and it is inevitable that the ships will eventually wreck...the lighthouse provides them comfort until they wreck, however, they will eventually meet their demise in the end...I think this relates to how religion might act as a lighthouse providing comfort to lost souls at sea, regardless of what you believe, you will come to your end anyways. That's the funny side. His initial existence was pursuing greed for no gain, ending only in his own entrapment, and this existence now is him selflessly attempting to guide others, but again for no gain...the ships are gonna wreck anyways, and it coincidentally results in his own entrapment.
Rather than the contrast between greed and selflessness, I think it is illustrating more the pointlessness of both, showing that really..they are both the same. They are both fruitless, and result in your own isolation and imprisonment. (At least in this scenario)
My personal interpretation on the lyrics, as always, step by step.
I am serving time All for a crime I did commit You want the truth? You know I'd do it all again Left for dead, heaven is only in my head
Introduction to the first part of the story -- he knows that if it happened all over again, he would do the same thing, and as a result of his actions he is trapped and left for dead (note left for dead, I'll get to that later)
I heard a voice Calling from down inside the well "See that silver shine?" She said to come claim what was mine So down I fell, down into the water black My prison cell, only the moon was shining back
He was greedy and saw silver down inside the well so went to pursue his riches, but it turns out the silver was only the moonlight shining back at him, now he is trapped inside the well with nothing gained.
If I seem lost Well, I weighed the cost And chose my crime Now it's mine, all mine!
He made his decision, the 'crime' he chose is all his decision...he weighed the cost of pursing riches and did it anyways.
I heard the voice Calling from just outside the well She said "You fool, now that you know your end is near You always fall for what you desire or what you fear"
The voice calls from outside the well telling him he is a fool for pursuing the riches, as it led to his entrapment...now that he knows his end is near (repitition of left for dead, his greed led to his demise...he always falls for his desires (riches) or his fears (entrapment)
Resurrected, living in a lighthouse If you leave them ships are going wreck
Now he is resurrected...due to the wording (left for dead, your end is near, and then 'resurrected') I believe it is the same character as before. In this life he is living in a lighthouse, attempting to light the way so that the ships don't wreck, like he had in his past life...if he leaves his post the ships will wreck.
Resurrected, living in a lighthouse The lions and the lambs ain't sleeping yet
The lion and the lamb lying together is a common phrase in Christianity speaking of the time of peace when Jesus will reign...alas the lion and the lamb aren't sleeping yet -- there is more work to be done.
Resurrected, living in a lighthouse Can you see the funny side? The ships are gonna wreck
This is the part I find interesting...can you see the funny side? Desipte all of the protagonist's efforts to guide others to safety rather than wrecking like he did, the lyrics don't state only "If you leave, them ships are gonna wreck" but also states that "The ships are gonna wreck" with no particular cause...regardless of all of his efforts, the ships are gonna wreck anyways...nothing lasts forever, and it is inevitable that the ships will eventually wreck...the lighthouse provides them comfort until they wreck, however, they will eventually meet their demise in the end...I think this relates to how religion might act as a lighthouse providing comfort to lost souls at sea, regardless of what you believe, you will come to your end anyways. That's the funny side. His initial existence was pursuing greed for no gain, ending only in his own entrapment, and this existence now is him selflessly attempting to guide others, but again for no gain...the ships are gonna wreck anyways, and it coincidentally results in his own entrapment.
Rather than the contrast between greed and selflessness, I think it is illustrating more the pointlessness of both, showing that really..they are both the same. They are both fruitless, and result in your own isolation and imprisonment. (At least in this scenario)
Just my thoughts, tell me what you think.