The current lyrics at the end are wrong and are very important to the interpretation of the song.
I don't know
I don't care
I don't need you for me to live
The song is about facing death without buying into the consolation provided by faith in a religion that promises an afterlife. "Garden of stone" is a cemetery.
The narrator has lost his faith.
"The direction of the eye
So misleading
The defection of the soul
Nauseously quick"
He doesn't care about questions of existence. He is concerned with the present .
"I don't question our existence
I just question our modern need"
He has come to terms with the finality death, and though he accepts it he will strive to get all he can out of this life until that day inevitably comes
"I will walk...with my hands bound
I will walk...with my face blood
I will walk...with my shadow flag
Into your garden
Garden of stone"
He emphasizes once again that "after all is done we're still alone."
"After all is done
and we're still alone
I won't be taken
Yet I'll go"
He keeps his lack of faith to himself and would appreciate if you kept your faith to yourself.
"I don't show
I don't share
I don't need what you have to give"
Lastly he explains that he doesn't know and he doesn't care. He can live without that consolation.
"I don't know
I don't care
I don't need you for me to live"
@Bonesmagoo I have read many many books on Vedder & PJ. I am a Super Fan You can say. Now any interpretation by the Listener has just as much value, right, creedence as “To Each Their Own.” However Eddie as a Narrator was using a Political stance behind the Song. So its about Our Leader/Gov sending Us into War by misleading circumstances as well as modern needs in doing so. The Perspective of coming from the narrator saying he’s willing to Sacrifice Life for His Country/Flag whether there will be blood, and hands bound in protest and the “Shadow Flag”...
@Bonesmagoo I have read many many books on Vedder & PJ. I am a Super Fan You can say. Now any interpretation by the Listener has just as much value, right, creedence as “To Each Their Own.” However Eddie as a Narrator was using a Political stance behind the Song. So its about Our Leader/Gov sending Us into War by misleading circumstances as well as modern needs in doing so. The Perspective of coming from the narrator saying he’s willing to Sacrifice Life for His Country/Flag whether there will be blood, and hands bound in protest and the “Shadow Flag” in dying for His Country though its questions the “Patriotic” Flag in doing so. Hence “Shadow” Flag. How is there such Loyalty/Ceremonial/Patriotism for going and killing for “Modern Needs” misleading reasoning. Its G. Bush’s Garden Of Stone. Sending so many to Their Garden. So Eddie is coming from a Protestrial sense. I have read reference from either a remark/quote from EV Himself and or others like Producer and Interviews. Some source.
The current lyrics at the end are wrong and are very important to the interpretation of the song.
I don't know I don't care I don't need you for me to live
The song is about facing death without buying into the consolation provided by faith in a religion that promises an afterlife. "Garden of stone" is a cemetery.
The narrator has lost his faith.
"The direction of the eye So misleading The defection of the soul Nauseously quick"
He doesn't care about questions of existence. He is concerned with the present . "I don't question our existence I just question our modern need"
He has come to terms with the finality death, and though he accepts it he will strive to get all he can out of this life until that day inevitably comes
"I will walk...with my hands bound I will walk...with my face blood I will walk...with my shadow flag Into your garden Garden of stone"
He emphasizes once again that "after all is done we're still alone."
"After all is done and we're still alone I won't be taken Yet I'll go"
He keeps his lack of faith to himself and would appreciate if you kept your faith to yourself.
"I don't show I don't share I don't need what you have to give"
Lastly he explains that he doesn't know and he doesn't care. He can live without that consolation.
"I don't know I don't care I don't need you for me to live"
@Bonesmagoo I have read many many books on Vedder & PJ. I am a Super Fan You can say. Now any interpretation by the Listener has just as much value, right, creedence as “To Each Their Own.” However Eddie as a Narrator was using a Political stance behind the Song. So its about Our Leader/Gov sending Us into War by misleading circumstances as well as modern needs in doing so. The Perspective of coming from the narrator saying he’s willing to Sacrifice Life for His Country/Flag whether there will be blood, and hands bound in protest and the “Shadow Flag”...
@Bonesmagoo I have read many many books on Vedder & PJ. I am a Super Fan You can say. Now any interpretation by the Listener has just as much value, right, creedence as “To Each Their Own.” However Eddie as a Narrator was using a Political stance behind the Song. So its about Our Leader/Gov sending Us into War by misleading circumstances as well as modern needs in doing so. The Perspective of coming from the narrator saying he’s willing to Sacrifice Life for His Country/Flag whether there will be blood, and hands bound in protest and the “Shadow Flag” in dying for His Country though its questions the “Patriotic” Flag in doing so. Hence “Shadow” Flag. How is there such Loyalty/Ceremonial/Patriotism for going and killing for “Modern Needs” misleading reasoning. Its G. Bush’s Garden Of Stone. Sending so many to Their Garden. So Eddie is coming from a Protestrial sense. I have read reference from either a remark/quote from EV Himself and or others like Producer and Interviews. Some source.