Okay bear with me here, but I think this song is about what its like for sheltered yet politically active people to meet people who are really oppressed.
"Under revolution clouds,
you fight to come up and I fight to come down."
This would be the privileged singer trying to detach from his privilege while his oppressed (implied) lover has spent her whole life trying to escape racism or poverty or sexism or something along those lines, and they are united in their desire to understand one another.
"I was on a rooftop when I first discovered,
That you hold all your pain like a cannon inside."
This is about how little he (the singer) had known about his lover's experiences and about how as an oppressed person she has had to behave and hold in her opinions and values until she feels like she like exploding.
"Every time we find something peaceful,
I have to go and tear it all down."
Could be interpreted as becoming aware of injustice and discovering how prevalent oppression is, even in things he used to enjoy.
I understand that blue grass isn't associated with social change movements, but that's sorta dumb because blue grass is associated with distrust in authority and government and distrust in social institutions is not much of a stretch.
I think it is easy to look too far into the lyrics. That's not to say I don't think the song is complex and beautiful. Here's my take:
I think it is easy to look too far into the lyrics. That's not to say I don't think the song is complex and beautiful. Here's my take:
The song is simply about comparing/contrasting his attitudes and his lover's to the changing seasons. This falls in line with a lot of themes throughout the album.
The song is simply about comparing/contrasting his attitudes and his lover's to the changing seasons. This falls in line with a lot of themes throughout the album.
"We've been out hiding for such a long time.
Lonesome hillsides so brown in November,
but you'll stay the same for your whole life."
"We've been out hiding for such a long time.
Lonesome hillsides so brown in November,
but you'll stay the same for your whole life."
"Images come flowing like a river so wide.
I was on a rooftop when I first discovered,
that you hold...
"Images come flowing like a river so wide.
I was on a rooftop when I first discovered,
that you hold all your pain like a cannon inside."
When spring comes in a very cold place like Duluth, MN, it is suddenly warm enough to stop hiding and go outside. The snowfall melts and the rivers widen. Change is everywhere.
(side note, in other songs on the album, they reference "touring bands and roofing crews", which makes me believe the band worked on a roofing crew at some point, probably where "I was on a rooftop..." comes from.)
"Every time we find something peaceful,
I have to go and tear it all down.
But the weather don't lie, babe, and you can't either..."
The writer talks about his optimism in the spring time, and his pessimism in the cold winter, and contrasts it with his lovers apparent lack of change in attitudes, or perhaps opposite attitudes.
Just my thoughts. A lot of other songs on the album and their previous on ("Duluth") seem to echo these themes, so it kind of makes sense. Simple, yet beautifully written and performed.
Okay bear with me here, but I think this song is about what its like for sheltered yet politically active people to meet people who are really oppressed.
"Under revolution clouds, you fight to come up and I fight to come down." This would be the privileged singer trying to detach from his privilege while his oppressed (implied) lover has spent her whole life trying to escape racism or poverty or sexism or something along those lines, and they are united in their desire to understand one another.
"I was on a rooftop when I first discovered, That you hold all your pain like a cannon inside." This is about how little he (the singer) had known about his lover's experiences and about how as an oppressed person she has had to behave and hold in her opinions and values until she feels like she like exploding.
"Every time we find something peaceful, I have to go and tear it all down." Could be interpreted as becoming aware of injustice and discovering how prevalent oppression is, even in things he used to enjoy.
I understand that blue grass isn't associated with social change movements, but that's sorta dumb because blue grass is associated with distrust in authority and government and distrust in social institutions is not much of a stretch.
I think it is easy to look too far into the lyrics. That's not to say I don't think the song is complex and beautiful. Here's my take:
I think it is easy to look too far into the lyrics. That's not to say I don't think the song is complex and beautiful. Here's my take:
The song is simply about comparing/contrasting his attitudes and his lover's to the changing seasons. This falls in line with a lot of themes throughout the album.
The song is simply about comparing/contrasting his attitudes and his lover's to the changing seasons. This falls in line with a lot of themes throughout the album.
"We've been out hiding for such a long time. Lonesome hillsides so brown in November, but you'll stay the same for your whole life."
"We've been out hiding for such a long time. Lonesome hillsides so brown in November, but you'll stay the same for your whole life."
"Images come flowing like a river so wide. I was on a rooftop when I first discovered, that you hold...
"Images come flowing like a river so wide. I was on a rooftop when I first discovered, that you hold all your pain like a cannon inside."
When spring comes in a very cold place like Duluth, MN, it is suddenly warm enough to stop hiding and go outside. The snowfall melts and the rivers widen. Change is everywhere.
(side note, in other songs on the album, they reference "touring bands and roofing crews", which makes me believe the band worked on a roofing crew at some point, probably where "I was on a rooftop..." comes from.)
"Every time we find something peaceful, I have to go and tear it all down. But the weather don't lie, babe, and you can't either..."
The writer talks about his optimism in the spring time, and his pessimism in the cold winter, and contrasts it with his lovers apparent lack of change in attitudes, or perhaps opposite attitudes.
Just my thoughts. A lot of other songs on the album and their previous on ("Duluth") seem to echo these themes, so it kind of makes sense. Simple, yet beautifully written and performed.