TommyG nailed it. This is about a man in love with a married woman (or one in a committed relationship) whose husband (or boyfriend) is cheating on her. He's there to comfort her, finding her in a "tragic" and "lonesome" state. He tells her it's happened to him ("you're familiar like my mirror years ago") and he knows how painful it is to have the idealism/chivalry/innocence of your relationship "die screaming" ("Honey ask me, I should know"). However, he knows his intentions are far from pure, and just like the snake in the Biblical tale, he's slithering to her door hoping to tempt her into having sex with him (or otherwise cheating on her other man).
The copy of the lyrics on this site are missing an important part of the second verse that makes the meaning of the song much more clear: "Babe, there's something broken about this/But I might be hoping about this/Oh, what a sin." Even though he hates seeing how broken she is, he's hoping it will benefit him in the long run, and he hates that he thinks that way.
Or at least that was my interpretation of it. One way or another, it's a beautiful song.
"Babe, there's something broken about this/But I might be hoping about this/Oh, what a sin."
"Babe, there's something broken about this/But I might be hoping about this/Oh, what a sin."
I think this part is about there relationship currently/after there adultery. I relationship that's going to start based on a sin, but he's hoping that it will workout despite the odds.
I think this part is about there relationship currently/after there adultery. I relationship that's going to start based on a sin, but he's hoping that it will workout despite the odds.
@ermoran Maybe he is lying to her. He is the snake in the Garden of Eden. He lies to get his way.
@ermoran Maybe he is lying to her. He is the snake in the Garden of Eden. He lies to get his way.
"Honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago / Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword"
"Honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago / Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword"
He lies in that he was cheated because "Chivalry" is some kind of conduct for Knights towards women. If he says "Chivalry FELL on its sword" he says this in past tense which means he was the one doing the cheating.
He lies in that he was cheated because "Chivalry" is some kind of conduct for Knights towards women. If he says "Chivalry FELL on its sword" he says this in past tense which means he was the one doing the cheating.
Maybe the woman is also a cheater. Maybe she is familiar in that way....
Maybe the woman is also a cheater. Maybe she is familiar in that way. Maybe they both snakes.
@ermoran Great Interpretation! The best, IMO. Next subject: What I'm asking myself is: Why Do I ~ Personally ~ Love This Song? And my answer is: Because it is TRUE to my experience of LOVE. What IS my True Experience of LOVE? It is that Love is FULL OF OVERWHELMING CONTRADICTIONS while @ The Same Time: Full Of Soothing Harmonies: Both. And these contradictions go to and come from the very Core, The Very Heart of Who I REALLY Am ~ But NOT As An Answer ~ But As...
@ermoran Great Interpretation! The best, IMO. Next subject: What I'm asking myself is: Why Do I ~ Personally ~ Love This Song? And my answer is: Because it is TRUE to my experience of LOVE. What IS my True Experience of LOVE? It is that Love is FULL OF OVERWHELMING CONTRADICTIONS while @ The Same Time: Full Of Soothing Harmonies: Both. And these contradictions go to and come from the very Core, The Very Heart of Who I REALLY Am ~ But NOT As An Answer ~ But As A CONSTANT Question. This is Crucial: There IS No Resolution. That's What Keeps My Love Alive: The Question Cannot Be Resolved. Rather, It Just Hangs There Intensely Demanding Yet Equally Unyielding ~ Both Seductive And Repulsive ~ Unresolvable. So, the questions include: "Am I good or evil? Are we victims or heroes? Are we archaic or modern? Are we disillusioned and cynical or are we beyond that to something even higher, more forgiving, more authentic, more alive, more harmonious and all embracing? Are we competing with Destiny and Fate, or are we the very embodiment of these? Can we forgive the unforgivable and thus transcend mind altogether, to live most fully in our heart of hearts?" These, I believe, are the core questions @ the heart of the song ~ for me, at least. And, I hasten to add, these are THE questions Inherent to the, I believe, accurate interpretation of the song, especially as it hearkens back to Biblical eschatology. Because "eschatology" is about ultimate meaning. And this is a song about the ultimate meaning of Love. And to me, Love's ultimate meaning is The Demand For An All Embracing Answer That Is Never Forthcoming ~ Yet Merely Living Is Already The Best Answer. Both.
TommyG nailed it. This is about a man in love with a married woman (or one in a committed relationship) whose husband (or boyfriend) is cheating on her. He's there to comfort her, finding her in a "tragic" and "lonesome" state. He tells her it's happened to him ("you're familiar like my mirror years ago") and he knows how painful it is to have the idealism/chivalry/innocence of your relationship "die screaming" ("Honey ask me, I should know"). However, he knows his intentions are far from pure, and just like the snake in the Biblical tale, he's slithering to her door hoping to tempt her into having sex with him (or otherwise cheating on her other man).
The copy of the lyrics on this site are missing an important part of the second verse that makes the meaning of the song much more clear: "Babe, there's something broken about this/But I might be hoping about this/Oh, what a sin." Even though he hates seeing how broken she is, he's hoping it will benefit him in the long run, and he hates that he thinks that way.
Or at least that was my interpretation of it. One way or another, it's a beautiful song.
@ermoran
@ermoran
"Babe, there's something broken about this/But I might be hoping about this/Oh, what a sin."
"Babe, there's something broken about this/But I might be hoping about this/Oh, what a sin."
I think this part is about there relationship currently/after there adultery. I relationship that's going to start based on a sin, but he's hoping that it will workout despite the odds.
I think this part is about there relationship currently/after there adultery. I relationship that's going to start based on a sin, but he's hoping that it will workout despite the odds.
@ermoran Maybe he is lying to her. He is the snake in the Garden of Eden. He lies to get his way.
@ermoran Maybe he is lying to her. He is the snake in the Garden of Eden. He lies to get his way.
"Honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago / Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword"
"Honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago / Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword"
He lies in that he was cheated because "Chivalry" is some kind of conduct for Knights towards women. If he says "Chivalry FELL on its sword" he says this in past tense which means he was the one doing the cheating.
He lies in that he was cheated because "Chivalry" is some kind of conduct for Knights towards women. If he says "Chivalry FELL on its sword" he says this in past tense which means he was the one doing the cheating.
Maybe the woman is also a cheater. Maybe she is familiar in that way....
Maybe the woman is also a cheater. Maybe she is familiar in that way. Maybe they both snakes.
@ermoran Great Interpretation! The best, IMO. Next subject: What I'm asking myself is: Why Do I ~ Personally ~ Love This Song? And my answer is: Because it is TRUE to my experience of LOVE. What IS my True Experience of LOVE? It is that Love is FULL OF OVERWHELMING CONTRADICTIONS while @ The Same Time: Full Of Soothing Harmonies: Both. And these contradictions go to and come from the very Core, The Very Heart of Who I REALLY Am ~ But NOT As An Answer ~ But As...
@ermoran Great Interpretation! The best, IMO. Next subject: What I'm asking myself is: Why Do I ~ Personally ~ Love This Song? And my answer is: Because it is TRUE to my experience of LOVE. What IS my True Experience of LOVE? It is that Love is FULL OF OVERWHELMING CONTRADICTIONS while @ The Same Time: Full Of Soothing Harmonies: Both. And these contradictions go to and come from the very Core, The Very Heart of Who I REALLY Am ~ But NOT As An Answer ~ But As A CONSTANT Question. This is Crucial: There IS No Resolution. That's What Keeps My Love Alive: The Question Cannot Be Resolved. Rather, It Just Hangs There Intensely Demanding Yet Equally Unyielding ~ Both Seductive And Repulsive ~ Unresolvable. So, the questions include: "Am I good or evil? Are we victims or heroes? Are we archaic or modern? Are we disillusioned and cynical or are we beyond that to something even higher, more forgiving, more authentic, more alive, more harmonious and all embracing? Are we competing with Destiny and Fate, or are we the very embodiment of these? Can we forgive the unforgivable and thus transcend mind altogether, to live most fully in our heart of hearts?" These, I believe, are the core questions @ the heart of the song ~ for me, at least. And, I hasten to add, these are THE questions Inherent to the, I believe, accurate interpretation of the song, especially as it hearkens back to Biblical eschatology. Because "eschatology" is about ultimate meaning. And this is a song about the ultimate meaning of Love. And to me, Love's ultimate meaning is The Demand For An All Embracing Answer That Is Never Forthcoming ~ Yet Merely Living Is Already The Best Answer. Both.