Okay so I don't agree with a lot of the interpretations of the character being a drunk and the importance of his character to the song. This song after all is called "Work Song"
I will also note that I do not interpret that the person or character in this song is a man or woman because Hozier has written "Take Me to Church" about same sex relationships. So, I am not going to assume that this person has an assigned gender. (Other than Hozier points out that the character is talking about a woman).
What I have taken is that the main character (boy or girl) has gone through a very rough times. In fact, the character obviously did not even care about living or their own well being. For the character life has merely been a task with no meaning attached; just a life of going through the motions.
We hear this in the lyrics:
"That's when my baby found me
I was three days on a drunken sin"
"And I was burnin' up a fever
I didn't care much how long I lived"
and
"Heaven and hell were words to me"
However after being introduced to her, he/she has found that life has meaning. Whether it be that she showed him that or that he took that away from her. We can tell she is a genuinely caring soul from how he/she describes her actions.
We hear this in the lyrics:
"I woke with her walls around me"
and
"My baby never fret none
About what my hands and my body done"
But what I find the most interesting thing about this song is not his/her love for her or how he feels changed. What makes this song is that the character still goes on in life without having meaning of heaven or hell. In other words, still goes on in life without fully believing in having purpose, but knows that whether or not there is a heaven or hell, he/she finally has something great worth living life for. Someone who makes the character feel purpose beyond the realm of life and death.
We hear this in the lyrics:
"When, my, time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her"
and
"If the Lord don't forgive me
I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me"
In addition, he/she loves this woman so much that even though he really does not have anything to offer (as seen by when the character describes their drunken self), the character WORKS and puts so much effort into life and WORK now that he/she might even go without eating (or skipping food because he/she can live off of the fuel that she provides). The character WORKS because he/she feels that there is something to work for to the point of complete selflessness. In fact the individual becomes so selfless that he/she knows when death arrives that their purpose was to put in effort in work for this wonderful woman. That their work shows their love for this woman. And when put down to rest that effort and purpose only lives on because he/she has such a great love that can live beyond death.
We hear this in the lyrics:
"Boys workin' on empty
Is that the kinda way to face the burning heat?
I just think about my baby
I'm so full of love I could barely eat
There's nothing sweeter than my baby
I'd never want once from the cherry tree
'Cause my baby's sweet as can be
She give me toothaches just from kissin' me"
are also shown in
"When, my, time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her"
"If the Lord don't forgive me
I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me"
This is song has such beauty because it is not so traditional.
I also want to note that the instrumental sound is menant to sound like hard work being brought forth, hence showing that his/her work has a lot of meaning to what it is to be living, in love, and having purpose.
I also want to note that the instrumental sound is menant to sound like hard work being brought forth, hence showing that his/her work has a lot of meaning to what it is to be living, in love, and having purpose.
In addition, I would also like to mention that since he/her notes that they have no strong ties to religion, that the work and effort put in for his love is some what of a religious effort for him/ her as they believe that after dying the two characters will still have each other. Almost as their own...
In addition, I would also like to mention that since he/her notes that they have no strong ties to religion, that the work and effort put in for his love is some what of a religious effort for him/ her as they believe that after dying the two characters will still have each other. Almost as their own form of after life shown through their love and effort.
Okay so I don't agree with a lot of the interpretations of the character being a drunk and the importance of his character to the song. This song after all is called "Work Song"
I will also note that I do not interpret that the person or character in this song is a man or woman because Hozier has written "Take Me to Church" about same sex relationships. So, I am not going to assume that this person has an assigned gender. (Other than Hozier points out that the character is talking about a woman).
What I have taken is that the main character (boy or girl) has gone through a very rough times. In fact, the character obviously did not even care about living or their own well being. For the character life has merely been a task with no meaning attached; just a life of going through the motions.
We hear this in the lyrics: "That's when my baby found me I was three days on a drunken sin" "And I was burnin' up a fever I didn't care much how long I lived" and "Heaven and hell were words to me"
However after being introduced to her, he/she has found that life has meaning. Whether it be that she showed him that or that he took that away from her. We can tell she is a genuinely caring soul from how he/she describes her actions.
We hear this in the lyrics: "I woke with her walls around me" and "My baby never fret none About what my hands and my body done"
But what I find the most interesting thing about this song is not his/her love for her or how he feels changed. What makes this song is that the character still goes on in life without having meaning of heaven or hell. In other words, still goes on in life without fully believing in having purpose, but knows that whether or not there is a heaven or hell, he/she finally has something great worth living life for. Someone who makes the character feel purpose beyond the realm of life and death.
We hear this in the lyrics: "When, my, time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her" and "If the Lord don't forgive me I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me"
In addition, he/she loves this woman so much that even though he really does not have anything to offer (as seen by when the character describes their drunken self), the character WORKS and puts so much effort into life and WORK now that he/she might even go without eating (or skipping food because he/she can live off of the fuel that she provides). The character WORKS because he/she feels that there is something to work for to the point of complete selflessness. In fact the individual becomes so selfless that he/she knows when death arrives that their purpose was to put in effort in work for this wonderful woman. That their work shows their love for this woman. And when put down to rest that effort and purpose only lives on because he/she has such a great love that can live beyond death.
We hear this in the lyrics: "Boys workin' on empty Is that the kinda way to face the burning heat? I just think about my baby I'm so full of love I could barely eat There's nothing sweeter than my baby I'd never want once from the cherry tree 'Cause my baby's sweet as can be She give me toothaches just from kissin' me"
are also shown in "When, my, time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her" "If the Lord don't forgive me I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me"
This is song has such beauty because it is not so traditional.
I also want to note that the instrumental sound is menant to sound like hard work being brought forth, hence showing that his/her work has a lot of meaning to what it is to be living, in love, and having purpose.
I also want to note that the instrumental sound is menant to sound like hard work being brought forth, hence showing that his/her work has a lot of meaning to what it is to be living, in love, and having purpose.
In addition, I would also like to mention that since he/her notes that they have no strong ties to religion, that the work and effort put in for his love is some what of a religious effort for him/ her as they believe that after dying the two characters will still have each other. Almost as their own...
In addition, I would also like to mention that since he/her notes that they have no strong ties to religion, that the work and effort put in for his love is some what of a religious effort for him/ her as they believe that after dying the two characters will still have each other. Almost as their own form of after life shown through their love and effort.