I think the overall premise of the song is that despite different, customs, religions and life experiences, the only two true rites of passage for all of humanity are birth and death. That is why nature prays for us. Everything else is the "circus" that Cornell references. Being "driven by the tail" reminds me of circus elephants walking in a circle holding each other's tails. It has no definite beginning or end. and represents what we know of the life cycle.
The "shining light" is coming from the womb/actual birth and into the world. "Child highs" relate to innocence and newness. "Mark his sides" is referencing being marked for death/exodus....
I think the "garden" is a cemetery and the "song" the death march. I think the "lighting the cigarette" is coming to grips with dying.("execution") Kind of like how Dennis Hopper asked Walkin for a Chesterfield before getting executed in True Romance. Coincidentally, Soundgarden's Outshined is in that movie. I think the "crimes" are all the things done wrong in life that could determine passage to Heaven.
The only thing I can associate with "miracle" is the miracle of birth.
"Serpent" could be Satan trying to steal your soul right up to the eleventh hour and retreating when you take the "drug" or leap of religious faith that you will be granted entrance to Heaven. Serpents and snakes appear often in Cornell's lyrics. I believe he had a lot of personal conflict about whether he was inherently a good or hedonistic human being.
While the above is a how I interpret the song, there is also a part of me that believes there may be a tie to reincarnation.
I think the overall premise of the song is that despite different, customs, religions and life experiences, the only two true rites of passage for all of humanity are birth and death. That is why nature prays for us. Everything else is the "circus" that Cornell references. Being "driven by the tail" reminds me of circus elephants walking in a circle holding each other's tails. It has no definite beginning or end. and represents what we know of the life cycle.
The "shining light" is coming from the womb/actual birth and into the world. "Child highs" relate to innocence and newness. "Mark his sides" is referencing being marked for death/exodus....
I think the "garden" is a cemetery and the "song" the death march. I think the "lighting the cigarette" is coming to grips with dying.("execution") Kind of like how Dennis Hopper asked Walkin for a Chesterfield before getting executed in True Romance. Coincidentally, Soundgarden's Outshined is in that movie. I think the "crimes" are all the things done wrong in life that could determine passage to Heaven.
The only thing I can associate with "miracle" is the miracle of birth.
"Serpent" could be Satan trying to steal your soul right up to the eleventh hour and retreating when you take the "drug" or leap of religious faith that you will be granted entrance to Heaven. Serpents and snakes appear often in Cornell's lyrics. I believe he had a lot of personal conflict about whether he was inherently a good or hedonistic human being.
While the above is a how I interpret the song, there is also a part of me that believes there may be a tie to reincarnation.