One can't help but love the imagery in this song. If Robert did experience this as a boy, he doesn't seem in any way disturbed by the memory. The man who kills himself is smiling, and, although cold, seems perfectly happy to 'walk' into the water. There's no violence there.
'Two drowned fools/Smoking/Drinking water as they talked.'
An allusion, perhaps, to Love Cats, a song written to be about two lovers who take their own lives. They're talking of how they love 'our lady': Mother Nature, who founded the love which they killed themselves for.
Then there's the whole addition of ice cream to further downgrade the seriousness of the situation. Robert feels no sympathy for these 'fools' because they killed themselves for fleeting reasons, and, like candles, are doomed to death one way or another. They'd kill themselves at any time, for one reason or another.
@Hgaudguad I think you're reaching with your interpretations. "Lament" was recorded around the same time as the Pornography album, which it's well-known that Smith was dealing with excessive drug use, and that would explain a lot of the lyrics in the track. While I can certainly appreciate where you're coming from and I speak with no authority on the subject, I must respectfully disagree with your take. Honestly I believe you've read way too much into the song's lyrics.
@Hgaudguad I think you're reaching with your interpretations. "Lament" was recorded around the same time as the Pornography album, which it's well-known that Smith was dealing with excessive drug use, and that would explain a lot of the lyrics in the track. While I can certainly appreciate where you're coming from and I speak with no authority on the subject, I must respectfully disagree with your take. Honestly I believe you've read way too much into the song's lyrics.
One can't help but love the imagery in this song. If Robert did experience this as a boy, he doesn't seem in any way disturbed by the memory. The man who kills himself is smiling, and, although cold, seems perfectly happy to 'walk' into the water. There's no violence there.
'Two drowned fools/Smoking/Drinking water as they talked.' An allusion, perhaps, to Love Cats, a song written to be about two lovers who take their own lives. They're talking of how they love 'our lady': Mother Nature, who founded the love which they killed themselves for.
Then there's the whole addition of ice cream to further downgrade the seriousness of the situation. Robert feels no sympathy for these 'fools' because they killed themselves for fleeting reasons, and, like candles, are doomed to death one way or another. They'd kill themselves at any time, for one reason or another.
@Hgaudguad I think you're reaching with your interpretations. "Lament" was recorded around the same time as the Pornography album, which it's well-known that Smith was dealing with excessive drug use, and that would explain a lot of the lyrics in the track. While I can certainly appreciate where you're coming from and I speak with no authority on the subject, I must respectfully disagree with your take. Honestly I believe you've read way too much into the song's lyrics.
@Hgaudguad I think you're reaching with your interpretations. "Lament" was recorded around the same time as the Pornography album, which it's well-known that Smith was dealing with excessive drug use, and that would explain a lot of the lyrics in the track. While I can certainly appreciate where you're coming from and I speak with no authority on the subject, I must respectfully disagree with your take. Honestly I believe you've read way too much into the song's lyrics.