In another time’s forgotten space
Your eyes looked from your mother's face
Wild flower seed on the sand and stone
May the four winds blow you safely home
The “four winds” here refer to the four winds of the Bible, or God’s power on Earth. I like the reference to the “four winds” from Revelation 7:1 (I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree) as a cleansing force of God’s judgment.
The first verse refers to the “4th dimension” of time - generally perceived to be a dimension that we are unable to interact with. Time flows and we are pushed along with it. However, the narrator of the first verse seems to be able to view the entire continuum of time, and describes ‘your eyes looking from your mother’s face’ and ‘wild flower seed on the sand and stone’ as occurring simultaneously as he is outside of time.
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
The ‘dew’ refers to the leftover vestiges of night and the day prior. Rolling away the dew is a power that is only wielded by the force of time and represents the passage of time and the promise of a new day.
Here, the ‘four winds’ roll away the dew and Robert Hunter transforms time into the cleansing force of God’s judgment.
I'll tell you where the four winds dwell
In Franklin's tower there hangs a bell
It can ring, turn night to day
It can ring like fire when you lose your way
The second verse introduces the concept of Franklin’s tower housing the bell that releases the four winds and the power of the passage of time. ‘It can ring, turn night to day’ supports the ringing of the bell as the passage of time.
The passage of time again is used as a cleansing force to heal wounds (it can ring like fire when you lose your way).
I am uncertain who Franklin is. I don’t think it refers to Benjamin Franklin. What is clear is that Franklin’ tower is a lighthouse, as this is stated in the final verse. There is a Franklin lighthouse in Maine, though I doubt this is related at all to Franklin’s tower in this song. The concept of Franklin’s tower helping one that is lost find one’s way is another lighthouse analogy, however, I think that Franklin’s tower is a symbolic, rather than an actual lighthouse.
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
God save the child that rings that bell
It may have one good ring, baby, you can't tell
One watch by night, one watch by day
If you get confused listen to the music play
In this verse the ringing of the bell seems to refer to the cold comfort of death’s embrace. ‘God save the child that rings that bell’ seems to refer to a child passing away, especially since ‘it may have one good ring’. However, I do not think that the ringing of the bell always indicates the death of an individual. Alternatively, it may indicate that a trauma has occurred early in a child’s life, necessitating the ringing of Franklin’s tower to cleanse the trauma, however, I am confused why it may have only one good ring.
The ‘music’ here refers to the ringing of the bell, indicating that if one is lost/confused, stop struggling, and listen to the bell ring and allow time to heal.
Some come to laugh their past away
Some come to make it just one more day
Whichever way your pleasure tends
If you plant ice you're gonna harvest the wind
This verse supports the notion that the ringing of the bell of Franklin’s tower unleashes a cleansing force to heal wounds. The final line of the verse, ‘If you plant ice you’re gonna harvest the wind’ indicates that all past actions, even planting ice, regardless if they are positive or negative, will be erased by the four winds, allowing a new future to start.
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
In Franklin's tower the four winds sleep
Like four lean hounds the lighthouse keep
Wildflower seed on the sand and wind
May the four winds blow you home again
Once again, the narrator views time as a continuity, describing ‘wildflower seed on the sand and wind’, again indicating that Franklin’s tower sits outside of time.
‘May the four winds blow you home again’: the passage of time will heal all wounds.
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
You'd better roll away the dew
@Deadhead1 I think the one good ring means that once the child has found and rang the bell, he or she only needs to ring it one time because God will always be with him or her. There will always be light or music to help the child find the way again and if not, the Four Winds will blow them safely home, that's where faith comes in.
@Deadhead1 I think the one good ring means that once the child has found and rang the bell, he or she only needs to ring it one time because God will always be with him or her. There will always be light or music to help the child find the way again and if not, the Four Winds will blow them safely home, that's where faith comes in.
It doesn't have to be about religion, it could be about healing and self-reliance, we have one true self and once we find it we know it even though we may...
It doesn't have to be about religion, it could be about healing and self-reliance, we have one true self and once we find it we know it even though we may lose it over and over.
I think the lyrics also acknowledge that many may never find or ring the bell even though it is there for the finding.
The reference to wildflowers on sand and stone acknowledges that personal growth is hard, something only a hardy wildflower can hope to achive, but once awakened will be forever Blessed..
In another time’s forgotten space Your eyes looked from your mother's face Wild flower seed on the sand and stone May the four winds blow you safely home
The “four winds” here refer to the four winds of the Bible, or God’s power on Earth. I like the reference to the “four winds” from Revelation 7:1 (I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree) as a cleansing force of God’s judgment. The first verse refers to the “4th dimension” of time - generally perceived to be a dimension that we are unable to interact with. Time flows and we are pushed along with it. However, the narrator of the first verse seems to be able to view the entire continuum of time, and describes ‘your eyes looking from your mother’s face’ and ‘wild flower seed on the sand and stone’ as occurring simultaneously as he is outside of time.
Roll away the dew Roll away the dew Roll away the dew Roll away the dew
The ‘dew’ refers to the leftover vestiges of night and the day prior. Rolling away the dew is a power that is only wielded by the force of time and represents the passage of time and the promise of a new day. Here, the ‘four winds’ roll away the dew and Robert Hunter transforms time into the cleansing force of God’s judgment.
I'll tell you where the four winds dwell In Franklin's tower there hangs a bell It can ring, turn night to day It can ring like fire when you lose your way
The second verse introduces the concept of Franklin’s tower housing the bell that releases the four winds and the power of the passage of time. ‘It can ring, turn night to day’ supports the ringing of the bell as the passage of time. The passage of time again is used as a cleansing force to heal wounds (it can ring like fire when you lose your way). I am uncertain who Franklin is. I don’t think it refers to Benjamin Franklin. What is clear is that Franklin’ tower is a lighthouse, as this is stated in the final verse. There is a Franklin lighthouse in Maine, though I doubt this is related at all to Franklin’s tower in this song. The concept of Franklin’s tower helping one that is lost find one’s way is another lighthouse analogy, however, I think that Franklin’s tower is a symbolic, rather than an actual lighthouse.
Roll away the dew Roll away the dew Roll away the dew Roll away the dew
God save the child that rings that bell It may have one good ring, baby, you can't tell One watch by night, one watch by day If you get confused listen to the music play
In this verse the ringing of the bell seems to refer to the cold comfort of death’s embrace. ‘God save the child that rings that bell’ seems to refer to a child passing away, especially since ‘it may have one good ring’. However, I do not think that the ringing of the bell always indicates the death of an individual. Alternatively, it may indicate that a trauma has occurred early in a child’s life, necessitating the ringing of Franklin’s tower to cleanse the trauma, however, I am confused why it may have only one good ring. The ‘music’ here refers to the ringing of the bell, indicating that if one is lost/confused, stop struggling, and listen to the bell ring and allow time to heal.
Some come to laugh their past away Some come to make it just one more day Whichever way your pleasure tends If you plant ice you're gonna harvest the wind
This verse supports the notion that the ringing of the bell of Franklin’s tower unleashes a cleansing force to heal wounds. The final line of the verse, ‘If you plant ice you’re gonna harvest the wind’ indicates that all past actions, even planting ice, regardless if they are positive or negative, will be erased by the four winds, allowing a new future to start.
Roll away the dew Roll away the dew Roll away the dew Roll away the dew
In Franklin's tower the four winds sleep Like four lean hounds the lighthouse keep Wildflower seed on the sand and wind May the four winds blow you home again
Once again, the narrator views time as a continuity, describing ‘wildflower seed on the sand and wind’, again indicating that Franklin’s tower sits outside of time. ‘May the four winds blow you home again’: the passage of time will heal all wounds.
Roll away the dew Roll away the dew Roll away the dew You'd better roll away the dew
@Deadhead1 Thank you!
@Deadhead1 Thank you!
@Deadhead1 I think the one good ring means that once the child has found and rang the bell, he or she only needs to ring it one time because God will always be with him or her. There will always be light or music to help the child find the way again and if not, the Four Winds will blow them safely home, that's where faith comes in.
@Deadhead1 I think the one good ring means that once the child has found and rang the bell, he or she only needs to ring it one time because God will always be with him or her. There will always be light or music to help the child find the way again and if not, the Four Winds will blow them safely home, that's where faith comes in.
It doesn't have to be about religion, it could be about healing and self-reliance, we have one true self and once we find it we know it even though we may...
It doesn't have to be about religion, it could be about healing and self-reliance, we have one true self and once we find it we know it even though we may lose it over and over.
I think the lyrics also acknowledge that many may never find or ring the bell even though it is there for the finding.
The reference to wildflowers on sand and stone acknowledges that personal growth is hard, something only a hardy wildflower can hope to achive, but once awakened will be forever Blessed..