I interpret the song as being about the collectivisation of agricultural land after the Russian Revolution.
The song seems to be written from the perspective of a poor Communist Zealot (soon to be a Kulak) assessing which peoples property they wish to appropriate
[verse 1]
I watched you walking
Late in the day
Where old men were talking
Binding up the hay
I watched you drinking
Shutting your eyes and thinking
Late in the day
The first verse seems to be about the peasant monitoring the activities of the land owners (farmers) in his community, I think its important that the Farmer is 'thinking' (Big Brother does not approve)
[Chorus]
You were signalling with your hands
Going, going out of my way
You're out of my way
Where you're banging on hollow land
A hunter-gatherer and blowing
Blowing out of the rain
In out of the rain
"Signalling with your hands" I interpret as either the landowner/farmer giving the middle finger to the person monitoring them or passing coded signals to other likeminded individuals.
"Going out of my way" I would say means the farmer trying to avoid scrutiny.
"Banging on hollow land", not sure about this one, I thought it might relate to the Farmer trying to make a meagre living from cold, unproductive soil in the north of Russia. It might also relate to the farmer attempting to futilely message other people about the upcoming dangers .. not sure.
[Verse 2]
After several uneventful days
We gathered all the faithful
To come and have their say
Drinking, greeting
Sellers and farmers meeting
Late in the day
I'd say the 'faithful' refer to the 'good communists' or true believers .. the soon-to-be-kulaks, at a local town/village hall meeting.
"Sellers and farmers meeting" I would imagine 'sellers' refer to local merchants (representative of capitalists) and the farmers being representative of land owners.
[Bridge]
I wish all my words were unsaid
I wish all my words were unsaid
If I could eat my words, would I be standing here?
Biting my tongue and feeling so young
I think the bridge is representing the thoughts of the person after the meeting has taken place. The individual likely 'denounced' the merchants and landowners and would later take their property and land. They're expressing regret for what they did to the older generation.
[Outro]
In the summer, when the rain begins
Better hurry, don't bide your time
Better get all your winter things
Better gather, don't bide your time
In the summer, when the rain begins
Better hurry, don't bide your time
Better get all your winter things
Better gather, don't bide your time
The outro is all about harvesting what you can when the weather (or the political climate) is favourable. Profiteering basically. I think it also alludes to this ransacking cycle repeating again .. which indeed it did.
Might have overanalysed this, the song might just be about how hard it is to be a farmer in Russia :-)
I interpret the song as being about the collectivisation of agricultural land after the Russian Revolution.
The song seems to be written from the perspective of a poor Communist Zealot (soon to be a Kulak) assessing which peoples property they wish to appropriate
[verse 1]
I watched you walking Late in the day Where old men were talking Binding up the hay I watched you drinking Shutting your eyes and thinking Late in the day
The first verse seems to be about the peasant monitoring the activities of the land owners (farmers) in his community, I think its important that the Farmer is 'thinking' (Big Brother does not approve)
[Chorus]
You were signalling with your hands Going, going out of my way You're out of my way Where you're banging on hollow land A hunter-gatherer and blowing Blowing out of the rain In out of the rain
"Signalling with your hands" I interpret as either the landowner/farmer giving the middle finger to the person monitoring them or passing coded signals to other likeminded individuals.
"Going out of my way" I would say means the farmer trying to avoid scrutiny.
"Banging on hollow land", not sure about this one, I thought it might relate to the Farmer trying to make a meagre living from cold, unproductive soil in the north of Russia. It might also relate to the farmer attempting to futilely message other people about the upcoming dangers .. not sure.
[Verse 2]
After several uneventful days We gathered all the faithful To come and have their say Drinking, greeting Sellers and farmers meeting Late in the day
I'd say the 'faithful' refer to the 'good communists' or true believers .. the soon-to-be-kulaks, at a local town/village hall meeting.
"Sellers and farmers meeting" I would imagine 'sellers' refer to local merchants (representative of capitalists) and the farmers being representative of land owners.
[Bridge]
I wish all my words were unsaid I wish all my words were unsaid If I could eat my words, would I be standing here? Biting my tongue and feeling so young
I think the bridge is representing the thoughts of the person after the meeting has taken place. The individual likely 'denounced' the merchants and landowners and would later take their property and land. They're expressing regret for what they did to the older generation.
[Outro]
In the summer, when the rain begins Better hurry, don't bide your time Better get all your winter things Better gather, don't bide your time In the summer, when the rain begins Better hurry, don't bide your time Better get all your winter things Better gather, don't bide your time
The outro is all about harvesting what you can when the weather (or the political climate) is favourable. Profiteering basically. I think it also alludes to this ransacking cycle repeating again .. which indeed it did.
Might have overanalysed this, the song might just be about how hard it is to be a farmer in Russia :-)