“I Want That You Are Always Happy”
- Black Death 1349
- My Grandma Was Pearl Hall
- As I Go to See Janey, (Chords)
- Jesus Came to My Birthday Party, (Chords)
- Land of the Bloody Unknown, (Chords)
- Very Many
- Sydney to Newcastle
- Mount Morgan
- Months
- Dan’s Silverleaf
- Hunger Song
- Ninth Avenue Reverie
- Deep Water, (Chords)
- Mount Morgan End
- My Baby (Bonus Track)
“The Recordings of…”
“The Split EP”
Thanks to the many contributors to the lyrics collection, in particular: Sam H for the three “Split EP” songs, Chris Gillis for Beleriand, Pig Food and the rest of the hard to decipher songs from “Recordings of…”, Steve G for many songs from “I Want That…”.
If you have any more lyrics or corrections to these then send them to me by emailing to simon.baird@gmail.com or post a comment somewhere on this site.
The Middle East 
Do you have lyrics to Beleriand or Pg Food..both absolutely stunning!
thank you!
No, I wish. They are pretty hard to decipher in some parts.
Hi, How can I find the songs of “The Split EP”? Thank you.
Go here:
http://www.myspace.com/sleepingintrains
There is a link where you can buy the CD
Beleriand:
When the truth comes out
The light telperion dies
Ungoliant
Barad-dir
Any band alive
There we find our fate
We find our darkness
That name Melkor in us
When the truth comes out
The line Elendil flies
Across the Sea
From Numenor Angband arrives
There we find our fate
We find our darkness
That name Melkor in us
Lyrics are derived from “The Silmarillion” by J.R.R. Tolkien. (One of the greatest works of fiction ever made IMO). If interested, these links can give more clarity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beleriand
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgoth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ungoliant
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Trees_of_Valinor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barad-d%C3%BBr
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elendil
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%BAmenor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angband
all my thoughts are dead
sunk in the ocean of my head
they kept on crashing
they kept on talking
I can’t remember much of anything
been eating the pig food
we’re sick to the core
i’m under the influence
i’m under control
my body-like coffin
inside, a few dead man’s clothes
(I think the last word is clothes. Not sure.)
The Fall of Man:
let it all come down again
rise and fall, young and old
let it all crash down on us
we need it
the fall of man
the younger bred
we lift our heads
come quick
(repeat)
let it rush right back to us
breathe it in
wear it
let it fly right through us
we need it
Try listening to this one in reverse
Tsietsi:
the trees are burnt
the grass is brown
the sky turns red
when the sun goes down
for all the tears
in God’s green earth
we haven’t cracked
in this old town
cuz we’re holding onto youth
and we’re stubborn to the tooth
the smell of dread
and burning heads
is a sure sign
that you’re in town
and we’re holding off’ve youth
and we’re stubborn with the truth
here on the shores of the sea comes the end
here on the floor on our knees comes the end
here on the shoulders of these comes the end
here when you replace me comes the end
comes the end
(repeat)
comes the end
You are an absolute angel, I’ve had this song on repeat for the last week it’s so moving!
Thanks a heap!!
I didn’t even realise until a second ago that the title is in my native tongue SeSotho which means trouble/ problems.
Again, thanks!
Dirty Looks:
I read the words of a thousand books
And gave away my dirty looks
And I cleaned out all my cupboards
One by one
I quit the job that I hated most
My pockets full of hundred dollar notes
But there’s not enough to buy back
What I lost
Now I wash my hair and I clip my toes
I leave the room just to blow my nose
And I shower twice a day with soap
But I don’t feel clean like I thought I would
My sins don’t wash away so good
They stick to me like glue
Like glue
So I pack my bags and change my name
To something that nobody can say
And I’ll squander all my hard earned cash
I speak too slow when I’m most in need
Your skins too soft and your hearts too clean
To be caught up in this awful mess
With someone like me
anyone have the lyrics to the original Gold from the split EP?
Not sure if anyone else has posted these, but they are written on the insert sheets:
those steady eyes and that ready smile
can contain the turmoil hid inside
for a while and then you’ll crack
like us all your nose will run
like a tap onto the floor
and that will be the grossest thing of all
that speeding dial and those flashing lights
only assimilate the feeling
of beating time in this race of life
everything else catches up to you
there’s nothing else for you to do
what we had, good as gold
naileable [that’s what it says, but malleable might be better], good to hold
moulding’s good cause life is change
and change is good and you are good at changing me
there’ll be an avalanche
on this desert land
it’ll come down
it’ll come down to be
the evidence of heaven
and I know I love you
because I know you well
I’m not sure if that’s exactly what they sing, but it’s close.
Can somebody PLEASE tell me where I can get the split EP in Melbourne? I can find it anywhere on the Internet (iTunes, myspace link doesn’t work) thanks a heap xxx
hi, just wondering if you could ‘desipher’ me the lyrics for ‘months’ off their newest album ‘i want that you are always happy’
thanks a bunch! :)
ps i only need them after a certain point.
heres what i managed to get myself so far
wake me in the morning
gonna wake me up at night
aint got no use for sleeping anymore
aint got enough time for myself
or time for my friends
and i cant even roar
just wake me up, its fine
let me go away
away from where weve grown
ive got dirty and in wandering through bars and foreign family inns (not sure of this line…)
and id have never came to be alone
now i just wana feel how you would feel left at home
?????
Hey hitch, hey hitch, I’m coming home
Hey ma, hey pa, I’m coming home
Hey dirt, hey tree, hey little girl, I’m coming come
Hey heat, hey Cliss, I’m coming home
Well I seen many places
And they all been seen before
I done lost my jack luck spirit
I’m goin’ back to hitch at home
(No idea about “Cliss” but maybe it’s a name, like short for Clarissa…)
I think between us we’ve got it.. Will post this one up soon-ish…
Hey could you post the lyrics for the Hunger Song, great job on the website btw.
Hey I am gonna try an figure out the lyrics to the Hunger Song.
here is what I have so far:
I’ve got a hole in the side of my stomach
that I can’t seam to fill
with all the food that I put in it
I fill it with meat and I fill it with bread
And I fill it with drink from Saturday evening
till Sunday morning
But I’m still Hunger for more
for something to fill me
Lord make me whole again
so i won’t go hungry anymore
anymore
…and thats it so far sorry ill try to have the rest up sometime soon.
feel free to finish it off if you want to
or let me know if its wrong
Here’s my take, Caleb. Obviously there are a couple of bits that I can’t decipher, especially the last line. Perhaps it refers to something Australian that a Yankee like myself wouldn’t recognize?
HUNGER SONG
I’ve got a hollow inside my stomach
That I can’t seem to fill
With all the things that I believe
I fiil it with mead and I fill it with bread
And I fill it with drink on a Saturday evening
To Sunday morning
But I’m still hungry for
Something to fill me
Ah, make me whole again
So I won’t be hungry anymore
My own neighbor knew wood and skin
He was good with his hands always
Heavy with drinking, my own neighbor
My own neighbor’s wife came over
In the early morning
She grabbed the little girl
And she took off in the half light
To the Best Western
Now he’s looking for
Something to feel this time
To give his heaviness
Something involved, oh
Feel this time
To give his heaviness
Something involved, oh
But if you’re
If you’re coming back
To me blindly
But if you’re coming
I’m calm and hungry
I’m on the die (?)
You’re needing form
You would form a baby
For your whole life
Form a lovely
For your vidilu (??), oh
This is very good, thanks heaps Steve.
I’m not sure but i think
But if you’re coming
I’m calm and hungry
Is
But
if you’re coming home
Cold and Hungry
Thank you for the Hunger Lyrics. I’ve been looking everywhere for them. They sound pretty accurate too. Thanks again.
My Grandmother Was Pearl Hall
Mothers
Love their children
Even when they
Are violent.
‘Cause all good
Sons and daughters
Love the ones they
Look like.
Fathers
Keep their kids safe
On the street
Men died.
‘Cause all good
Sons or fathers
Know that kids are
Frightened
Of them.
Went home
With your rocket
But a nearing
Spirit.
Survived
A death adder
But you drowned in
Liquid.
You learned
From your father
How to husband
Animals.
And I learned
from my father
That all men
Are animals.
Jesus,
you’re a fire
In my foreskin
everyday.
Burning
Oh you’re burning
Dead and lonely
You remain.
(got that from wowlyrics)
Isn’t the last line ‘Oh you’re burning, til only you remain’?
hi, do you know the chords for Ninth Ave Reverie? such a beautiful song, i’d love to play it.
If anyone can figure out the lyrics to Mount Morgan that would be sweet.
If anyone can figure out the lyrics to Mount Morgan they deserve an award.
Obviously a little help is needed here…
BLACK DEATH 1349
(two, three, four)
Black Death, 1349
Rats are coming down the Rhine
Pretty girls, little boys
Bring all just a-and-b’s (?)
In the void (?)
Picking with (?) 13 Jews
Ain’t you ever heard the news
With all those (?)
Little babies in the void
Jesus Christ was what a noise (?)
Saviour coming down the Rhine
Black Death, 1349
listen to this cover, not a huge fan but pretty sure the lyrics are right, most accurate ive seen anyway
http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107859448659/
Feeling pretty good about this one.
AS I GO TO SEE JANEY
There’s six Spanish sailors
Drifting, aimless
Through the moonlit night
Of sweet Marseilles
And there’s a broken feeling
But nobody’s bleeding
Any secrets to the night
As I go to see Janey
She is lonely
In the moonlight
In the churchyard
And the Counts are restless
Thinking of the Princess
She’s shivering
Warm evening
And they say she’s dying
And all the men are crying
As they raise the flags to the wind
As I go to see Janey
She is lovely
In the moonlight
In the churchyard
To see Janey
She is lonely
In the moonlight
In the churchyard
Just an attempt here. I always find Rohin hard to decipher. Perhaps someone can translate better than I and fix this one up.
VERY MANY
Seldom never came out soon enough (?)
That animated it by fire (?)
Now he’s stranded first on runways (?)
Growing hungry in all a cron (?)
I feel a tension in a morning doubt (?)
Lands a first on (?)
Joseph done a bad house brother (?)
Down in like a minnow jog (?)
The tiki made it look at us harden (?)
You could smell her chlorine dance hard (?)
I should have ate, mama never never made (?)
That first tongue
Ooh, these thoughts
They just came back to my aid
Ooh, I can man made them (?)
Oh, through the waters of my mind
And I do make songs
Well, I make songs of them
This is my favorite song by them, just the explosion of weeping violins with about a minute to go…
This is my interpretation of the lyrics, damn hard to decipher:
Seldom never came on soon enough
That never made it by fire
I’d be staying every first on Broadways
Going hungry in the hallway cryin’
I feel a tension every morning that
That was the first time
Joseph downed a bad house brother
Drowning like a little chalk
The tike make him look at what his heart had
You could smoke the rains outside
I should have ate, Mother never never made
And that was the first time
Oooo, these thoughts, they just come back to my head
I can’t mend it back
All through the walkings of my mind
And I do make songs
I make songs of it
I’m fairly certain you can ignore the first three lines of mine, very very hard to tell what he’s singing. I’m pretty sure of 4/5 and from “And that was the first time” ’til the end are correct, although I could be way off here.
tiki* oopsie doopsie
I’ll give it a go too…
VERY MANY lyrics
Summer never came on soon enough
Dad never made dinner by five
And I’d be standin’ out depressed on runways
Goin’ hungry in the hallway cryin’
I feel it each and every morning dad
That was the first time (or home?)
Joseph turned a bad-ass brother
Howlin’ like a middle child
-OR-
now then like he beat on Jord
(jordan ‘jord’ ireland’s bro is Joseph… but this is sung by rohin – so I’m not sure if he would sing about them)
the tiki made him know what his heart had
(like a) smoke warning outside
I share a hate mumma never never neared
That was first time
Oooh these thoughts
They just come back to my head
Oooh I can’t mend them, they’re
Alll through the waters of my mind
‘N’ I do make songs
well, I make songs of them
* I feel a tension in the morning now,
That was the first time.
I think it’s ‘I share a hazy moment every now and then’ for the third last paragraph. Nonetheless, excellent job.
Even without understanding him, the music alone conveys such a powerful feeling… Here’s my go, using your translations and my own input:
Dad might be “Deb”, by the way…
Summer never came (a)’long soon enough
Dad never made dinner by five
And I’d be standing there depressed on runways
Going hungry in the hallway crying
I feel a tension every morning, Dad
That was the first time
Joseph turned out bad as a brother
(I?) Doubted like a middle child (I don’t think I or any of us got this right)
The tick(l)ing made it hurt as hard ale (“hot as hell” might replace “hard ale”… hard ale works better with the next line.)
You could smoke the rings outside
I share a hate, momma damned / doubted it
That was the first time
Oooh, these thoughts
They just come back tonight (or to my head)
Oooh, I can’t remember them of late
Walk the walk, it’s in my mind
And I do make songs,
Well I make songs of them.
[Much like in Blood, the sad experiences all build up to a beautiful, emotional instrumental part. It’s up to the listener to decide if that means acceptance, the end of misery (death), the idea that “making songs of them” is a healing method, or the only way to convey the pain, or something else. That’s what makes this and Blood so good; the instruments alone have the power to switch the narrative of the lyrics. Thanks to the others that gave their input.]
roadways not runways!!! oops my bad
Relatively confident about this one as well.
NINTH AVENUE REVERIE
You say you want to be buried beneath a mango tree
Where if in the northern summer you come back to life
You say you want your ashes mixed up with your lover’s salt
Where every Sunday night he’ll eat a little more of you
You say you can’t stop crying, it’s just the power of the song
Riding on the midnight bus again
And you say that you loved him but you were just too young
You say that’s why you still wait in the rain
You say a lot of things
And you say that your daddy was a painter of sorts
But I never saw him paint a thing
He just kept the tins underneath his bed
And sniffed a different colour every night
And dreamed of a place up in the sky
Where everyone’s a painter till they die
You say you don’t like flying on aeroplanes
That even seabirds must get lonely out there
You said you were quitting after your next pack
And you said once that I was beautiful
But for all the pretty ladies in Beijing
I couldn’t stop my drinking
And you say a lot of
You say a lot of
You say a lot of things
You say you can’t stop dreaming about your funeral day
Where all your long-time friends will be crying for you
And I’d be up the back with a rose in my hand
And I’d give to you in death what I could not in life
can anyone decipher the lyrics for ‘Western’? (the track off the Jesus Came To My Birthday Party EP)
Can anyone decipher the lyrics to ‘Western’? (that track off the Jesus Came To… EP)
(An attempt on the first verse, largely wrong)
Yeah the river’s name is rush
It fevered and gear
To the crippled and fate-ist were his days
As sure as it was deep
Were it days turned that turn to weeks
And into months and though the years if you’d have stayed
To the father with the child
And a heavy pregnant wife
Far too hard to work
To hot and and heavy just to stay
After stealing all he asked for
Show his family is none
The feeling lies so damn deep and parts away
Oh ain’t that just what it’s like
I know you feel it
Yeah can’t seem to live, you just can’t seem to go die
Aint that just what it’s like
“The river’s name was ross, and fever it’d give”
Ross River Fever is the name of a virus carried by mosquitoes around the Ross River, just for the record :P
I gave the lyrics a go, did the best I could:
Yeah, the river’s name is Ross,
and fever it’d give,
to cripple any foetus with it’s daze,
and as short as it was deep
and the days ‘d turn to weeks
and into months and through the years if you’d have stayed.
to the father with a child,
and a heavy pregnant wife,
for her to work too anaemic to sustain (?)
and after stealing all he has fortune his family is live,
that fever of ours has sort him deep in harms way..
oh and and they just wedded tonight,
I know you feel it.
yeah, can’t seem to live
and he just can’t seem to go ‘n’ die,
oh ain’t that just what it’s like.
Poor old Meg she was a saint,
to anybody’s eyes,
born out of soul and with that body in a line (?)
to her men she’d give her love,
in feeling or in joice
and to the kids she gave the bulk of her time
Well jack he liked the smokes,
just a pack a day,
said that death will catch up with you in time (?)
Now it’s a cruel thing to hurt and tear fleeting home (?)
let her go cancer Jack lost his mind.
now ain’t that just what it’s like?
I know you’ve seen it.
oh and some people live
and some people go ‘n’ die.
now ain’t that just what it’s like.
And a crowd gathered ’round
at the centre of town,
and all the head’d turn as he came,
to look upon the man,
you gotta listen in today,
to hear for what he had to say.
The words that he spoke
cut ’em deep in their skin,
so they buried him there deep again (?)
They said guilty men ‘d pass and you’re another, well, you’re just a pile of crap (?)
oh ain’t that just what it’s like? x3
Oh I know you know it!
And he lost that town as if it was his horse (?)
and ain’t that just what it’s like. x4
(from Giulia via email)
Hi! I don’t know if these are right, but I spent an hour trying to figure out the lyrics to Mount Morgan, and I don’t even know if all of what I found is right, so, that’s what I’ve got ;D
The dead soul of
My own son
In every word’s
Their ox’s so good (?!?)
There(/then) we fail
In the real world
There could law, oh (?)
Did he leave
When I had time bye (?)
Oh, let honey (?)
And there by side
He was talking
There be all friend (?)
let secret go
in every soul, oh
Mouth of soul
Mouth of soul
Mouth of soul
well, let me know if you think they’re right! ^^
(I’m italian, and even if I’m really good at English, I’m not sure of everything! I apologize for my mistakes)
Mount Morgan Lyrics (just worked them out from the youtube link below)
Dada told no-one, no-one
soul ’bout their old, old,
them rocks of gold
that we found in the river
the good lord did deliver
oh and i, I dont know,
bout Mount Morgan
I heard my son (soul?)
he was talkin
bout the old finding
of secret gold
the dark soul(?)
no one saw
It could also be Dee river instead of the river, because the river around the mine of mount morgan is called the Dee River. love the connection to place in their songs
listening to the album version I’ll post an update:
My Dad told no one
no one saw
about the rocks
the rocks of gold
that we found
in the Dee River
that the lord
did deliver
oh now I blown the top off
of Mount Morgan
I heard bout someone
he was talkin
about them who founds
the secret gold
he ne’er can tell no one
no one saw
no one saw
no one saw
Dans Silverleaf lyrics pleeeeeease?
I might need some more help with this…
Dan’s Silverleaf lyrics
My dear Anne,
Singing so long to yourself
Just in the kitchen
You were making my mum tea as
fever
struck my skin
I got a crack in my head
lay down and slept in your (bed + then)
you called me your son (?)
oh lie, dont let me down
I’ll lie you, intermittent be down (?)
anymore
She’s my mother’s sister
All get her head ate her soul (?)
her steady livin’
made it clear and plain as day that it’s
fine to be alone/below (?)
Bad dairy grain (?)
Just right
oooh gotta look away (?)
and when he disowned you
I wouldn’t do it to my own
Just like I’ve done today
Don’t let
don’t let me down
anymore
Don’t lie
in the manor meadow (?)
I’m old and the skin just hangs on my bed
She’ll sing out and call me home
I found this interview which gave me a few hints http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/homeandhosed/blog/s3194878.htm
from the 2019 live opera house show:
My dear (Anne)?, singing so long to yourself,
just in the kitchen
you were making my morning tea as fever, struck my skin,
I was just crackin’ an egg.
lay down and slept in your bed ‘n you called to me in sleep,
No, don’t let me down, no more,
No more, get to let me down, anymore.
She’s my mothers sister
(ordaned)? and heavy in her soul, her steady livin’
made it clear and plain as day that it’s
fine to be alone,
at daybreak, we’ll rise
people of the day,
and when it’s over,
I want to do it tomorrow
just what I done today,
my love, don’t let me down
my love, get to let me down,
in the mornin’ my skin just hangs on my bones
sing out ‘n’ call me home
I’ve deciphered the lyrics for Jord’s Stolen Violin album:
World of Sun
My world of sun
what have you done
what have you done
my world of sun
did you go
everybody touched you
My world of stars
tell me where you are
where you are
my world of stars
are you driving through fields of flowers
My world smoke
to which I woke
to which I woke
my world of smoke
what a twisted little frail disbelief
Floorboards
Dark skinned woman
Wheeled in your body
Like a sword drawn from the laws (?)
I’m a crooked crooked man
Creaking ‘cross your floorboards
I left you still sleeping
you looked just like a little raincloud
from which I had no shelter
and it’s been raining all of my life
Dark skinned woman
I’m creaking ‘cross your floorboards
Romance at the petrol station
December 25th I lost you at the farm
I found you in the dark at a tropical bar
On February fourth I held you in the back of an east bound silver top taxi-car
I led you to the train that went to federation and I kissed you out the front of the petrol station
And I really think you’d like it here
about this time of year
all of the clouds hang just like a poor man’s chandelier
On march 17th we were drinking at the beach
at the top of the hill we got caught in the rain
I didn’t hear from you from June till December and I waited for you but your bus never came and
I drove past the cane fields looking for something to remind me of something to remind me of you
And I really think you’d like it here
at this time of year
All of the people getting rid of their excess Christmas cheer
And its the first new moon since the new years party
I spilled beer on the photo i took of you at the beach and
I made you look golden for a moment in the garden
like the sun on a cloud that is just out of reach
There’s a new star shining but I haven’t named it
It’s been waiting for you to come back and claim
And I really think you’d like it here
At this time of year
All the moonlight would make all your money look insincere
And at this time of year
I think you’d like it here
all the children are playing and trying to disappear
and I wish you were here at this time of year
with your temperate touch and your tropical tears
the streets are empty and the smoke is almost clear
New Amnesia Skies
The clouds could open like a split in your dress
Of your Sunday best in the alley
With your horoscope kiss
The world is never turning slowly enough
For your body to keep up
And your healing our scars in reverse
Now I’m saving all of my secrets
Till I get through
back to you
Now I’m heading down in the evening
To breathe the breath you left behind
Leave the morning where it lies
Under new amnesia skies
You look so dangerous reflected on the lake
With your streetlight handshake
And shoulders sharp enough to cut
And if some easy way with a lovers trip
Beyond the mountain tip to kiss you once slips away
Now I’m saving all of my secrets
Till I get through back to you
Now I’m heading down in the evening
To breathe the breath you left behind
Leave the morning where it lies
Under new amnesia skies
38 Degree Blues
I saw you down at the station
Holding a photo of dumb luck
I saw you down at the station
Holding a picture of dumb luck
A the conductor took your hands
I heard something come unstuck
I read your notes on the land
Who cast no shadow on the open road
I read your notes on the man
who cast no shadow upon the open road
I heard a monkey squealing
In the belly of the river floatin’
It’s 38 degrees
with a car that won’t start
It’s 38 degrees
with a car that won’t start
You’ve got nowhere else to be
Staying here tears you apart
Took Starlight Seven Years
Better hide the keys
She’s got that look
Got that look in her eyes
Tonight
Tonight
Smoke caressing the billboards
Where she stopped on the roadside
Somewhere just inside the Marlborough stretch
Took starlight seven years
Seven years to get here
Just to fall across her shoulder-blade
Her shoulder-blade
Her shoulder-blade
Her shoulder-blade
Her shoulder-blade
Her shoulder-blade
When They Put it All On Red
And the hole in the sky and the ten thousand miles only you
And your hesitant hips and the sun on your lips just for you
and the steam from the bath dancing up upon the glass is for you
is for you
And the wind through the hair that’s stuck in the chair
[something]
and all of the trees are getting naked and falling asleep
for you and [something]
And the light from the street [something] the beach just for you
and the band plays along to the nights all belonging to you
and the needles and trees and the box of bees making honey just for you
the blood off the meat and the button you pressed to repeat your favourite song is for you
[something]
[something] baby for its mother’s breast
And I love you it’s true and you know that they all do too
and they gamble for you when they put it all on red
when they put it all on red
It’s all for you
when they put it all on red
Short cuts to true love
Country lovers
blood suckers
City slickers
Bad lovers
and [something]
Black candy and the bad blood
pretty women in a flashflood
and the seed in his mother’s teeth (?)
Everything
like a bullet through the dust
We’re (?) looking
for a short cut to true love
We’re looking
like a bullet through the dust
everything like a short cut to true love
a short cut to true love
And your eye’s like an atlas
getting lost on the mattress
on the hotel down the beach
six crosses
dead flowers
lost wisdom
small hours
and the stars are on their sleeve
Everything like a bullet through the dust
We’re looking for a short cut to true love
We’re looking like a bullet through the dust
Everything for a short cut to true love
A short cut to true love
A short cut to true love
Has anyone else worked out the back masking from “The Fall of Man”? I’m working on mine, but its so hard to here with the background noise. It sounds like it might be an interview from a soldier or someone effected by war.
….
its been 47 years since …….
and thousands of people…..
16 years in …… silent affair
…..
Then again no one saw me
….
My mother was a………(could be arrested)
…..
…..
I bite my tongue the taste of blood
…..
the rest is to hard to make out
Also I’ve uploaded the backmasked portion of ‘The Fall of Man’ to soundcloud if you guys want to check it out.
I’ve spent a long time examining others’ interpretations of Very Many and listening closely to each verse of the song (pausing and replaying; it’s quite tedious work since he’s so hard to understand, haha), and I’ve come up with my own version which I believe to be the most accurate out of all the ones that I’ve seen so far, although I’m not quite sure on some parts. Well, here goes:
Seldom never came on soon enough
Dad never made dinner by five
And I’d be staying there first on broad waste,
Growing hungry on the hard way, crying
I feel a tension every morning now,
But that was the first time
Joseph turned a bad house brother
Drowning like a hymn in old jot
My tiki man above grew his heart out
I got smothered with the rains outside
I share a hazy moment every night and day, and that was the first time
Ooh, these thoughts, they just come back to my head
Ooh, I can’t remember them then, ooh through the waters of my mind
And I do make songs, well, I make songs of them
–
I think it’s important that the lyrics make sense as well as sound correct, so let explain them:
The first verse, from what I can gather, is essentially about his childhood, how his dad never made dinner for him and he often cried because he was going hungry. He might “share a tension every morning now” because when he was a child he would wake up hungry, in pain and upset, and now whenever he wakes up, for a split second he feels that same sort of “tension” before realizing that he is no longer living that life.
“Joseph turned a bad house brother”:
Joseph, perhaps, is a roommate that became bad somehow? “House brother” to me could mean roommate or something like that. “Drowning like a hymn in old jot”: I like this one a lot. To me it’s like, an ancient or old text (“old jot”), which has become faded or muddled over the years, or maybe it was written in a language no one now can translate. So, if Joseph is “drowning like a hymn in old jot,” he has perhaps become distant or lost; maybe he’s sort of gone crazy and no one can understand him (could it be possible that Joseph was a roommate who began doing hard drugs or drinking excessively?)
“My tiki man above grew his heart out”:
I would assume “tiki man” basically means God. To say that God “grew his heart out” (it could be “threw his heart out;” that makes more sense but it doesn’t sound as much like it) could maybe mean that somehow God lost his compassion for the singer, and showed no sympathy for him during times of trouble.
“I got smothered with the rains outside”: perhaps, he was battered by the hardships he was struggling with?
“I share a hazy moment every night and day, and that was the first time”: a hazy moment, a lost memory? Every night and day he suffers some sort memory loss, maybe? (Perhaps he did drugs with Joseph that caused similar lapses in memory. Or, maybe “hazy moment” means, I don’t know, presently smoking or doing drugs or drinking or whatever).
“Ooh, these thoughts, they just come back to my head. Ooh, I can’t remember them then, ooh through the waters of my mind. And I do make songs, well, I make songs of them”: maybe he’s referring again to the lost memories, the ones he can’t remember in the waters of his mind. I think here he’s basically saying that he writes songs about the hardships that he’s faced throughout his life, and overall, it sounds like that’s what this song as a whole is about, too.
I’m not claiming this is more accurate than anything else. I could be completely wrong. But it sounds pretty good to me, and the fact that I could make sense of the lyrics I transcribed adds a lot of credibility to their potential of being accurate. Sorry this is so long, haha. I get really into deciphering songs.