Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you calling 'round

We talk about it all night long
We define our moral ground
But when I crawl into your arms
Everything comes tumbling down

Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come 'round

Your face has fallen sad now
For you know the time is nigh
When I must remove your wings
And you, you must try to fly

Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you calling 'round

Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come 'round


Lyrics submitted by typo, edited by trillium8, tincanman2010

The Weeping Song song meanings
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23 Comments

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  • +3
    My Interpretation

    I think a lot of people are reading too much into this - organized religion or war or whatever.

    I think it's a lot more basic than that, though. If you want to live your life, have relationships, love other people, well it's inevitable that you will just end up weeping for your trouble at some point.

    Everything ends sooner or later - relationships go sour, children grow up, friends lose touch, loved ones die, and then so do you.

    "I won't be weeping long"

    So I guess it's okay to weep, to mourn, but you have to stop eventually and live your life too, or you'll miss all the good bits in between the sad bits?

    I dunno. I don't think this song is "depressing" just a... pleasant melancholy. :)

    telegramsam17on May 23, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    "We heard of you, Father, we heard of you. I have buried my little son, and I have come on a pilgrimage. I have been in three monasteries, but they told me, 'Go, Nastasya, go to them'- that is to you. I have come; I was yesterday at the service, and to-day I have come to you."

    "What are you weeping for?"

    "It's my little son I'm grieving for, Father. he was three years old- three years all but three months. For my little boy, Father, I'm in anguish, for my little boy. He was the last one left. We had four, my Nikita and I, and now we've no children, our dear ones have all gone I buried the first three without grieving overmuch, and now I have buried the last I can't forget him. He seems always standing before me. He never leaves me. He has withered my heart. I look at his little clothes, his little shirt, his little boots, and I wail. I lay out all that is left of him, all his little things. I look at them and wail. I say to Nikita, my husband, 'let me go on a pilgrimage, master.' He is a driver. We're not poor people, Father, not poor; he drives our own horse. It's all our own, the horse and the carriage. And what good is it all to us now? My Nikita has begun drinking while I am away. He's sure to."

    • Fyodor Dostoevsky, "The Brothers Karamazov"
    beer goodon November 30, 2014   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Probably my favourite Nick Cave song. Simple, beautiful, powerful. All in one. One of the best songs ever heard.

    Anraon January 16, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Off one of his best album. But it doesn't get any recognition.

    charrbinon April 09, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The song sounds incredibly sad, but when I look at the videoclip it always make me smile, it's very tragic-pathetic.

    Serranus cabrillaon September 21, 2008   Link
  • +1
    My Opinion

    It simply is about life - if I stop laughing I only have weeping left.

    BOSPADEon November 29, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Probably my favourite Nick Cave song. Simple, beautiful, powerful. All in one. One of the best songs ever heard.

    Anraon January 16, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Probably my favourite Nick Cave song. Simple, beautiful, powerful. All in one. One of the best songs ever heard.

    Anraon January 16, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's one of my favorites also. I actually find the live version from Royal Albert Hall (I think) way better that the studio one. It's got cellos playing the whole song and it beautiful! :)

    HateSaikoon January 24, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i could belive that. great song though. i saw him perform it live when he toured australia last. it was so friggin loud. anybody who was at the thebby theatre that night could back that up. probably my favorite bad seeds song.

    veitchy_88on May 31, 2006   Link

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