| Iron & Wine – Boy with a Coin Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I think based on your analysis, the coin would obviously symbolize the young generation's inheritance from the past society. I agree that the flipped car represents this past society--I think it's fair to describe our society as reckless. The trade magazine obviously represents the crazy financial situation we have created...stocks bought with money that doesn't exist in a fake system, a flawed banking system, private federal reserve, etc. The bullets obviously represents war--whenever there is war it is less than ideal. It is really an exceptional picture of our society: a car carelessly speeding around a turn. As you mentioned, the boy is cramming this inheritance in his jeans. This implies some sort of discomfort with it. It's almost forced on him. This would represent the new generation trying to make it work with the broken system that has been left to them. It obviously won't work out, as we see the boy throw the coin to the sea. He returns to the city we burn. There is implied hope in this last action. As opposed to remaining by the sea or walking away completely, the boy returns to society to start again and start new. Or there is implied futility: Beam may be implying instead that he will start new and inevitably fail, tough to say which is the case. One thing that Beam wants to portray about this fresh start is that it will once again be without "god". The circling the earth I believe is in reference to the second coming of Christ--if I am correct, Beam would be implying (in a facetious sense) that Jesus was here, abandoned us, but will be back--there is an air of disdain to his line. In any case he is certainly asking the question "Where is God in all of this?" I'm not sure about the second verse, but I'll side with those saying it is a subtle picture of rape. If that were the case, I think it too would be a very apt and moving picture for what he is trying to present. Beam is a poet indeed. Mike, I just wanted to say it's encouraging to see your passion for sharing God's love. I too am a Christian, and I know that the only real answer to these problems is found through Jesus. And I too have a hard time listening to man's many attempts to defy God. |
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