This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Eskimo
Tiredness fuels empty thoughts
I find myself disposed
Brightness fills empty space
In search of inspiration
Harder now with higher speed
Washing in on top of me
So I look to my Eskimo friend
I look to my Eskimo friend
I look to my Eskimo friend
When I'm down, down, down.
Rain it wets muddy roads
I find myself exposed
Tapping doors, but irritate
In search of destination
Harder now with higher speed
Washing in on top of me
So I look to my Eskimo friend
I look to my Eskimo friend
I look to my Eskimo friend
When I'm down, down, down.
When I'm down, down, down.
When I'm down, down, down.
Tiredness fuels empty thoughts
I find myself disposed
Brightness fills empty space
In search of inspiration
Harder now with higher speed
Washing in on top of me
So I look to my Eskimo friend
I look to my Eskimo friend
I look to my Eskimo friend
When I'm down, down, down.
Rain it wets muddy roads
I find myself exposed
Tapping doors, but irritate
In search of destination
Harder now with higher speed
Washing in on top of me
So I look to my Eskimo friend
I look to my Eskimo friend
I look to my Eskimo friend
When I'm down, down, down.
When I'm down, down, down.
When I'm down, down, down.
Lyrics submitted by paranoia_girl
Eskimo Lyrics as written by Damien George Rice
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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the opera bit (with translation):
Kosketa minua.....Touch me Halua käsilläsi.....Want me with your hands Mua niin että.....So that tunnen sinut.....I feel you Halua minua.....Want me Halua käsilläsi..... Want me with your hands Huuto sielussa......A loud cry in the soul saa.....makes... Minä kaipaan.....Me miss eskimoystävää.....An eskimo friend Minä kaipaan.....I miss eskimoystävää.....An eskimo friend Minä kaipaan.....I miss eskimoystävääni.....my eskimo friend
I would like to know who is Damien's "eskimo friend". To me she is an animal.
I couldn't beleive it when I first heard this song yesterday - my pet housebunny is currently having treatment for a brain parasite and may die. I haven't seen her for several days as she has been taken into care by the vet. After coming home at the weekend, the pain only kicked in after I instinctivly looked for her for comfort, as I often do. Eskimo is one of her nicknames as she has a big bit of fur around her neck that makes her look to me like an eskimo. "I look to my eskimo friend when I'm down" this rang so true to me.
It also happens to be raining a lot at the moment and I was listening to this on a coach in torrents of "raining west muddy roads find myself exposed tapping doors but irritate in search of destination "
Amazing song and artist.
Well, I'm not too sure about the 'animal' idea, but I think this song may be about travelling around the countryside, maybe in the West of Ireland ("raining west"), because the weather is always so bad here ;)
His "eskimo friend" is actually just a good friend that he believes looks like a friend. He wrote the song while thinking about him, while he was having a major case of writers block. He looked to his friend for inspiration.
what i like so much about this song is the way i misconcieve the lyrics even though i know what they really are and mean. it just SOUNDS sexual, but it's not. lines like "harder now, " "on top of me" "rain wets muddy roads" but it's not sexual at all.
and also when he says "inspira.........tion" it sounds like he's saying something in latin "in spire" or something....like it's some latin words he's saying that means something sexual but really it's just he's talking about wanting to write songs.
but you can want to be inspired just to live life. sometimes one needs help.
does anyone know the lyrics to the operatic part?
Romes, i have no idea what the lyrics are to the operatic part but I'm pretty sure they're sung in Finnish if thats any help... great song.
simply beautiful song. it reminds me of my friends that I know will always be there for me when I'm down. Damien Rice rulz!
You can find the words to the opera on eskimofriends.com. They are Finnish. I could look it up for you, but it will be fun for you!
thanks, mourningpromise and cdhound. i had been wondering about that for a while now.