I saw you, in a way
Beyond figure out
These lines of life have been drawn & can't be removed
Our eyes is all it took to know

Open up your eyes
Deep blue, glassy take
& swim 'til water & sky
Now are one, out of two
Oh, my bloodshot eyes

Open up your mouth
Touch your lips to mine
That we may make a kiss that can pierce through death & survive
Your words have branded my mind

Still i hold your hand
Wrapped as if a ring
We of flesh & blood are only carrying
It's so hard to

Well, you know

The seed waits for the reaper to sew
Every breath an art
The dignity to it can strain & break your heart
Take all your pieces home
You ask when you're alon, "what is love"
The blood is love



Lyrics submitted by incubus_gigbutt, edited by eleventy4

Track duration: 06:38

"The Blood Is Love" as written by Josh/castillo Homme

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

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The Blood Is Love song meanings
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27 Comments

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  • 0
    My Opinion:A lotta good opinions here. One factor: the music itself. It's got a driving beat reminiscent of one under the influence of some obsession as they close in on a goal (another person, perhaps). I was sure it was about vampires. As much of 'Lullabyes' relates to Grimm's tales, it's still a valid interpretation. Yet, this band is as fond of oblique lyrics & moody imagery as it is blunt expression. All I can say about this song's meaning: it's as much a mystery now as when I found what's been opined here. Frankly, it would be appropriate for some blend of an earthly obsession & the ending line is meant to identify obsession & it's death with vampirism. PS, the screams & moaning are certainly there.
    Flag thedaft1on February 25, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:am i the only one hearing the screams in the background after the slide guitar comes back in around 5:27?
    Flag autoblaticon August 26, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's about Natasha Shneider. She was their keyboard player and died of cancer.
    Flag one_irish_roveron June 28, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:menstruate
    Flag brickhouseson August 09, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:MY interpretation your's is not invalid
    stanza 1
    (the narrator is quoting what a girl has told him)
    relates to how people become infatuated with one another instantaneously

    stanza 2
    (girl continues)
    compounds on that by essentially saying "i get lost in your eyes"
    and also references the merging of souls or spirits (perhaps an invitation to sex)
    narrator leaves the quote to say; 'oh my bloodshot eyes'
    he may be amazed that anyone could see all of these wonderful things in him

    stanza 3
    the narrator talks
    the things she said while they fucked/made love
    perhaps while he fucked, she made love and he can't
    overcome the guilt he feels

    stanza 4
    the narrator is so confused overwhelmed
    by these emotions that he comes at a loss for words

    ([the seed waits for the reaper to sow])
    her love is the seed, but note that there is no reference to
    any sowing occurring, just waiting

    stanza 5
    {CORRECTION}
    Every breath an art
    The dignity to learn it
    can strain & break your heart
    Take all your pieces home
    You ask when you're alone, "What is Love?"
    The Blood is Love.

    she finally realizes that nothing will come of all this waiting
    she takes the shattered remnants of her love back where she came from
    asking what she has to do to earn his love, "the blood is love"
    Flag rustyonefiveon June 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:There's never been a doubt in my mind about what this song is about.

    Vampires.

    Re-read the lyrics. It's all there.
    Flag 200robotson October 31, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I must have spent about 15 straight minutes listening to the line:

    "The dignity to it can strain and drain your heart"

    I believe it is:

    "indignity to your end, can strain and drain your heart"

    what does it mean? you guys tell me. Initially I took for granted "the dignity" in the original song lyrics so i was thinking

    the state of being worthy to your end, can strain and drain your heart

    imo meaning when its her time to die, it will cause him deep emotional pain. speaking as if the event was going to occur at some unknown time in the future, although it had already occurred.

    I don't own the cd and have no idea if it came with any official lyrics. So who knows i could be WAY off.

    let me know your thoughts

    btw this song is legit
    Flag Papaloadson February 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Well, so far we've gotten that he was there for the death of someone, both figuratively and literally. I imagine the reason he said "The blood is love" is because perhaps he was related to them, hence blood. Like a blood relation. Certainly this is a beautiful and haunting song. I'll be pondering it and listening all night...
    Flag Mealy Ducardon December 09, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me, this song is about death... a drowning death to be more specific...
    'I saw you, in a way
    Beyond figure out
    These lines of life have been drawn & can't be removed'
    Here, he's describing an abnormal situation (next described in the song), he saw his lover in a way that he can't describe, and how fate cannot be changed

    'Open up your eyes
    Deep blue, glassy lake
    & swim 'til water & sky
    Now are one, out of two
    Oh, my bloodshot eyes'
    His girl was swimming in a lake (deep, blue and glassy) and now she's drowning and sinking, if you try to see the sky under the water it appears to be just one thing, they merge (now are one out of two). He's trying to save her and swims too, now his eyes are red because of the water or maybe he's been crying. it fits too.

    'Open up your mouth
    Touch your lips to mine
    That we may make a kiss that can pierce through Death & survive
    Your words have branded my mind'

    Now he's trying to take her back to life, mouth to mouth breathing (open up your mouth and touch your lips to mine he's begging) because it seems to be the only way for her to survive.

    'Still I hold your hand
    Wrapped as if a ring
    We of flesh & blood are only carrying
    It¹s so hard to'

    He was not able to save her and now he is only holding her hand (as a ring) and realizing about the nature of life, and how hard this is


    'Well, you know
    The seed waits for the reaper to sow'
    Death is the fate that everything that lives

    'Every breath an art
    The dignity to it can strain & break your heart'
    I'm pretty sure that it's "The dignity lo LEARN it", ok, here he's thinking about how difficult and great is life (with every breath) and how sad can be to learn it the bad way (losing someone you loved)


    'Take all your pieces home
    You ask when you're alone, "What is Love?"
    The Blood is Love. '
    He's home, alone, asking himself "What is love", and answering "The blood is love" because he realized that Love is related to life... (the blood is related to life in many cultures as someone above mentioned)

    Now as a side comment, when this song starts, the sound is very peculiar, I can relate the "carnivalish" sound as being played under the water...

    Well, that was my two cents... One of my favorites song from QOTSA
    Flag Riggs100on July 06, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:When i first heard this song I thought it was the most romantic song I have ever heard and I still thought that when I read an interview with Josh where he explained what this song is about.

    For those of you who have never heard the story, Josh Homme himself said that this song is about a time when he was present when someone he loved was on their deathbed.

    Believe it or not this is my fav QOTSA song and at my wedding in September this will be the song that I walk down the alter to!
    Flag jadestone dollon June 30, 2008   Link

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