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[These words are from the booklet. The only ambiguity is how to format it best.]
The blood...
how it paints such a scene
foul routine pedigree
mouth agape, stuttered hands attempt
to flail, and finally agree
her heart ceases its rhythm
somewhere trumpets decay
in the front by the well
wishing wishes that
deny the stale smell in the hay
there, no one cry [cries?]
place these over her eyes
we are broke and alone
we are broken alone
[CHORUS:]
(She's inanimate)
(bloodless elegance)
Fatal fascination breeds a bloom of misery
(helpless hiding tongues)
(bathed in revulsion)
her lies unfinished
beauty wilting premature
But we can't be too sure
no we can't be too sure
reserved, always playing the part
of the boy left alone
he proceeds to the road
beyond the home he'd learn to call his own.
[CHORUS]
One life for another.
[CHORUS]
The blood...
how it paints such a scene
foul routine pedigree
mouth agape, stuttered hands attempt
to flail, and finally agree
her heart ceases its rhythm
somewhere trumpets decay
in the front by the well
wishing wishes that
deny the stale smell in the hay
there, no one cry [cries?]
place these over her eyes
we are broke and alone
we are broken alone
[CHORUS:]
(She's inanimate)
(bloodless elegance)
Fatal fascination breeds a bloom of misery
(helpless hiding tongues)
(bathed in revulsion)
her lies unfinished
beauty wilting premature
But we can't be too sure
no we can't be too sure
reserved, always playing the part
of the boy left alone
he proceeds to the road
beyond the home he'd learn to call his own.
[CHORUS]
One life for another.
[CHORUS]
Lyrics submitted by ciesl279, edited by thelukeeffect
Track duration: 04:59
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Such a good painting of the boy discovering his mother’s death. “trumpets decay” oh god yes. Remember the well from act 1 all dried up? Yeah, it has finally been dried up. So we can guess it has something to do with his mother (sexual chalice) but it is more than that, it is a motherly chalice (incest returns!) and the “stale smell” is deathly in the hay there no one cry.
Here we see the boy’s strength, in my opinion, but it is also sad that no one will mourn her and that is why we feel bad for Boy. “We (him and his mother) are broke and alone” and he discovers a truth of life that is a theme (said over and over in act 3s finale) “we all die alone”.
Now, he thinks of the death. Is this the narrator describing the oddness that her beauty remains? Or the boys meditation? Dunno. But it’s pretty easy to understand. He leaves, something about being unsure. And finally, “one life for another” reminds us of his birth as she sacrificed her life for him.
This is my favorite song btw. It is so well done in every aspect and very creative in the rhythm. Plus, the tone really matches the lyrics. It’s probably the most complete song in the album.
The blood...
how it paints such a scene
foul routine pedigree
mouth agape, stuttered hands attempt
to flail, and finally agree
her heart ceases its rhythm
somewhere trumpets decay
in the front by the well
wishing wishes that
deny the stale smell in the hay
there, no one cry [cries?]
place these over her eyes
we are broke and alone
we are broken alone
[CHORUS:]
(She's inanimate)
(bloodless elegance)
Fatal fascination breeds a bloom of misery
(helpless hiding tongues)
(bathed in revulsion)
her lies unfinished
beauty wilting premature
But we can't be too sure
no we can't be too sure
reserved, always playing the part
of the boy left alone
he proceeds to the road
beyond the home he'd learn to call his own.
[CHORUS]
One life for another.
[CHORUS]
im thinking that the mother tried to burn down the dime or something as a way to escape her life as a prostitute and this is why the p+p had her killed. in "his hands matched his tongue" theres the line about smoke in the air that he can see as the dear hunter walks home. this could lead on to him going to see what had happend at the brothell then discovering his mothers body.
i think the lines up untill "Hey there, no one cry." are before he arrives and the rest is his reaction to her death. "Place these over her eyes." obviously him offering coins to put on her eyes.
"Reserved; always playing the part of the boy left alone.
He proceeds to the road beyond the home he learned to call his own."
this is him making his way from the murder.
and "one life for another" could be him gettin ragin and sayin he wants to kill the one responsible, like an eye for an eye.
"reprise, two times, the dime, burn it to the ground"
supporting my 'mother burns down the dime' theory =)
I think the one life for another does represent the Dear Hunter being able to find his own life now that his obligatory "matriarchal bonds" are cut.
i think the lines up untill "Hey there, no one cry." are before he arrives and the rest is his reaction to her death. "Place these over her eyes." obviously him offering coins to put on her eyes.
"Reserved; always playing the part of the boy left alone.
He proceeds to the road beyond the home he learned to call his own."
this is him making his way from the murder.
and "one life for another" could be him gettin ragin and sayin he wants to kill the one responsible, like an eye for an eye.