The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Cain got a milk-eyed mule from the auction
Abel got a telephone
And even the last of the blue-eyed babies know
That the burning man is the color of the end of day
And how every tongue that gets bit always has another word to say
Cain bought a blade from some witch at the window
Abel bought a bag of weed
And the even the last of the brown-eyed babies see
That the cartoon king has a tattoo of a bleeding heart
There ain't a penthouse Christian that wants the pain or the scab, but they all want the scar
How every mouth sings of what it's without so we all sing of love
And how it ain't one dog who's good at fucking and denying who he's thinking of
Cain heard the captive boy leap off the rooftop
Abel heard his papa pray
And even the last of the black-eyed babies say
That every saint has a chair you can borrow in a church to sit on
That the wind blows cold across the back of a master and the kitchen help
There's a big pile of innocent bones still holding up the garden wall
And it was always the broken hand we learned to lean on after all
How God knows if Christ came back he'd find us in a poker game
After finding out the drinks were all free but they won't let you out the door again
Abel got a telephone
And even the last of the blue-eyed babies know
That the burning man is the color of the end of day
And how every tongue that gets bit always has another word to say
Cain bought a blade from some witch at the window
Abel bought a bag of weed
And the even the last of the brown-eyed babies see
That the cartoon king has a tattoo of a bleeding heart
There ain't a penthouse Christian that wants the pain or the scab, but they all want the scar
How every mouth sings of what it's without so we all sing of love
And how it ain't one dog who's good at fucking and denying who he's thinking of
Cain heard the captive boy leap off the rooftop
Abel heard his papa pray
And even the last of the black-eyed babies say
That every saint has a chair you can borrow in a church to sit on
That the wind blows cold across the back of a master and the kitchen help
There's a big pile of innocent bones still holding up the garden wall
And it was always the broken hand we learned to lean on after all
How God knows if Christ came back he'd find us in a poker game
After finding out the drinks were all free but they won't let you out the door again
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I think that this song is a critique of BOTH organized religion and loose hippie type new ages spirituality. It speaks of the inevitable corruption of humans, organized or not. That's why Cain gets a blade and Abel gets a bag of weed- there's outright cruel evil on one side, and drugged out apathy on the other. I don't think he would say that burning man was the color of the end of days ifhe wasn't being at least a little critical of it. I am a Christian (albeit a weird one) so I may be biased, but it strikes me that the innocent bones holding up the wall are the body of Christ. It's almost definitely Jesus's broken hand (as by the nails) on whom we are to learn to lean. Not that I think this song ultimately comes out in support of the church. I think this song points out how flawed all human efforts are, especally those of the church and those who claim to speak for God. Thusly we only have the source of grace, Christ, to really rely on. NOT the church, but not mere humanity either.
Typed on a mobile, so forgive my typos.
This song is absolutely one of my favorites on The Shepherd's Dog, probably right after Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car and Boy With A Coin.
When I hear this song it sounds honestly kind of menacing/scorning or sarcastic in a way. The song contrasts Cains actions to those of Abel (Although the examples in the song are not in any way related to those in the Bible). The comparisons show Cain as being very complex and stubborn (his lines are very long and descriptive, while Abel's are only a few words).
While Cain is bartering over a lame mule, Abel is getting a phone.
When Cain gets a knife (he's stressing over Abel's actions, wanting to kill him), Abel is chilling out and buying herb.
When Adam is praying, Cain is distracted by a brawl with two cats, while Abel focuses on his father's prayer.
Albeit those lines might not be intended for literal interpretation, they make sense like that, portraying Cain as morally lacking and Abel being a better more virtuous person.
This song also mentions:
While there have been many posts indicating how the eye color changes from blue to brown to black (which I personally see as degrading from more innocent to less innocent), the ending of each sentence hasn't been brought up yet. It changes from know to see to say.
To me this represents: knowing (instinct, having faith) seeing (only observing, then remembering what you saw, doesn't require faith) and saying (Just repeating what you have seen or heard, doesn't require observation or faith). as degrading, just like the eye color idea. By the way I only say "degrading" because the color becomes darker, I don't have a problem with brown eyes :).
Overall this song is amazing and Sam's voice really sounds amazing in the song! Viva la vida de Iron & Wine!
-Bryan
Although the music is soft and delicate, the lyrics are slightly cold. This song is about modern day organized Christianity, and it is chock full of metaphors, not all of which I understand... favorite line is "There's a big pile of innocent bones still holding up the garden wall", because it seems to say, what price did we pay for what we have today? How many innocent people have been slaughtered in the name of god and christ, in order for the church to exist? That's kind of what this song is about for me.
yeah. agreed. That is actually why i left the church over a year ago. Then I came across Messianism. They seem a little more real, and can point to His Word for almost everything they do, at least in my congregation.
btw, i love this song
I always thought "the cartoon king with a tattoo of a bleeding heart" referred to George W. Bush. After 9/11 and the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars billions of dollars were allocated and thousands of troops sent abroad to fight in a war(s) meant to 'spread freedom and democracy,' the bleeding heart.
this song is really so multi-faceted. when I am feeling more patient I would like to do an in-depth analysis, but for now...
first of all I think everyone has some great ideas as to this song's meaning,
may I put something out there?
"That the cartoon king has a tattoo of a bleeding heart"
to me Jesus is the cartoon king b/c he claimed to be a king (supposedly anyway) and Christians refer to him as one. so anyone he's a cartoon king, meaning not a king in the real sense, as cartoons are not 3d, but 2d... you get my drift. and he has the tattoo of the bleeding heart b/c he has an image of caring for people enough to die for them, also like images of the sacred heart of jesus, etc.
I also like the part about the saint, the chair and the church. to me it speaks of hypocrisy. so saint you're gonna SELL me your church eh? how nice.
this song is about the sin of man. there are many biblical references in this song.
Older brother Cain (crop farmer) and Abel (shepherd) are the first and second sons of Adam and Eve. Cain is portrayed as being sinful and jealous, for committing the first murder for killing his brother after God had rejected his offerings of produce but accepted the animal sacrifice brought by Abel (the first martyr). Genesis 4
Verse 1: "Cain got a milk-eyed mule from the auction" for the mule to help him plow the crops. "Abel got a telephone" this one is questionable, but could insinuate that abel got a communication from God "And even the last of the blue-eyed babies know That the burning man is the color of the end of day" i think the color of the eyes are insignificant. meaning that at the end of days, this will effect every man on earth regardless of where they are from. that the people who are not believers in Christ and left on this earth will be scortched by fire "The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire" Revelation 16:8 "And how every tongue that gets bit always has another word to say" there are many times in the Bible where it talks about watching what you say "The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." james 3:8
Verse 2: "Cain bought a blade from some witch at the window" to kill abel with "Abel bought a bag of weed" "And even the last of the brown-eyed babies see" "That the cartoon king has a tattoo of a bleeding heart. There aint a penthouse Christian wants the pain of the scab, but they all want the scar" how people tattoo themselves with christian symbols etc on their bodies, but they would never want or go through the pain that Christ had to go through on the cross "How every mouth sings of what its without so we all sing of love" And how it aint one dog whos good at fucking and denying who hes thinking of
Verse 3 "Cain heard a cat tumble limp off the rooftop" foreshadowing a brawl about to happen, like cats fighting on the roof, before he kills abel "Abel heard his papa pray" im thinking its regarding heard God pray "And even the last of the black-eyed babies say" "That every saint has a chair you can borrow and a church to sell" that even though people are claimed as saints they sin as well. there are a few times Jesus got angry in the bible and it was when people would sell good inside the church/place of worship. "Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of money changers and the benches of those selling doves. It is written, he said to them, My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers Matthew 21:12-13 "That the wind blows cold across the back of the master and the kitchen help" sort of a creepy erie feeling that happens when someone is about to die. "Theres a big pile of innocent bones still holding up the garden wall" i think this isnt referring to Christ like others interpreted, but more of Adam and Eve, and possibly Abel. Because at the garden of eden is where man was created and is where eve ate from the apple. And where the first sin happened. And innocence was lost with the first sin. and then the first murder by cain. "And it was always the broken hand we learned to lean on after all" its easier to sin and go towards temptation, or the devil/sin "broken hand", but Christ strengthens us more then the devil ever could, if we just trust in him "How God knows if Christ came back he would find us in a poker game" for Christ's second coming he would find all of us as sinners, gambling "After finding out the drugs were all free but they won't let you out the door again" wont let you in the door again, cause you owe them too much money for losing the game
tied as my favorite on Shepherd's Dog, next to Boy with a Coin and The Devil Never Sleeps. Just has a really easy quality to it that a lot of the new LP doesn't have.
Yeah, phizzal, 'Boy with a Coin' is great. And I love 'Innocent Bones.' Definitely sticks out as one of my favorites, too.
Good song, creepy as hell. I think this song may be a hard slam at monotheistic beliefs of today. Definitely worth a listen.
One of my favorite songs as well on the new album. Specifically, the lines "There ain’t a penthouse Christian wants the pain of the scab, but they all want the scar". I think that's a specific yet touchy subject that was described nearly perfectly in today's day and age.