I buried my blood years ago to encourage the vine
I waited for something to grow and flourish with time
I counted each hopeful raindrop as it fell to its death
I dusted the mournful frost and warmed it up with my breath

You'd better watch where you're walking
There might be somebody's blood flower growing
You'd better watch what you're doing
Don't go fucking around in the garden

You'd better watch where you're walking
You'd better watch what you're doing
You'd better watch where you're walking
You'd better watch what you're doing

On the night of the hunter's moon you might notice a quiet dread
Are your eyes playing tricks on you?
Yeah, maybe it's in your head

Every day a little more unsettled, you are starting to understand
You're sleeping with the lights on, with no one to hold your hand

You'd better watch where you're walking
You'd better watch what you're doing
You'd better watch where you're walking
You'd better watch what you're doing

You'd better watch where you're walking, where you're walking
You'd better watch what you're doing

You'd better watch where you're walking
There might be somebody's blood flower growing
You'd better watch what you're doing
Don't go fucking around in the garden

You'd better watch where you're walking
There might be somebody's blood flower growing
You'd better watch what you're doing
Don't go fucking around in the garden

You'd better watch where you're walking
There might be somebody's blood flower growing


Lyrics submitted by bakedalaska

Blood Flower song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

7 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    So fucking great.

    michellemulleton June 20, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    So fucking great.

    michellemulleton June 20, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Anyone have an interpretation of this?

    midnightgaragesaleon March 03, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i'm not sure, but the blood flower might be referring to the death of a person. when they are killed or die, they're buried 6 feet under, and within that space is dirt and soil. over that, grass is either planted or will eventually grow on its own. within every particle of dirt, every speck of soil, and every blade of grass, that person remains. from grass, a flower grows. so in a sense, that flower bloomed from the body, soul, and BLOOD of that person. it's their blood flower.


    then i'm almost positive about the meaning of this lyric: "i buried my blood years ago to encourage the vine; i waited for something to grow and flourish with time." blood sounds like a metaphor for pain and tears or a tragic event that happened in the past, and tears are a form of water which would nourish a plant and make it grow, into the vine. ultimately, suffering let go, in order for it to morph into something alive, something beautiful.

    charcoalsketchon March 09, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "On the night of the hunter's moon you might notice a quiet dread Are your eyes playing tricks on you? Yeah, maybe it's in your head" The hunter's moon, also known as the blood moon, is the first full moon after the harvest moon. It usually appears in October. Or at least that's what Wikipedia told me. I think Tilly is alluding to a ghost or something. Imagine a full moon on Halloween. Creepy.

    itsamountainon January 18, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I wish the band members would come back on here and comment on their newer albums.

    Just a shot in the dark here, but I believe a blood flower is actually alluding to bleeding.

    I happen to be an ex-heroin addict and when you draw blood into the syringe from your vein, some people call that a 'crimson orchid' because of the way the blood appears in the barrel of the syringe.

    Maybe because of my own life experience it's just easy to hear certain things, but in that context "i buried my blood years ago to encourage the vine; i waited for something to grow and flourish with time." could mean the songwriter stopped getting high to give him/herself a chance to live a decent life.

    Again in that context; "Every day a little more unsettled, you are starting to understand You're sleeping with the lights on, with no one to hold your hand."

    On heroin you tend to go through sort of a honeymoon period where you don't realize it's got it's grips in you, until you understand. Also, you tend to 'sleep' with lights on because the drug makes you nod out, or become semiconscious/unconscious.... AND there's no one to hold your hand because you become someone nobody wants to be around.

    just my interpretation. tilly tends to be a little bit too creative for me to keep up with so I could be way off track.

    ictlwon July 09, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This reminds me of the poem "A Poison Tree" by William Blake. Seen in that light, the "blood flower" could represent buried hatred/resentment toward somebody that you never get over and just let grow into this sinister thing that ends up hurting people other than the one you wanted to. Ergo, "you'd better watch where you're walking, there might be someone's blood flower growing."

    mister care-too-muchon January 23, 2012   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song: 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.” That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Album art
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version. Great version of a great song,
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/