Regina Spektor – The Sword and the Pen

• 0
  General Comment:I agree with the theory that the song is about religion, but i would like to put it from another angle.
  
  This song is refering to the topics around "Jobs Book" or texts thats similar. Its questioning if it is fair that people who are nice to others and are good persons deserves to be injurded in an accident, get sick or die.
  
  "So what if nothing is safe
  So what if no one is saved
  No matter how sweet
  No matter how brave
  What if each to his own lonely grave"
  
  No matter how good humans we are, we can still die young. Nothing is fair. Quite depressing...
  
  Sorry for my bad english

  Flag Susanne7on April 11, 2013   Link

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• 0
  My Interpretation:I hear it as someone is in love with someone who is in poor health, and there is a chance that their sick lover might pass away. In the beginning, it eludes to the fact that the physical kisses are limited and that they have something to fear.
  The death from above was bitterness about the idea of a God choosing to kill and man, and even if it was a divine choice, it was still horrifying on earth.
  "I don't wanna live without you"- dreading the chance of death.

  Flag Starynight85on September 08, 2012   Link

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• 0
  General Comment:Hmm... Anxiety, fear, and despair are the words that pop into my mind when I listen to this song. The many "what if"s in this song along with the "I don't wanna live without you" lead me to think that she may have been afraid for whoever/whatever this song was being written to/about. The thought of being left alone by that someone/something because something horrible may happen is leading her to a point of despair.
  
  She used to be able to turn to her faith or poetry to console the emotions, but now the reality that is loss is swiftly winning out. She's met someone/something she desperately doesn't want to lose. Someone/something that has caused these fears to awaken just by existing in her life.
  
  "And death from above is still a death" is a particularly powerful line for me personally, given my personal beliefs. It's almost like she's kind of condemning the idea of happiness in death. Condemning the people coming and consoling a grieving person with words of "God's plan" or heaven. She's realizing it doesn't mean crap from this side of the grave.
  
  Then again, I may just be projecting my own feelings into the lyrics. I tend to do that. ha ha.

  Flag myselfamion February 12, 2011   Link

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• 0
  General Comment:I'm not so sure what this song is about, but I have an idea about
  "So what if nothing is safe
  So what if no one is saved
  No matter how sweet
  No matter how brave
  What if each to his own lonely grave"
  I think this expresses the fear that what we believe to be kind or brave is really despicable in the eyes of some higher power, and our idea of good is really evil.

  Flag runningincircles72on July 26, 2010   Link

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• 0
  General Comment:HibbingismyHolyLand: Sure! Just keep in mind that chord sucession is one of the biggest common places in music (I, IV, VII, III) in this case in C minor (Cm, Fm, Bb, Eb) and you can't make a melody over those chords without sounding like a hundred existing songs. So you could say the Phantom of the Opera borrowed it from many other, who borrowed from others, 'till you arrive to early Barroque (1600) when that sucession was invented/discovered.
  
  (sorry for my bad english)

  Flag IHappenToBeon October 12, 2009   Link

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• +1
  My Opinion:Just a little lyrics correction:
  
  "Don't let me out of this kiss"
  (and not: "Don't let me GET out of this kiss"
  
  Like saying: "This is a meaningful kiss, art (everything I believe in) can be defeated, but you're my shelter, so please BE in this kiss"
  
  -sorry for my bad english

  Flag IHappenToBeon October 12, 2009   Link

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• 0
  General Comment:Well, I do like this song a lot but like many other Regina songs I don't always understand the metaphors she uses to describe her thoughts. I agree with the other comments about the conflict between poetry (art) and violence, people are forgetting the arts, the romance, the little details that make life beautiful, so maybe she's concerned about the loss of principles in our modern society.
  
  I think it's the 2nd best song in the album Far.

  Flag colomoon September 10, 2009   Link

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• 0
  General Comment:This song may be the best on Far. A little sad, I think.

  Flag YairGon July 23, 2009   Link

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• +2
  General Comment:I think she is referring to the fact that THIS life, your life, the life we speak of right now, can only be lived once.
  
  She's trying to logically say religion is controlling too much of us, although if there hadn't been that religion to begin with, we'd all be living as savage. To me, the song is kind of like meeting an equilibrium with your own self and your religion, or something along those lines; seeing the universal truths inside yourself which contradict some if not all of the points of your religion.
  
  The music is so tragic, as well; so tragic and dark. She did an incredible job. I don't know why this wasn't on the actaul album itself.
  
  One of my favorites.
  *reSpekt for always.

  Flag AlecsPenon July 09, 2009   Link

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• +1
  General Comment:I think she is referring to the fact that THIS life, your life, the life we speak of right now, can only be lived once.
  
  She's trying to logically say religion is controlling too much of us, although if there hadn't been that religion to begin with, we'd all be living as savage. To me, the song is kind of like meeting an equilibrium with your own self and your religion, or something along those lines; seeing the universal truths inside yourself which contradict some if not all of the points of your religion.
  
  The music is so tragic, as well; so tragic and dark. She did an incredible job. I don't know why this wasn't on the actaul album itself.
  
  One of my favorites.
  *reSpekt for always.

  Flag AlecsPenon July 09, 2009   Link

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