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.
We got up early
And washed our faces
And walk the fields
And put up crosses
Passed through the damned mountains
Went hellwards and some of us returned
And some of us did not
In the fields and in the forests
Under the moon and under the sun
Another summer has passed before us
And not one man has
And not one woman has
Revealed the secrets
Of this world
So our young men
Hid with guns
In the dirt
And in the dark places
Our young men
Hid with guns
In the dirt
And in the dark places
Our young men
Hid with their guns
In the forests
And in the dark places
And washed our faces
And walk the fields
And put up crosses
Passed through the damned mountains
Went hellwards and some of us returned
And some of us did not
In the fields and in the forests
Under the moon and under the sun
Another summer has passed before us
And not one man has
And not one woman has
Revealed the secrets
Of this world
So our young men
Hid with guns
In the dirt
And in the dark places
Our young men
Hid with guns
In the dirt
And in the dark places
Our young men
Hid with their guns
In the forests
And in the dark places
Lyrics submitted by stentorian
In The Dark Places [Demo] Lyrics as written by Polly Harvey
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Just thought I'd start the ball rolling. It seems fairly straightforward here - there isn't too many metaphors or symbolism. She's saying it straight - imagine getting up in the morning as a soldier. Wash your face. Put up crosses for your fallen comrades. Then go back to war again. Fairly heavy thoughts. Maybe we could guess at what she means by "not one man has and not one woman has revealed the secrets of the world"
I think the most revealing thing on this album is that she doesn't really relent, an intense album with this the most intense song i think.
This is an amazing album. It seems to be a perfect blend of lyricism, raw emotion, truth and musicality. <br /> <br /> As to what she may mean when she sings, "not one man has and not one woman has revealed the secrets of the world" maybe she is reflecting as a nihilist and fears with our unlimited means we are incapable of progress. <br /> <br /> Perhaps this person is viewing history through the lens "not much has changed (fighting/conflict continues to dominate history) and even with all of these gifts at our feet, mankind (non-gender specific) has failed to transcend to a better way." <br /> <br /> I don't know but it sure has me reflecting. Thanks blue412. <br /> <br /> <br />
Hi ai9652. That makes brilliant sense - of course that's what she means by that. <br /> <br /> Was just thinking there too that while the first verse seems to be, on the surface at least, about the soldiers the second verse is from those that not fighting i.e. she says our young men. so it's either from the people left behind while they go to war, or even from the countrys point of view. The repetition of the dark places in that verse suggests fear to me, more than anything else. the fear that soldiers must feel, and the fear that those left behind must feel. <br /> <br /> "Cruel nature has won again" on battleship hill is another very nihilistic sentence to me. so i'd agree with you.
"As to what she may mean when she sings, "not one man has and not one woman has revealed the secrets of the world" maybe she is reflecting as a nihilist and fears with our unlimited means we are incapable of progress. "<br /> <br /> Hmm... I'd go wit that, except for choice of the word "revealed" as opposed to "discovered." <br /> <br /> "discovered" would jive better with your interpretation. <br /> <br /> "revealed" seems to insinuate that they hold the secrets of this world, but refuse to give them up. <br /> <br /> Not that I know what that means. But if we believe she's a good enough writer to choose her words carefully, I'm left a bit unsatisfied with your interpretation, even if I don't have a better one.
Ok - I'm still thinking about this song.
IMO the first verse must be from the point of view of the soldiers (surely?). I suppose one of the few descriptive phases she uses in the song is the expression "damned mountains"? So why are they damned? Because they are cold and high? Because they are not alive?
Emphasis on nature but without glorification is significant too although I'm not sure exactly how. Maybe the sun and the moon are just the passing of time, since the soldier died. Is summer passing before us a young man who passes before the autumn years?
"In the fields and in the forests, Under the moon and under the sun Another summer has passed before us"
I also though that maybe the repetition of the same line (almost) three times from slightly different angles might be from those who betrayed the young men (like Jesus). e.g. their country, their lover, society, their commanding officers? Is young men a euphemism for children?
Also, does the "so" at the beginning of the sentence "so our young men hid" verse mean that the young men hiding with guns somehow "caused" by the revelation (or non revelation) of the secrets of the world?
@blue412 Hi blue. Love PJ and this album is amazing. Love all of your thoughts on it, and agree for the most part with all you have to say. <br /> <br /> Here's what I think about this particularly spectacular track in response to your questions. Imagine, if you will, ANY and EVERY war or battle - the Crusades, any world war, or battle that you can imagine across time. I think that's important to remember because war is recurring. It's key to concept of the entire album.<br /> The mountains are indeed damned because many soldiers die crossing them, even though there is no actual fighting happening. They are cold and high, there is no food to hunt, it's too cold to get proper rest; the conditions are plain and simply hellish. <br /> <br /> The line repetition goes back to what I was saying about all the wars throughout time - she's counting out all the places where there have been battles fought: in the fields, in the forests, at night and all day, fighting all throughout the fall, spring, summer and winter. And always, it's the young men they want to send. They want the young, strong, virile, brave, passionate and unafraid to fight, and possibly die. So these countries, these governments, whoever is ultimately the big "THEY" - they send our young men, and our young men are on the battlefield. They are the ones in the trenches, scared to death, hiding with guns in these unimaginable places, under these senseless, horrific conditions, in the dark, where no man should be - literally no man's land - again and again and again over these thousands of years of wars and battles and fighting. And we keep doing it! We keep fighting! I think the "So" in the lyric is really a bit of sarcasm. Like a nonsensical proof of sorts. As in - "War solves absolutely nothing, so let's go to war!" She says it again and again and by the 3 or 4th time, her voice is almost agonizing. You know the part when she's like "Our young mennnnnn" and her voice goes high and painful. I think she reflecting on that loss - all those young men, senselessly dead. And for WHAT? What is this amazing secret that we should all know about? What a sad and crying shame.<br /> <br /> And after all this time, not one man or woman has learned, revealed, discovered, unveiled, through war, the secrets of this world: Whatever it is that we keep fighting over, whatever in this world that is so fucking important that we keep killing each other over, it hasn't presented itself yet. <br /> <br /> War is hell. So, shall we go to war?
Hi Erica, yes - what a great track, and album. I love your comment especially "goes back to what I was saying about all the wars throughout time - she's counting out all the places where there have been battles fought: in the fields, in the forests, at night and all day, fighting all throughout the fall, spring, summer and winter. And always, it's the young men they want to send."
This reminds me of Jona Lewie - Stop the Calvary, where he says "I have had to fight, almost every night, down throughout these centuries".
Yes, you are right about the mountains - they are damned because men are dying in them.
I understand that most of the lines are probably about the endless repetition of wthe horrors of war, both thorough history, and for the soldiers fighting in them. I feel that these lines; "not one man has and not one woman has revealed the secrets of the world" could eighter mean that they are very, very young and haven't even lived their lives yet, but it could also mean that war is a great waste that leads to no revelations, and no real gain for anyon, be it humanity or the soldiers themselves.
I understand that most of these lines are (probably) about the endless repetition of the horrors of war, both through history, and the day to day life of soldiers fighting in them. I feel that these lines; "not one man has and not one woman has revealed the secrets of the world" could eighter mean that they are very, very young and haven't lived their to the fullest yet, but it could also mean that war is a great waste that leads to no revelations, and no real gain for anyone (be it humanity or the soldiers themselves).
it makes me picture guerrilla resistance type warfare, like this is happening near their home, i picture European forests and hillsides, perhaps war movie scenes where small bands fight back against occupying forces, they have to hide and fight by ambush, and for all the times this has happened, all the pain and misery caused, nobody has ever figured out the meaning of life, the value of life, how to live without killing one another in the process, not one man, not one woman, it's sad and despondent at this realization
Who is Saved from the Grave?
Age after age entirely dark hath run When not one dawn revealed a rising sun. Things change and pass, the world unshaken stands With all its western, all its eastern lands.
The pen flowed and the fiat was fulfilled, The ink dried on the parchment as fate willed. Could the king his governors around him save— Or Caesar his patricians—from the grave?