Pedro the Lion – Priests and Paramedics

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Paramedics brave and strong
Up before the break of dawn
Putting poker faces on
Broken bodies all day long
The neighbors heard a fight
Someone had a knife
It must have have been the wife
Husband's lost a lot of blood
He wakes up screaming, "Oh my God
Am I going to die?
Am I going to die?"
As they strapped his arms down to his sides
At times like these they'd been taught to lie
"Buddy, just calm down, you'll be all right"

Several friends came to his grave
His children were so well-behaved
As the priest got up to speak
The assembly craved relief
But he himself had given up
So instead he offered them this bitter cup
"You're going to die
We're all going to die
Could be twenty years, could be tonight
Lately I have been wondering why
We go to so much trouble
To postpone the unavoidable
And prolong the pain of being alive"

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Lyrics submitted by orr94

Track duration: 04:35


Priests and Paramedics song meanings
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33 Comments

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  • +1
    Song Meaning:There is a video on YouTube of David Bazan explaining the meaning and inspiration of this song. His uncle was a paramedic for 12 or 15 years. They were told to tell stories of what had happened to family and friends after they got off work. David said most of these were messed up, but funny. Towards the end of his uncle's career as a paramedic, he was also a pastor; starting a church in his home and eventually moving to a big building. The people in the church took care of a meth addict and took him to the hospital frequently. One day, the man's meth lab blew up, burning over 90% of his body. When they put him in the ambulence, he woke up, freaking out and screaming, "Oh my god! Am I gonna die!?" Paramedics are told to just tell people to calm down and avoid the situation, but Bazan's uncle told him, "Yes, you're going to die in about 10 minutes." The man then became silent, and died shortly after.

    Bazan wanted to relay this story as a song. After writing the first verse, he felt this was to be the best song he'd ever written. While writing the song, he felt the events and story were too personal, and came up with what he described as a "cartoony" ending.
    Flag Zeroarmy27on April 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:Saw David play last week, he explains everything you'd want to know about the song in this video: youtube.com/…
    Flag skieselectricon November 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is like a slap in a face, it's a incredibly sad song but it has a point, we may feel like we're in control but we really aren't we can go at anytime even when the paramedics say "you'll be alright". The priest is introduced to show how awful it is when someone dies who has not made peice with God.
    Flag dontcarvemeouton April 20, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:What the priest says sums up David's "moral of the story!" if you will. And I agree with mikekuehn's post--specifically the first two lines. This is my favorite song of Pedro's next to Diamond Ring and A Simple Plan. Repeating on my playlist as we speak. x)
    Flag MacabreMindson May 31, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:What's interesting is, throughout the album there's a lie in every song. In fact, the husband was a perpetual liar. But, the one person who doesn't lie is the priest. It's as if the lies died with the husband.
    Flag Mellow_Harsheron December 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I have to say some of you guys are getting pretty angry about your interpretation being the right one... not cool.
    When I first heard this song I skipped it. Then I heard it in the context of the whole album and my god, it was beautiful.
    What I love is the rich irony - the paramedics are the ones offering hope, which is a lie. The priest, from whom hope is expected, offers none, and tells the truth. Its dark, but I agree with jce.. "everything is meaningless". Ecclesiastes. Favorite (bible) book of all emo songwriters ;)
    Flag mikekuehnon June 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree with everyone who loves this song - probably the best by pedro that i've heard, which is saying a lot, as every song is awe-inspiring. I think that an interesting thing in the song is that the priest who speaks at the end entirely misses the fact that the dead guy's kids are there - i think they are emblems for the fact that there are good things in life, and a kind of opposite to the nihilistic message that the priest gives. and i'm sure that the priest message is not the message that the song is supposed to convey
    Flag skyharbouron July 14, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Rejoice sooo well fits after this song on the album :) I love seeing life like the priest says. It's like being finally honest to yourself: what the fuck are you still doing here.
    Flag harmon April 08, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i realize nobody has posted here for a couple of months... and b4 that it was a couple of yrs ago... wow... but yeah... i feel that nobody actualy knows for sure if there is anything after this life... so dont waste wut u know that u have... i live my life.. according to how i think this life should be for me and those effected by me... i dont listen to wut people i dont know or care about tell me to do with my life... cause they dont know shit about me... i just know if there is an afterlife.. then yay... i lived a life down here that was fulfilling and now i can do it out there.. but if there isnt.. then im a lot happier knowing that i did wut i could with wut little i had : )
    Flag travelmapson March 17, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:fuck yeah
    Flag j.acobon January 13, 2005   Link

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