Jmax and drjimmy - I think you both are pointed in the right direction. My sense is that the lyrics juxtapose spirituality turned inward (negative - or helpless) vs spirituality turned outward (a bit out of order to make the point, but "my life's so common it disappears - hard times??? I'm used to them..etc. last stanza)
For me, I agree with attila, this song breaks my heart, but in a very redeeming way. The dynamics of the music drive this home, similar to "Proof", on the same album.
The comment about "terrorist" is right on. While we all know harming others is bad, the terrorist who kills himself or others believes he is doing it for god (negative - getting back at other for a perceived wrong) and the end of the song, where the music punches you in the face, essentially says, "the kid who resists the urge to "break and run(away from the hard truth), stands up to the hard truth and says "I can take it...It's going to stop here with me"). Remember he says this kid is "witness to" (he's seen the bad stuff happen to his people and that he's a warrior, but he's going to resist his urge).
Incredibly powerful. And Jmax, you put it so well when you say "In the song, the river can be seen as the source of prayer, the spiritiual sustenance we need to sweep our angers away, and our hopes and dreams to the future towards heaven."
Jmax and drjimmy - I think you both are pointed in the right direction. My sense is that the lyrics juxtapose spirituality turned inward (negative - or helpless) vs spirituality turned outward (a bit out of order to make the point, but "my life's so common it disappears - hard times??? I'm used to them..etc. last stanza)
For me, I agree with attila, this song breaks my heart, but in a very redeeming way. The dynamics of the music drive this home, similar to "Proof", on the same album.
The comment about "terrorist" is right on. While we all know harming others is bad, the terrorist who kills himself or others believes he is doing it for god (negative - getting back at other for a perceived wrong) and the end of the song, where the music punches you in the face, essentially says, "the kid who resists the urge to "break and run(away from the hard truth), stands up to the hard truth and says "I can take it...It's going to stop here with me"). Remember he says this kid is "witness to" (he's seen the bad stuff happen to his people and that he's a warrior, but he's going to resist his urge).
Incredibly powerful. And Jmax, you put it so well when you say "In the song, the river can be seen as the source of prayer, the spiritiual sustenance we need to sweep our angers away, and our hopes and dreams to the future towards heaven."