Just thought of one more thing...Come to think of it, there's another possible interpretation for "the dream of life comes to me/like a catfish dancin' on the end of my line." Instead of suggesting that the fireman is trying to hold onto the earthly life that's slipping away from him, it could suggest that he's trying to grasp the afterlife waiting for him, that he can see it and feel it in front of him like a fisherman sees and feels a catfish dancing on the end of his fishing line, tantalizingly close but just out of reach. Again, this works well on a literal level, too, because the fireman is feeling his way through the darkness with only a rope to guide him. In this case, instead of leading him to the top of the building, it leads him to the afterlife that awaits.
Everything posted about the song by Res87cue is spot on; however, the lyric "...wearing the cross of my calling" was not explained. Clearly, a reference to the Maltese Cross which is the international symbol for the fire service and is most often incorporated into fire department emblems/patches that are worn on uniforms. Sometimes lyrics have to be taken at face value and "The Rising" is certainly from the point of view of a responding FDNY firefighter; they always refer to the "fire station" as the fire house or just plain house.
Everything posted about the song by Res87cue is spot on; however, the lyric "...wearing the cross of my calling" was not explained. Clearly, a reference to the Maltese Cross which is the international symbol for the fire service and is most often incorporated into fire department emblems/patches that are worn on uniforms. Sometimes lyrics have to be taken at face value and "The Rising" is certainly from the point of view of a responding FDNY firefighter; they always refer to the "fire station" as the fire house or just plain house.
Just thought of one more thing...Come to think of it, there's another possible interpretation for "the dream of life comes to me/like a catfish dancin' on the end of my line." Instead of suggesting that the fireman is trying to hold onto the earthly life that's slipping away from him, it could suggest that he's trying to grasp the afterlife waiting for him, that he can see it and feel it in front of him like a fisherman sees and feels a catfish dancing on the end of his fishing line, tantalizingly close but just out of reach. Again, this works well on a literal level, too, because the fireman is feeling his way through the darkness with only a rope to guide him. In this case, instead of leading him to the top of the building, it leads him to the afterlife that awaits.
Everything posted about the song by Res87cue is spot on; however, the lyric "...wearing the cross of my calling" was not explained. Clearly, a reference to the Maltese Cross which is the international symbol for the fire service and is most often incorporated into fire department emblems/patches that are worn on uniforms. Sometimes lyrics have to be taken at face value and "The Rising" is certainly from the point of view of a responding FDNY firefighter; they always refer to the "fire station" as the fire house or just plain house.
Everything posted about the song by Res87cue is spot on; however, the lyric "...wearing the cross of my calling" was not explained. Clearly, a reference to the Maltese Cross which is the international symbol for the fire service and is most often incorporated into fire department emblems/patches that are worn on uniforms. Sometimes lyrics have to be taken at face value and "The Rising" is certainly from the point of view of a responding FDNY firefighter; they always refer to the "fire station" as the fire house or just plain house.