The song is played very slow, helping give feeling to the lyrics showing that life is much more beautiful when we open our minds (lay your pistol down) and that life is short (granny).
Beam also shows the detrimental effects too much caring can have, as if someone had spent so much time polishing stones but forgot to enjoy the breeze, or when spending lots of time growing plants that are just to be eaten by mice. (Perfect polished stones but this breeze beats you both, The mice in the yard ate the potted plants you grew)
As for "The Duty of men never fell to you", I'm not sure but it just might be an accompanying line saying "you've had it easy so far, so why are you even raising your pistol?" in the most lyrically relevant terms possible.
Basically, we should open our minds and enjoy the true beauty in life while we still can, because in the short time we have, there's not much else to do.
That's just my interpretation.
I also believe that this is one of my top three Iron & Wine songs ever. It's so beautifully and craftily written.
The song is played very slow, helping give feeling to the lyrics showing that life is much more beautiful when we open our minds (lay your pistol down) and that life is short (granny).
Beam also shows the detrimental effects too much caring can have, as if someone had spent so much time polishing stones but forgot to enjoy the breeze, or when spending lots of time growing plants that are just to be eaten by mice. (Perfect polished stones but this breeze beats you both, The mice in the yard ate the potted plants you grew)
As for "The Duty of men never fell to you", I'm not sure but it just might be an accompanying line saying "you've had it easy so far, so why are you even raising your pistol?" in the most lyrically relevant terms possible.
Basically, we should open our minds and enjoy the true beauty in life while we still can, because in the short time we have, there's not much else to do.
That's just my interpretation. I also believe that this is one of my top three Iron & Wine songs ever. It's so beautifully and craftily written.