I think you've got it, except that 'Because we separate/Like ripples on a BLACK shore' makes more sense to me when seen in context of the song itself, and Thom's world of imagery in general. If the 'Reckoner' is death and the repeated line 'Can't take it with you' is a reminder of the transitoriness of this world, then a black shore makes sense. Death is the great unknown, the undiscover'd country (to quote Hamlet), the darkness beyond life. Thom's preoccupation with death around the corner stretches back to the early tracks like Killer Cars (with a refrain in The...
I think you've got it, except that 'Because we separate/Like ripples on a BLACK shore' makes more sense to me when seen in context of the song itself, and Thom's world of imagery in general. If the 'Reckoner' is death and the repeated line 'Can't take it with you' is a reminder of the transitoriness of this world, then a black shore makes sense. Death is the great unknown, the undiscover'd country (to quote Hamlet), the darkness beyond life. Thom's preoccupation with death around the corner stretches back to the early tracks like Killer Cars (with a refrain in The Tourist), Street Spirit of course, and then newer ones like Reckoner and Videotape. Beyond that though, there is a beauty in these lines that is difficult to analyse or describe - like T.S. Eliot or dare I say it even Shakespeare's finest lines, they approach something holy. A 'blank' shore suggest that Thom's decided there is no life after death, but from the whole body of his lyrics I would conclude he is agnostic (death is an unknown) rather than atheist (death is the end).
That's a good way to look at it. It says "blank" on the sleeve...those lines sum up the whole concept of the album to me. The shore is blank (or calm), and ripples disturb the calm, causing chaos. But Thom is finding good in this chaos. We separate, but we separate "in rainbows." Beautiful! One of the greatest songs ever.
That's a good way to look at it. It says "blank" on the sleeve...those lines sum up the whole concept of the album to me. The shore is blank (or calm), and ripples disturb the calm, causing chaos. But Thom is finding good in this chaos. We separate, but we separate "in rainbows." Beautiful! One of the greatest songs ever.
Reckoner Can't take it with you Dancing for pleasure
You are not to blame for Bittersweet distractor Dare not speak its name Dedicated to all human beings
Because we separate Like ripples on a blank shore (in rainbows) Because we separate Like ripples on a blank shore
Reckoner Take it with you Dedicated to all human beings
from In Rainbows vinyl
I think you've got it, except that 'Because we separate/Like ripples on a BLACK shore' makes more sense to me when seen in context of the song itself, and Thom's world of imagery in general. If the 'Reckoner' is death and the repeated line 'Can't take it with you' is a reminder of the transitoriness of this world, then a black shore makes sense. Death is the great unknown, the undiscover'd country (to quote Hamlet), the darkness beyond life. Thom's preoccupation with death around the corner stretches back to the early tracks like Killer Cars (with a refrain in The...
I think you've got it, except that 'Because we separate/Like ripples on a BLACK shore' makes more sense to me when seen in context of the song itself, and Thom's world of imagery in general. If the 'Reckoner' is death and the repeated line 'Can't take it with you' is a reminder of the transitoriness of this world, then a black shore makes sense. Death is the great unknown, the undiscover'd country (to quote Hamlet), the darkness beyond life. Thom's preoccupation with death around the corner stretches back to the early tracks like Killer Cars (with a refrain in The Tourist), Street Spirit of course, and then newer ones like Reckoner and Videotape. Beyond that though, there is a beauty in these lines that is difficult to analyse or describe - like T.S. Eliot or dare I say it even Shakespeare's finest lines, they approach something holy. A 'blank' shore suggest that Thom's decided there is no life after death, but from the whole body of his lyrics I would conclude he is agnostic (death is an unknown) rather than atheist (death is the end).
That's a good way to look at it. It says "blank" on the sleeve...those lines sum up the whole concept of the album to me. The shore is blank (or calm), and ripples disturb the calm, causing chaos. But Thom is finding good in this chaos. We separate, but we separate "in rainbows." Beautiful! One of the greatest songs ever.
That's a good way to look at it. It says "blank" on the sleeve...those lines sum up the whole concept of the album to me. The shore is blank (or calm), and ripples disturb the calm, causing chaos. But Thom is finding good in this chaos. We separate, but we separate "in rainbows." Beautiful! One of the greatest songs ever.