am i the only geek who has pulled out 'serpents and gloves' again in order to hear the beginnings of this song once more?

just asking,
zayne

I did that after CST last year, Zayne. I was also trying to figure out how to play it ... I have a general idea, but Karin's talents are beyond my scope.

This is one of my faves on the album. I have to say I really like the bare version on S&G better, but I do love the DP version too.

I really love this song and was looking forward to its recording. However, I seem to favor the live CST version from May 2003 (?) just because I like the higher key and quicker tempo. I still enjoy the Drunkard's Prayer version, though.

The guitar playing is "perfect," my husband quotes. I agree with him.

The last line of the song, "I am my Father's son" made us think this song could be about Jesus....but I'm not sure. Any thoughts on this?

CG,
I think Karin wrote this for her father.
I don't believe he had any sons.
I could be wrong.

I'll need backup on this but I think Karin wrote this song about her dad after he died. I've dug this song since hearing just the beginning of it on Serpents & Gloves years ago. But I have difficulties with this song. Not with the song itself but in my lack of ability to catch the meaning/translation of it - I get confused with these parts:

You were the season that would not change
I often was the same
Then four horsemen came and stole my name

I even wrote out the lyrics and asked a friend here to help point me in the direction of the Four Horsemen bible-wise (Rev. 6:1-8 ??? that's hardcore stuff if that's the relevance) I also found Zachareah(sp?) 6:1-8 talking about Four Chariots. But still, I'm just.. confused. Even if one of those is a correct reference, I falter at the meaning/translation.

I am my father's son

Due to my lack of bible knowledge I fear I'm about to embarrass myself in several ways here so if this sounds ridiculous, please don't laugh too hard. The thing I keep coming to with this line - keeping the "karin wrote it for her dad" in mind - is that everytime I hear it I think, The Prodigal Son. Problem with my thinking of that is that I can't remember the exact tone/content of TPS. I just remember the one son (older?) leaving and coming back, the father being overjoyed at his return and the other brother feeling jealousy? Anger?

Then I think about Anyway, that Karin wrote it for her 1/2 sister, that they met as adults at the dad's funeral and the lyrics "and our hate like toys should be put away" & "no wonder this confusion, you've suffered all my delusions" flash in my head. Yes, this is what I think of every time I hear that line in WWGtD.

Does that make any sense? Or am I way farther out there than I should be pertaining to this song? Anyone? Bueller?

Mich, I think the four horsemen of revelation are thought of, in a very general way, as agents of death. Karin (I assume) got her last name from her father, so I always interpreted this line as the horsemen (death) taking away her father.

Do you realize how long that line has confused me? And here you come swooping in and dropping off a paragraph that totally sums up what I couldn't figure out. Sometimes I have the hardest time not taking things word for word/literally. Thank you, Becky, cause even if that isn't what Karin's saying, it's what I come away with from the song.

Seriously, thank you.

Now, anyone feel like humoring me with my Prodigal Son musings?

My suspicions, Michelle:

The four horsemen stealing her name goes along with the apocalyptic feeling of losing a parent, and in this case the parent that provided her surname (and an important part of her identity).

What that last stanza makes me feel is "You always hid your vulnerability and suffering from those of us who loved you. I'm the same way." "I am my father's son" threw me at first, but if Karin has no brothers (does she?) and served as both daughter and son to her dad, I can see where it would make a lot of sense. Or maybe she just thinks of the part of herself she inherited from him as masculine. And of course it fits the meter.

All speculation, of course.

This is unintentionally sappy but I feel like crying tears of relief. It's trips me out how long I've thought about and tried to decipher that line to make it fit in my head with the rest of the song. I thought I was finally going to connect it all when I read the Revelations portion but nope - hit another wall again - which is just so typical me, cause really, was no wall there. I get so frustrated with being *right there* and not being able to get over it and connect the last couple dots.

This is a lot of why I never do song analysis threads - I usually have no F'in clue what I'm talking about. It's the same reason I wish other people were more into song analysis threads, cause I take more out of, and am able to peice my thoughts together better, after reading others' thoughts/translations.

Thanks Becky & Keith.

Are you willing to help out someone who doesn't have said VHS because they got in on the game a few years too late? Then I will answer your first question

Wasn't there a vined DVD version of Serpents and Gloves last spring?

There was a vined VCD, but it was hosed.

~fff

Reading everyone's interpretation helps a great deal. I definitely do not have the "gift" of interpretation. However, regarding 'I AM MY FATHER'S SON' I was thinking that maybe this line could be in her father's first person point of view...meaning that her dad is his dad's son. But, I don't know how much I really buy into this interpretation because the remainder of the song doesn't seem to be in his first person point of view and it makes me nervous that only one line at the end could possibly switch perspectives. Am I making sense??

BTW - has anyone ever asked K&L about any song/line interpretations? Are they receptive to revealing any of their lyrical meanings? Just curious. I'd love to sit down with them and ask a whole list of questions about this comprehensive topic! Oh, how I do love their multi-layered lyrics!