- Mar 16, 2006
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For those who don't know, this song was released in demo form on the 2 disc version of A Blueprint of the World. I love the music, but I'm troubled by the lyrics. I've never abandoned a song over lyrics, and that won't change for this song, but it does affect what a song means to me. At Death's Door wouldn't be as perfect with any other lyrics.
I can't make out enough of them to determine if this is an angry libertarian manifesto, or if it's about someone who went from empathetic and idealistic, to libertarian, and back to empathetic again. I hope it's the latter, and in some ways it seems to be, but some of the vocals I can't quite make out leave me wondering. One line of the last chorus that I'm 99% certain I've transcribed correctly is among the most ridiculous I've ever heard ("Exploitation dies at the birth of trade") and leaves me suspecting the worst.
I know from happening upon Paul Craddick's (now dormant) blog some time ago that he is a card-carrying Ayn Rand admirer, and while I still consider him a great lyricist, I think some of that influence may manifest in this song (assuming he wrote its lyrics). Can anyone shed some light on this?
It's a great song in any event (the music is solid) and it's a shame Open Eyes, a song the band doesn't even like, was recorded properly instead of Dollars and Cents.
I wonder if it could have been tabled in part because of the lyrics?
I'll post what I can make out of the lyrics:
My heart beats for the homeless man,
... to his experience,
I want to help him...,
...
But I'm not my brother's keeper,
...,
What's yours is yours, what's mine is mine,
It's a truth I wish I'd never...
How many..., [this is the part I wish I could make out]
See the pain on parade,
Revolution receives a failing grade,
And blood's the price we paid
When fools lament our [selfish debts?],
Aim to send our cash overseas,
They act as if we've robbed it all,
As if the money grows on trees
I want to ease the pain,
I, a king, become a knave,
To help but not to serve,
I won't become a slave
I see a desperate need of urgency,
I see a desperate need to escape
...[these heart games?],
In the throbbing heat of his bed,
As though...,
Is held together by a thread
How many...,
See the pain on parade,
Exploitation dies at the birth of trade,
Refute the...,
How many...,
How 'bout a...,
Revolution receives a failing grade,
See the pain on parade
I can't make out enough of them to determine if this is an angry libertarian manifesto, or if it's about someone who went from empathetic and idealistic, to libertarian, and back to empathetic again. I hope it's the latter, and in some ways it seems to be, but some of the vocals I can't quite make out leave me wondering. One line of the last chorus that I'm 99% certain I've transcribed correctly is among the most ridiculous I've ever heard ("Exploitation dies at the birth of trade") and leaves me suspecting the worst.
I know from happening upon Paul Craddick's (now dormant) blog some time ago that he is a card-carrying Ayn Rand admirer, and while I still consider him a great lyricist, I think some of that influence may manifest in this song (assuming he wrote its lyrics). Can anyone shed some light on this?
It's a great song in any event (the music is solid) and it's a shame Open Eyes, a song the band doesn't even like, was recorded properly instead of Dollars and Cents.
I wonder if it could have been tabled in part because of the lyrics?I'll post what I can make out of the lyrics:
My heart beats for the homeless man,
... to his experience,
I want to help him...,
...
But I'm not my brother's keeper,
...,
What's yours is yours, what's mine is mine,
It's a truth I wish I'd never...
How many..., [this is the part I wish I could make out]
See the pain on parade,
Revolution receives a failing grade,
And blood's the price we paid
When fools lament our [selfish debts?],
Aim to send our cash overseas,
They act as if we've robbed it all,
As if the money grows on trees
I want to ease the pain,
I, a king, become a knave,
To help but not to serve,
I won't become a slave
I see a desperate need of urgency,
I see a desperate need to escape
...[these heart games?],
In the throbbing heat of his bed,
As though...,
Is held together by a thread
How many...,
See the pain on parade,
Exploitation dies at the birth of trade,
Refute the...,
How many...,
How 'bout a...,
Revolution receives a failing grade,
See the pain on parade
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