Magdalena
Brandon Flowers Lyrics
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It ain't gonna do me any good
And please don't offer me your modern methods
I'm fixing to carve this out of wood
From Nogales to Magdalena
There are sixty miles of sacred road
And the promises made to those who venture
San Francisco will lift your load
In the land of old Sonora
A shallow river valley cries
The summer left her without forgiveness
It's mirrored in her children's eyes
Prodigal sons and wayward daughters
Carry mandas that they might
Be delivered from the depths of darkness
And born again by candlelight
And born again by candlelight
Blisters on my feet, wooden rosary
I felt them in my pocket as I ran
A bullet in the night
A Federales' light
San Francisco, do you understand?
Tell him that I made the journey
And tell him that my heart is true
I'd like his blessing of forgiveness before the angels send it through
And I will know that I am clean now
And I will dance and the band will play
In the old out to cantina
Cause we'll runneth over the ancient clay
And if I should fall to temptation when I return to evil throes
From Nogales to Magdalena
As a two time beggar
I will go where I know I can be forgiven
The broken heart of Mexico
The broken heart of Mexico
The broken heart of Mexico
In "Magdalena," Brandon Flowers describes a journey that tests his faith - a pilgrimage to a small town in Mexico. The song begins with a plea to naysayers who say he can't achieve his goal, and a rejection of contemporary solutions. Flowers wants to take his time and carve his own path, using only pure, natural materials. He travels on a sacred road from Nogales to Magdalena, a span of sixty miles, where he believes that he will find redemption in the promises that have been made. The song shifts to describe the land itself - the shallow river valley in Sonora, which reflects the unforgiving summer sun in the eyes of its inhabitants. The travelers are described as "prodigal sons and wayward daughters," who carry mandas, or small offerings, in hopes of being delivered from the darkness and brought into the light by candlelight.
Flowers' own journey is then depicted - he runs from danger (indicated by a "bullet in the night"), with a wooden rosary and blisters on his feet. He pleads with the people of San Francisco to understand and relay a message to a specific individual, informing them that he has completed his pilgrimage with a true heart and hopes for forgiveness. He is confident that he has been cleansed of his sins and can dance in celebration, surrounded by music and the ancient clay of the cantina. However, Flowers acknowledges that he may still be tempted and fall back into the same pattern of sin. Nevertheless, he knows he can return to Mexico and be forgiven, as it represents the broken but healing heart of the country.
Overall, the song seems to express a belief in the power of pilgrimage, which allows the traveler to let go of their previous life and be born again. The various descriptions of the land and people of Sonora, as well as the use of Spanish words and phrases, help to create a sense of authenticity and reverence for the place and culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Please don't tell me I can't make it
I don't need your negativity, it won't help me.
It ain't gonna do me any good
Your negative thoughts won't help me achieve my goal.
And please don't offer me your modern methods
I don't need any fancy methods to succeed, I'll do it on my own.
I'm fixing to carve this out of wood
I'm determined to make this happen and I'll use the traditional, proven method to do it.
From Nogales to Magdalena
Across a sacred land in northern Mexico.
There are sixty miles of sacred road
A spiritual path to San Francisco awaits across this land.
And the promises made to those who venture
San Francisco holds the promise of redemption for the travelers.
San Francisco will lift your load
San Francisco will bring relief and take away the burdens of the travelers.
In the land of old Sonora
In the ancient desert of Sonora, Western Mexico.
A shallow river valley cries
This dry and empty land suffers and weeps.
The summer left her without forgiveness
A harsh summer that left nothing to grow, no chance of mercy.
It's mirrored in her children's eyes
The people who live here are hopeless and powerless.
Prodigal sons and wayward daughters
The people of this land who are lost and desperately searching.
Carry mandas that they might
They carry religious offerings to plead for help.
Be delivered from the depths of darkness
They want to be saved from their despair.
And born again by candlelight
They seek a religious rebirth, renewed by the light of candles.
Blisters on my feet, wooden rosary
Walking the holy paths has left its mark on me.
I felt them in my pocket as I ran
My prayer beads were with me when danger struck.
A bullet in the night
The danger of the Federales, the Mexican police.
A Federales' light
They use their spotlights to find the travelers.
San Francisco, do you understand?
Please listen to my plea.
Tell him that I made the journey
Let San Francisco know that I've completed the journey.
And tell him that my heart is true
Explain to him that I'm sincere in my intentions.
I'd like his blessing of forgiveness before the angels send it through
Please grant me forgiveness before it's too late, and before the angels make their judgment.
And I will know that I am clean now
I'll finally feel pure and forgiven.
And I will dance and the band will play
I'll celebrate my rebirth in San Francisco's holy sanctuary.
In the old out to cantina
A place for spiritual and social gathering.
Cause we'll runneth over the ancient clay
San Francisco's blessings will overflow in this holy place.
And if I should fall to temptation when I return to evil throes
If in the future I yield to temptation and relapse into darkness.
From Nogales to Magdalena
In this sacred land across northern Mexico.
As a two time beggar
I'll return to San Francisco as a humble and repentant person.
I will go where I know I can be forgiven
I know that in San Francisco I can find forgiveness and redemption.
The broken heart of Mexico
This land, in great suffering and despair, is captured in the broken heart of its inhabitants.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRANDON FLOWERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind