Four Winds
Bright Eyes Lyrics
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There's people always dying, trying to keep them alive
There are bodies decomposing in containers tonight
In an abandoned building where
A squatter's made a mural of a Mexican girl
With fifteen cans of spray paint in a chemical swirl
She's standing in the ashes at the end of the world
Four winds blowing through her hair
But when great Satan's gone, the whore of Babylon
She just can't sustain the pressure where it's placed
She caves
The Bible's blind, the Torah's deaf, the Qu'ran's mute
If you burn them all together, you get close to the truth still
They are pouring over Sanskrit on the ivy league moons
While shadows lengthen in the sun
Cast on a school of meditation built to soften the times
And hold us at the center while the spiral unwinds
It's knocking over fences, crossing property lines
Four winds, cry until it comes
And it's the sum of man
Slouching towards Bethlehem
A heart just can't contain all of that empty space
It breaks, it breaks, it breaks
Well, I went back to my rented Cadillac and company jet
Like a newly orphaned refugee, retracing my steps
All the way to Cassadaga to commune with the dead
They said, 'You'd better look alive.'
And I was off to old Dakota where a genocide sleeps
In the black hills, the bad lands, the calloused east
I buried my ballast, I made my peace
Heard four winds leveling the pines
But when great Satan's gone, the whore of Babylon
She just can't remain with all that outer space
She breaks, she breaks, she caves, she caves
The song "Four Winds" by Bright Eyes is a complex commentary on societal issues, mixing in religious imagery and political statements to create a message that is both powerful and poignant. The opening line immediately sets the tone, stating that people all over the world are dying while others try their best to keep them alive. The subsequent lines are a reflection on the divides that divide humanity, including class, caste, country, sect, name, and tribe. The second stanza comments on the Mexican girl depicted in the mural with fifteen cans of spray paint. The ashes at the end of the world seem to represent her situation, but she bravely stands there with the wind blowing through her hair. The lyrics continually move between the global and the personal, from the broad societal issues of religion and politics to the more individual experiences of loss and searching for meaning.
The third stanza is a commentary on religion itself, as the singer states that all religions are incomplete, and together they would only approximate the truth. Additionally, those who study these holy texts are "pouring over Sanskrit on the ivy league moons" while "shadows lengthen in the sun," highlighting the discrepancy between those who study and those who live. The fourth stanza comments on the various means of escape – meditation, art, music, and more – that people use to soothe themselves during difficult times. The final stanza returns to the personal, focusing on the singer himself. He travels to Cassadaga and the black hills, burying his ballast and making peace, and finally hearing the four winds level the pines. The overall message of the song seems to be that while there is much suffering and division in the world, there is also beauty and hope, and that the best we can do is strive to find peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Your class, your caste, your country, sect, your name or your tribe
Despite social and cultural differences, there are people struggling to survive.
There's people always dying, trying to keep them alive
People are fighting to keep others alive despite constant death.
There are bodies decomposing in containers tonight
Dead bodies are being stored in containers tonight.
In an abandoned building where
The decomposing bodies are in an abandoned building.
A squatter's made a mural of a Mexican girl
A squatter has created a painting of a Mexican girl.
With fifteen cans of spray paint in a chemical swirl
The girl is painted with fifteen cans of spray paint blending together.
She's standing in the ashes at the end of the world
The girl stands in ashes marking the end of the world.
Four winds blowing through her hair
Her hair is being blown by the four winds.
But when great Satan's gone, the whore of Babylon
Once an oppressor is defeated, another one arises and cannot handle the pressure.
She just can't sustain the pressure where it's placed
The new oppressor can't handle the pressure of being in power.
She caves
The new oppressor is defeated.
The Bible's blind, the Torah's deaf, the Qu'ran's mute
All religious texts have faults.
If you burn them all together, you get close to the truth still
Even with their faults, there's some truth to be found in all religious texts.
They are pouring over Sanskrit on the ivy league moons
People are studying Sanskrit on the ivy league universities at night.
While shadows lengthen in the sun
Contradictions are arising and things are becoming more unclear.
Cast on a school of meditation built to soften the times
A school of meditation is designed to provide some relief to contrasting ideas.
And hold us at the center while the spiral unwinds
The meditative school is designed to provide center and comfort amidst confusion.
It's knocking over fences, crossing property lines
The confusion and upheaval caused by contradicting ideas is causing unrests.
Four winds, cry until it comes
The winds are calling for resolution.
And it's the sum of man
It's the comprehensive description of humans.
Slouching towards Bethlehem
Facing destruction but still going there.
A heart just can't contain all of that empty space
Humans are unable to fully comprehend the voids in their lives.
It breaks, it breaks, it breaks
Comprehending the emptiness causes one's heart to break.
Well, I went back to my rented Cadillac and company jet
Returning to privilege and luxury.
Like a newly orphaned refugee, retracing my steps
Feeling lost and in need of guidance.
All the way to Cassadaga to commune with the dead
Traveling to Cassadaga to speak with the dead.
They said, 'You'd better look alive.'
The dead urge the living to remain alert.
And I was off to old Dakota where a genocide sleeps
Traveling to Dakota where a past of genocide occurred.
In the black hills, the bad lands, the calloused east
Heading to the deprived areas of the US.
I buried my ballast, I made my peace
Letting go of baggage and finding comfort.
Heard four winds leveling the pines
The winds continue to call for resolution.
But when great Satan's gone, the whore of Babylon
When one oppressive force is dealt with, another takes their place.
She just can't remain with all that outer space
The new oppressor isn't suited to handle power in the presence of the emptiness.
She breaks, she breaks, she caves, she caves
The new oppressor succumbs to pressure and is defeated.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CONOR OBERST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sarapandzic-kruskic5648
Your class, your caste, your country, sect, your name or your tribe
There's people always dying, trying to keep them alive
There are bodies decomposing in containers tonight
In an abandoned building where
A squatter's made a mural of a Mexican girl
With fifteen cans of spray paint in a chemical swirl
She's standing in the ashes at the end of the world
Four winds blowing through her hair
But when great Satan's gone, the whore of Babylon
She just can't sustain the pressure where it's placed
She caves
The Bible's blind, the Torah's deaf, the Qu'ran's mute
If you burn them all together, you get close to the truth still
They are pouring over Sanskrit on the ivy league moons
While shadows lengthen in the sun
Cast on a school of meditation built to soften the times
And hold us at the center while the spiral unwinds
It's knocking over fences, crossing property lines
Four winds, cry until it comes
And it's the sum of man
Slouching towards Bethlehem
A heart just can't contain all of that empty space
It breaks, it breaks, it breaks
Well, I went back to my rented Cadillac and company jet
Like a newly orphaned refugee, retracing my steps
All the way to Cassadaga to commune with the dead
They said, 'You'd better look alive.'
And I was off to old Dakota where a genocide sleeps
In the black hills, the bad lands, the calloused east
I buried my ballast, I made my peace
Heard four winds leveling the pines
But when great Satan's gone, the whore of Babylon
She just can't remain with all that outer space
She breaks, she breaks, she caves, she caves
@Sapotequeen
I was 11 or 12 years old when this music video was released. I am a native woman who was adopted by my white family and was at the time living in a small, very white town of 100 people in country flat lands and discovering that I had very little in common with many of the people around me and started embracing it instead of being completely ashamed.
The mundane early 2000's country songs were getting old and one day after school I turned Fuse on my TV and saw this. His voice breaking tradition of what I normally heard, his cynical lyrics and the way everyone played a satire of what country was at the time but somehow making it better??? blew my mind.
Now I am 27 and every morning I drink my coffee listening to this song and just enjoy the new meanings in his words that I find. It amps me up for the day and doesn't bypass any bullshit and I"m still here for it. Thanks for making timeless music you guys.
@azurebass24
Thanks you for sharing this
@PikasPieces
Thank you for sharing this story.
@comicjake85
Great story Connor Oberst grew up in Omaha Nebraska. He has been a lyrical musical prodigy since he was 12-13 years old even then he was singing about dark stuff
@Nathan-xs9rc
Cool....
@meaghanwood6825
Thank you for sharing your story. I have a daily song too, not this one, but I love it still! Keep getting yourself ready for the day, a new day is a new opportunity for happiness and peace! ❤
@hat_dancin
I can't imagine starting with no music and a blank page and creating such a fantastic song. Connor is a national treasure.
@slevkalev
The thing is, connor has been putting messages in his songs since he started. Even though many people still don't listen to the messages or like them, he continues playing.
@jweebo1463
56 rayed circle. Plasma Penumbra. The dice. It is here. It was there. Age of Leo
@onthespiral4054
@@jweebo1463 I gave the prior commenter the 56th likr