Here in this hole that we fixed
We get further and further and further
For what
We must do

I saw you asleep beside a hole
Your skull inside a hole
Your eyes blankened by the sound
And the thought of God

Where should I hang my head?
Where would you like for me
To hang my head

One absent truth
The one horrible thing I saw
What you truly wanted to become
And who you thought I was
The fall, the fall,
Afraid, the blood
Runs deeper than the grave
It goes all the way down those tracks
Everybody bow your head
For the greatest inspiration
A complete contradiction
Of ways.

In this hole that we have fixed
We get further and further
For what we must do
I know this, I know this
You know this, you know this

In this hole that we have fixed
We get further and further and further
For what we must do.

I saw you outside that hole
Your skull girl outside that hole
Your eyes glistened by the sound
And the light of God.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Cat Power's song In This Hole speak to a sense of isolation and introspection. The hole could be a metaphor for a seemingly inescapable situation or state of mind that the singer and perhaps others have found themselves in. The opening lines suggest that in attempting to fix this hole, they actually find themselves getting farther and farther away from something they feel they should be doing, or perhaps from a sense of purpose or progress.

The imagery of seeing someone asleep beside a hole with their skull inside is striking and unsettling. It conveys a sense of being trapped or buried alive, but also carries religious connotations with the mention of God. The line "Your eyes blankened by the sound" adds an auditory element to the imagery, as if there is a deafening silence or absence of sound around the hole.

The repetition of the question "Where should I hang my head?" suggests a sense of shame or guilt. The singer wants to know where they are allowed to feel contrite and where they might be able to find some kind of redemption. The mention of an "absent truth" and "the one horrible thing I saw" hints at a past trauma or transgression that haunts the singer.

The lines "Everybody bow your head / For the greatest inspiration / A complete contradiction / Of ways" seem to be pointing to some kind of larger cultural or societal context. The singer is urging others to pay attention to someone or something that is both inspiring and contradictory, perhaps pointing to the idea that sometimes it is within the most flawed or problematic aspects of society that there is potential for growth or change.

Overall, the lyrics of In This Hole offer a cryptic and introspective look into the state of being trapped or isolated, with a touch of spirituality and larger societal commentary.

Line by Line Meaning

Here in this hole that we fixed
We are in a situation that we have created ourselves.

We get further and further and further
Our situation is becoming increasingly worse.

For what
We are not sure why we are in this situation.

We must do
We believe that we must continue with our current actions, even if they are leading us deeper into the hole.

I saw you asleep beside a hole
I observed you unconscious, lying next to a pit.

Your skull inside a hole
Your cranium was positioned within the confines of the hole.

Your eyes blankened by the sound
Your sight was obscured by an unidentifiable noise or sonic vibration.

And the thought of God
This sound or vibration may have been spiritual in nature, inspiring thoughts of a higher power.

Where should I hang my head?
I am ashamed of who I am and do not know where to turn.

Where would you like for me
I am willing to accept advice from others to help me find my way.

To hang my head
I am willing to show humility and deference to those I seek guidance from.

One absent truth
There is a vital truth missing from our situation that would help us understand it better.

The one horrible thing I saw
There is something troubling and traumatic that haunts me, that I can not forget.

What you truly wanted to become
There is an ideal self that others want to become, different than the reality that they are.

And who you thought I was
There is a misunderstanding about who I truly am vs. who others believe I am.

The fall, the fall,
The decline or failure of something significant.

Afraid, the blood
Fear and tension building as the situation becomes more dangerous.

Runs deeper than the grave
The fear is so great that it is more profound than death itself.

It goes all the way down those tracks
The fear and danger is so prevalent that it pervades everything in life.

Everybody bow your head
It is a time for all to be humble and show respect.

For the greatest inspiration
Salvation and healing may come from a higher power.

A complete contradiction
This contrary situation is complex and difficult to understand.

Of ways.
There are many paths out of this difficult situation, but none seem clear or certain.

We get further and further
Our situation is worsening.

I know this, I know this
We are starting to realize the severity of our situation.

You know this, you know this
Others around me also realize that our present circumstance is difficult and troubling.

In this hole that we have fixed
Our current dilemma is a direct result of the actions we have taken.

We get further and further and further
Despite our situation, we continue to dig ourselves deeper into a hole.

For what we must do.
We feel that despite the severity of our situation, we must continue with what we are doing.

I saw you outside that hole
I saw you begin to emerge from this dark situation.

Your skull girl outside that hole
This situation has caused pain and trauma for you.

Your eyes glistened by the sound
You seem to feel a sense of spiritual awakening or enlightenment.

And the light of God.
You believe that a higher power has shown you the way out of this difficult situation.

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Peter Pumkinghead

on He-War

i love the cats

just now