Innocent Bones
Iron & Wine Lyrics
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Abel got a telephone
And even the last of the blue-eyed babies know
That the burning man is the color of the end of day
And how every tongue that gets bit always has another word to say
Cain bought a blade from some witch at the window
Abel bought a bag of weed
And the even the last of the brown-eyed babies see
That the cartoon king has a tattoo of a bleeding heart
There ain't a penthouse Christian that wants the pain or the scab, but they all want the scar
How every mouth sings of what it's without so we all sing of love
And how it ain't one dog who's good at fucking and denying who he's thinking of
Cain heard the captive boy leap off the rooftop
Abel heard his papa pray
And even the last of the black-eyed babies say
That every saint has a chair you can borrow in a church to sit on
That the wind blows cold across the back of a master and the kitchen help
There's a big pile of innocent bones still holding up the garden wall
And it was always the broken hand we learned to lean on after all
How God knows if Christ came back he'd find us in a poker game
After finding out the drinks were all free but they won't let you out the door again
The song, "Innocent Bones" by Iron & Wine, presents different perspectives on how people cope with their pain and struggles. The biblical characters Cain and Abel are used to illustrate how people deal with their problems in different ways. Cain buys a blade while Abel buys weed, both trying to find relief from their struggles. The lyrics suggest that we all have scars, and while some may not want to feel the pain, they all want the scar.
The song also talks about the differences between those who have and those who don't. The "penthouse Christian" may not want the pain or the scab, but they all want the scar. Meanwhile, those with less are just trying to cope with their struggles. The lyrics suggest that everyone has a chair to sit on in a church, but at the same time, the "big pile of innocent bones" still holds up the garden wall. The song concludes with the idea that no matter how much we try to cope, we will always have struggles, and it's the broken hand we learn to lean on after all.
Line by Line Meaning
Cain got a milk-eyed mule from the auction
Cain acquired a horse with light colored eyes from a public sale
Abel got a telephone
Abel obtained a device that enables communication over a distance
And even the last of the blue-eyed babies know
That the burning man is the color of the end of day
Even the youngest among us know that sunset is symbolized by a burning figure
And how every tongue that gets bit always has another word to say
People who are silent eventually find a way to express themselves
Cain bought a blade from some witch at the window
Cain obtained a sharp-edged tool from a female practitioner of magic through an opening in a wall
Abel bought a bag of weed
Abel purchased a quantity of marijuana
And the even the last of the brown-eyed babies see
That the cartoon king has a tattoo of a bleeding heart
Even children understand that the animated ruler has an inked image of a heart that is bleeding
There ain't a penthouse Christian that wants the pain or the scab, but they all want the scar
No affluent follower of Christianity desires the injury or wound, but rather the lasting mark it leaves
How every mouth sings of what it's without so we all sing of love
People often lament what they lack, hence why love is a common theme in music
And how it ain't one dog who's good at fucking and denying who he's thinking of
It is human nature to have sexual desires and to not be truthful about them
Cain heard the captive boy leap off the rooftop
Cain was a witness to a restrained youngster jumping from a building's upper level
Abel heard his papa pray
Abel was present when his father prayed to a higher power
And even the last of the black-eyed babies say
That every saint has a chair you can borrow in a church to sit on
Even infants recognize that every holy figure has a seat that can be used temporarily at a place of worship
That the wind blows cold across the back of a master and the kitchen help
The cold breeze affects both the owner and the servants
There's a big pile of innocent bones still holding up the garden wall
A large collection of blameless remains is keeping the garden boundary from collapsing
And it was always the broken hand we learned to lean on after all
Ultimately, it is the damaged hand that we come to rely upon
How God knows if Christ came back he'd find us in a poker game
The artist suggests that if Jesus returned to earth he would discover people gambling
After finding out the drinks were all free but they won't let you out the door again
Once realizing that the beverages are complimentary, the establishment will prevent you from leaving
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SAMUEL ERVIN BEAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mlplunalover
Lyrics:
Cain got a milk eyed mule from the auction
Able got a telephone
And even the last of the blue eyed babies know
That the burning man is the colour of the end of days
And how every tongue that gets bit always has another word to say
Cain bought a blade from some witch at the window
Able bought a bag of weed
And even the last of the brown eyed babies see
That the cartoon king has a tattoo of a bleeding heart
There ain’t a penthouse Christian wants the pain of the scab but they all want the scar
How every mouth sings of what it’s without so we all sing of love
And how it ain’t one dog who’s good at fucking and denying who he’s thinking of
Cain heard the cat fall limp off the rooftop
Able heard his papa prey
And even the last of the black eyed babies say
That every saint has a chair you can borrow and a church to sell
And the wind blows cold across the back of the master and the kitchen help
There’s a big pile of innocent bones still holding up the garden wall
And it was always the broken hand we learned to lean on after all
How God knows if Christ came back he’d find us in a poker game
After finding out all the drinks were all free but they won’t let you out the door again
@angelidoko6069
Such a profound message. The song's entire portrayal, from the patterns of the lyrics, to the diction and symbolism used, to the intelligently composed tunes of the music, are absolute. Iron and Wine never fails to deliver.
@alexspringer7666
This is songwriting mastery, just so everyone's clear.
@ashbell1046
It’s just fucking brilliant. I keep coming back to it.
@Pilafcg
Most people will never know
@gana7206
Correct. Top 10 best songs ever
@pickleobsessed
This song sounds like a caterpillar crawling on a branch
@clownscum3517
literal masterpiece of a song, definitely my favorite from them
@rainy2528
Insane lyrics!!🥹
@sonichedgehog1922
So cool Sam Beam
@FarahMahardika
pretty one