Death
The Pretty Things Lyrics

The Pretty Things's song "Death" is a dark and haunting portrayal of grief and loss. The opening lines paint a striking image, as loved ones place heavy stones on the singer's face, symbolizing the weight of death and mourning. The second line refers to "sonnets of life," perhaps alluding to the idea that a person's life is a work of art, complete with its own rhythms and patterns. These sonnets are now being filled into a "case" - perhaps a metaphor for a coffin or a final resting place.

The next lines are particularly mysterious: "High windows inside me/Look down on your face." This could be interpreted in a few different ways - perhaps the singer is looking down on the deceased from a high vantage point, or maybe they're experiencing a kind of out-of-body moment of introspection. The following lines suggest a military context, with the reference to "men in the sand" and "burning bright spears." The grey children mentioned in the third stanza may be a reference to the next generation, who cannot fully comprehend the loss of those who came before them.

The final lines of the song are particularly vivid, as grief takes on a palpable physicality. The "slow pulse of sobbing" dries up "from the sky," perhaps suggesting that the grieving process is a kind of cathartic release of emotion that eventually runs its course. The "red circles" seem to represent the emotional scars that are left behind, while the "grey child" who passes by may be a symbol of the cyclical nature of life - with each generation taking their turn to experience loss and grief.