The Greatest.
.Cat Power Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No wind or waterfall could stall me
And then came the rush of the flood
Stars at night turned deep to dust
Melt me down
Into big black armour
Leave no trace of grace
Lower me down
Culprit south
Make 'em wash a space in town
For the lead
And the dregs of my bed
I've been sleeping
Lower me down
Pin me in
Secure the grounds
For the later parade
Once I wanted to be the greatest
Two fists of solid rock
With brains that could explain any feeling
Lower me down
Pin me in
Secure the grounds
For the lead
And the dregs of my bed
I've been sleeping
For the later parade
Once I wanted to be the greatest
No wind or waterfall could stall me
And then came the rush of the flood
The stars at night turned deep to dust
The opening lyrics of Cat Powerβs song βThe Greatestβ describe a sort of ambitious idealism that one can relate to at various points in life, where the singer sets out to be βthe greatestβ and is seemingly unstoppable. They are brimming with confidence, fortified against any obstacle, with no fear of being slowed down by even natureβs most powerful entities like a βwind or a waterfallβ. However, this picture of unbridled optimism is quickly painted over by the mention of βthe rush of the floodβ, an event signifying unexpected changes that render the original plan impossible to follow. This sudden change represents a moment of pathos for the singer, as well as an opportunity to reflect.
The second half of the song is tinged with a sense of regret, or perhaps a recognition that what could have been achieved is now far beyond reach. The lyrics are focused on accepting the consequences, with the singer asking to be βLowered down (and) melted me down into big black armour, Leave no trace of grace, just in your honorβ. The lyrics suggest a desire to hide from the world, to bury oneself in something protective and remove all of the ego that had existed before.
Overall, the song reads as a cautionary tale, where even the strongest desires can fall apart in the face of an unexpected challenge. It highlights the importance of owning our flaws and how it is possible to let go of the passions that once defined us, leaving only a willingness to start again.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I wanted to be the greatest
I used to have a grandiose dream of being the best at something.
No wind or waterfall could stall me
I believed nothing could hinder or stop me from achieving my goal.
And then came the rush of the flood
Suddenly, unexpected problems drowned me with anxiety and stress.
Stars at night turned deep to dust
The things that used to give me comfort and hope now seem dull and lifeless.
Melt me down
Remove all of my personality and individuality.
Into big black armour
Turn me into a tough, impenetrable shell.
Leave no trace of grace
Erase any sense of elegance or refinement I might have had.
Just in your honor
Only to impress you or gain your approval.
Lower me down
Bring me down from my perch or high expectations.
Culprit south
Go to a place where I feel guilty or undeserving.
Make 'em wash a space in town
Force people to acknowledge and accept my presence, even if they don't want to.
For the lead
To be in control or take charge.
And the dregs of my bed
My lowest moments and all of my flaws.
I've been sleeping
I've been ignorant or unaware of the damage I've done or the mistakes I've made.
Pin me in
Confining me to a specific role or limiting who I am.
Secure the grounds
Establishing a clear and defined set of boundaries and expectations.
For the later parade
For the moment when I can show off or prove myself to others.
Two fists of solid rock
A strong, powerful physical presence.
With brains that could explain any feeling
Having intelligence and emotional awareness to understand and communicate emotions.
Lyrics Β© Peermusic Publishing, BEGGARS MUSIC, LTD.
Written by: CHAN MARSHALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@waltercastillo4678
La la la
La la la
La la la
Now that I've lost everything to you
You say you want to start something new
And it's breaking my heart you're leaving
Baby I'm greaving
But if you want to leave take good care
Hope you have a lot of nice things to wear
But then a lot of nice things turn bad out there
Oh baby baby it's a wild world
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh baby baby it's a wild world
I'll always remember you like a child girl
You know I've seen a lot of what the world can do
And it's breaking my heart in two
'Cause I never want to see you sad girl
Don't be a bad girl
But if you want leave take good care
Hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there's a lot of bad everywhere
Oh baby baby it's a wild world
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh baby baby it's a wild world
And I'll always remember you like a child girl yeah
La la la
La la la
Baby I love you, but if you want to leave take good care
Hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there's a lot of bad everywhere
Oh baby baby it's a wild world
It's hard to get by just just upon a smile
Yeah yeah yeah
Oh baby baby it's a wild world
And I'll always remember you like a child girl oh yeah
Oh baby baby it's a wild world
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
Yeah
Oh baby baby it's a wild world
And I'll always remember you like a child girl
@martinkuliza
and....... Praying is going to do what ?
HERE IS SOME TRUTH MATE
it's nice that she holds a special place in your heart
it's sad that her bladder mass has doubled
but... if you want your mum to pass away............. KEEP PRAYING FOR HER
if you want her to live................... GO TO A DOCTOR
Your mum mate
Your choice mate
I wish you the best and your mum
but i will not pray for you because i know it's useless
@phigbill
You obviousy know nothing, Father John Misty, Sufjan Steven, Bon Iver, Tobias Jesso Jr., Julie Byrne, The Dawdler, Band Of Horses, A Neutral Milk Hotel, Beta Band, Jeff Tweedy, Wilco, Florist, Tim Hecker, Jai Paul, Nolan Garrett, Aldous Harding, Julie Baker, Keaton Henson and many MANY more....
Educate yourself with what's out there, the above all tour internationally have had multiple acclaimed LP's, TV appearances etc.
So stop been an old fucking fart and talking utter shite.
@lilcajintex
This was my daughter's ring tone on my phone because it fit her so perfectly. She was shot and killed on Oct. 2, 2015. It only proved that the words of this song are true. She wasn't perfect, but I loved her unconditionally, and I still love her and miss her so much.
@makemeyourradio52
oh man hope she's in a better place now.
@carlageldhof8664
So sorry for your loss π’
@lilcajintex
@@carlageldhof8664 Thank you.
@lilcajintex
@@makemeyourradio52 She is.
@arcticwanderer2109
Was she one of the Oregon shooting victims?
@Shellyshocked
My Mom used to sing this to me. R.I.P. Momma. I was a troubled teen thankfully, I grew up and gained control of my life. 23 yrs clean and happy π
@MikeRLloyd73
Good luck to you and yours...
@strip8910
Well done. Keep coming back. It works only if you work it
@carlageldhof8664
Bless you