The Gardener
Alma Lyrics

"The Gardener" by Alma is a hauntingly beautiful song that speaks of the destruction and loss that follows the pursuit of power and the corruption of the human heart. In the first verse, the singer imagines herself as a gardener, but instead of nurturing and cultivating life, she is "corrupt and captured hearts." She is a "lighthouse on the brink," a warning of impending danger that no one heeds. The second verse continues this theme, with the line "lights for your dead parade" suggesting that even in death, the corrupted and the powerful will continue to celebrate themselves at the expense of others. The line "the banker always wins" is a grim reminder that in our world, money and influence always seem to triumph over morality and justice.

In the chorus, Alma comes back to the imagery of the gardener, but this time with a different tone. The lighthouse still stands, and the lights still shine, but they are now "for your damn parade." The train wreck in the storm is still there, but instead of being a warning of danger, it now represents destruction and loss. The repeated line "your heart is just the start" is a powerful reminder that our actions and intentions have consequences that ripple out far beyond our immediate surroundings.

The bridge of the song comes as a release, with the repeated line "over your cities grass will grow" suggesting a renewal of life and hope even in the face of devastation. The final chorus again emphasizes the fallen state of humanity, with "feelings fallen down," and the singer's final words are a plea for a better way forward, "If I was a gardener."