The Gold And The Gray
Atticus Finch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just call the priest
Solace your worries:
This too will cease
Hum the lesson
That's bled the years
To trust the engines
And nurse the gears
You've been my comfort, yes
You've been my stone, yes
I've been lonely
But not alone
I'd like to weather the crowd again
And throw my smile to the dancing girls
We'd take the 14 downtown
And swallow the city
So bring down the lights
Release the night sky
This factory ceiling
From where I lie
I'd swear that they sounded the whistle
That we can sigh of quitting time
And all the banter boys
Beneath their lampposts
To laugh us home again (3x)
Is it gold or is it gray?
Is it gold or is it gray? (I forgot to tell you)
Is it gold or is it gray? (I forgot to tell you)
Is it gold or is it gray?
The lyrics of Atticus Finch's song The Gold And The Gray speak of the daily mundane routine of a factory worker who finds solace in the monotony of his life but still yearns for something more. The opening lines of the song urge us to not blame the foreman or the manager and instead seek comfort in religion. The phrase "this too will cease" is a reminder that everything in life is temporary, even the drab routine of a factory worker. The verse then goes on to talk about the lesson that one can learn from the years of toiling away in a factory. A lesson that teaches us to trust the machines and care for them to keep them running efficiently.
The second stanza talks about a person who has been his comfort, who has been his rock, and yet he feels lonely at times. The imagery of wanting to weather the crowd again and throw his smile to the dancing girls shows that the person wants to break free from the shackles of his mundane life and enjoy the small joys of life. He wishes to travel downtown on the 14 and swallow the city.
The outro of the song comprising the repeated refrain "Is it gold or is it gray?" can be interpreted in many ways. It is possible that the gold represents the good things in life, like happiness, love, and success, while the gray represents the gloom and mundanity of everyday life. The person questions whether life is all about these two colors, gold and gray.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't fault the foreman
Don't blame the person in charge
Just call the priest
Seek comfort in religion
Solace your worries: This too will cease
Find peace in knowing that your problems will eventually end
Hum the lesson that's bled the years
Remember the wisdom gained from life's experiences
To trust the engines and nurse the gears
Have faith in the machines and take care of them
You've been my comfort, yes
You have been a source of emotional support to me
You've been my stone, yes
You have been a dependable and unchanging force in my life
I've been lonely but not alone
I have felt isolated at times, but I still have had your presence with me
I'd like to weather the crowd again
I would enjoy being in a bustling environment once more
And throw my smile to the dancing girls
I want to share my happiness with others
We'd take the 14 downtown and swallow the city
We would travel into the heart of the city and immerse ourselves in it
So bring down the lights, release the night sky
Make the sky visible by turning off artificial lighting
This factory ceiling from where I lie
I am observing the ceiling of this factory
I'd swear that they sounded the whistle
I believe I heard the sound of the whistle indicating the end of the work day
That we can sigh of quitting time
We can breathe a sigh of relief because work is done for the day
And all the banter boys beneath their lampposts
The workers are gathering for casual conversation under streetlights
To laugh us home again (3x)
We will be accompanied with laughter as we go home
Is it gold or is it gray?
Is life's outcome favorable or unfavorable?
Is it gold or is it gray? (I forgot to tell you)
I didn't mention earlier - is the outcome good or bad?
Is it gold or is it gray? (I forgot to tell you)
Again, I forgot to say - is it a positive or negative result?
Is it gold or is it gray?
What is the nature of the life we are living?
Contributed by Henry D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.