Temporary Remedy
Ben Harper Lyrics


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I killed a snake with a bible
I was living a Johnny Cash song
I'm afraid for this I may be liable
So its best I be moving - moving along

Just a temporary remedy
Running through my veins
Summer lasted through November
Funny when its gone you miss cold
Words can be spoken for a lifetime
We can never hear until we're told

Just a temporary remedy
Running through my veins

They tell me nothing is perfect
Then tell me why is it a word
Yesterday's news is tomorrow's blues
Now they're perfectly blurred





Just a temporary remedy
Running through my veins

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ben Harper's song "Temporary Remedy" are imbued with a sense of restless urgency and a longing for something different. The opening lines convey a sense of danger and uncertainty as Harper sings, "I killed a snake with a bible/I was living a Johnny Cash song." The use of a dangerous reptile and an iconic musician sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is about the search for something better and the fear of the consequences of one's actions.


Harper goes on to sing about his fear of liability and the need to keep moving, suggesting that he has done something wrong and needs to stay one step ahead of the consequences. The chorus, "Just a temporary remedy/Running through my veins," suggests that whatever Harper is searching for is a fleeting and impermanent fix to a deeper problem. The second verse is full of contradictions and paradoxes, highlighting the difficulty of finding true meaning and satisfaction in life. Harper sings about missing the cold after summer, and the difficulty of hearing important words until they are spoken to us directly.


Overall, the lyrics to "Temporary Remedy" are a poignant reflection on the human condition, full of raw emotion and a sense of longing for something more. The song speaks to our innate desire for meaning and belonging, and the search for a way to make sense of our lives.


Line by Line Meaning

I killed a snake with a bible
I did something extreme to deal with a problem that bothered me, it was a solution that may not be justifiable in society's eyes.


I was living a Johnny Cash song
I was living life in a way that was thrilling and legendary like Johnny Cash's music.


I'm afraid for this I may be liable
I know what I did was wrong and could have legal consequences, so it's best for me to avoid any further trouble.


So its best I be moving - moving along
I need to leave this past behind and move on from this situation for my own safety and wellbeing.


Just a temporary remedy
What I did was a quick fix for the immediate problem, but not a long-term solution.


Running through my veins
The memory of what I did lingers with me and it's always affecting me emotionally.


Summer lasted through November
Something good was present and lasted longer than expected, but because it's over, the ensuing period seems burdensome.


Funny when its gone you miss cold
The differences between things seem to go unnoticed until they are gone, like how members of a couple don't miss their partner's flaws until after they break up.


Words can be spoken for a lifetime
Words can have a lasting impact on people's memory and that's why they're carefully chosen, to ensure that the message is received and taken seriously.


We can never hear until we're told
We could be oblivious to important information until someone tells us, sometimes we're ignorant of our flaws and we won't understand them unless people point out.


They tell me nothing is perfect
People often say that perfection doesn't exist, that mistakes are a part of life and that nobody can ever be flawless.


Then tell me why is it a word
If perfection doesn't exist, then how come the word continues to be used in everyday language and culture?


Yesterday's news is tomorrow's blues
The bad things we experience in the past will affect our future, even after the event has passed.


Now they're perfectly blurred
The memory of those past bad things may never leave and hence become very unclear and hazy, hence a person may feel affected in the present due to the past experiences.


Just a temporary remedy
The things we do to numb the pain of bad memories such as various opioids can help temporarily, but it does not provide permanent relief.


Running through my veins
The opioids or the things one does to forget may continue to affect the person permanently due to the intense effects of these activities.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: BEN C HARPER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@rottencotten

this is the first song I ever heard from this messiah and it will forever remain my favorite...I love this DVD!!!...

@jessecastro5371

Flawless guitar work... flawless

@Jackstanford7

King of slide guitar!

@gr2br024

someone needs to post the soundcheck from this dvd. its ben by himself playing forgiven, awesome.

@Mihalis51

Friggen awesome!!

@interfanflo

DAMN! just amazing. so great.

@ProjectCobalt

@bigsamable1 Okay, I get what you're saying. Ben Harper is a fantastic musician, playing an real live instrument. But all of the genres you listed still take skill in some capacity. Making good music in -any- genre requires skills and talent. Just because Daft Punk can't shred on the slide-guitar like Ben, doesn't mean they aren't credible artists in their own right - I'd like to see what Ben might go with techno arrangement, honestly - he's an astounding musical talent.

@TheZimmy84

There's the BLUES and then theres ben harper and jack johnson. nuff said. thats is all the music u ever need. not country not metal not rap not pop not techno not rock. thats all i gotta say about that!!!

@MrTJRadio

@cookmoore yes, it'z from Live @ the Hollywood Bowl.. the whole dvd kicks ass!

@lvstefvl

this man is my god

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