PRIDE
Bob and Earl Lyrics


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Like the lion tears the flesh off of a man
So can a woman who passes herself off as a male
They sang "Danny Boy" at his funeral and the Lord's Prayer
Preacher talking 'bout Christ betrayed
It's like the earth just opened and swallowed him up
He reached too high, was thrown back to the ground
You know what they say about bein' nice to the right people on the way up
Sooner or later you gonna meet them comin' down

Well, there ain't no goin' back when your foot of pride come down
Ain't no goin' back

Hear ya got a brother named James, don't forget faces or names
Sunken cheeks and his blood is mixed
He looked straight into the sun and said revenge is mine
But he drinks, and drinks can be fixed
Sing me one more song, about ya love me to the moon and the stranger
And your fall by the sword love affair with Erroll Flynn
in these times of compassion when conformity's in fashion
Say one more stupid thing to me before the final nail is driven in.

Well, there ain't no goin' back when your foot of pride come down
Ain't no goin' back

There's a retired businessman named Red, cast down from heaven and he's out of his head
He feeds off of everyone that he can touch
He said he only deals in cash or sells tickets to a plane crash
He's not somebody that you play around with much
Miss Delilah is his, a Philistine is what she is
She'll do wondrous works with your fate
Feed you coconut bread, spice buns in your bed
If you don't mind sleepin' with your head face down in a grave.

Well, there ain't no goin' back when your foot of pride come down
Ain't no goin' back

Well they'll choose a man for you to meet tonight
You'll play the fool and learn how to walk through doors
How to enter into the gates of paradise
No, how to carry a burden too heavy to be yours
Yeah, from the stage they'll be tryin' to get water outta rocks
A whore will pass the hat, collect a hundred grand and say thanks
They like to take all this money from sin, build big universities to study in
Sing "Amazing Grace" all the way to the Swiss banks

Well, there ain't no goin' back when your foot of pride come down
Ain't no goin' back

They got some beautiful people out there, man
They can be a terror to your mind and show you how to hold your tongue
They got mystery written all over their forehead
They kill babies in the crib and say only the good die young
They don't believe in mercy
Judgment on them is something that you'll never see
They can exalt you up or bring you down main route
Turn you into anything that they want you to be

Well, there ain't no goin' back when your foot of pride come down
Ain't no goin' back

Yes, I guess I loved him too
I can still see him in my mind climbin' that hill
Did he make it to the top, well he probably did and dropped
Struck down by the strength of the will
Ain't nothin' left here partner, just the dust of a plague that has left this whole town afraid
From now on, this'll be where you're from
Let the dead bury the dead. Your time will come
Let hot iron blow as he raised the shade





Well, there ain't no goin' back when your foot of pride come down
Ain't no goin' back

Overall Meaning

The song "Pride" by Bob and Earl is a haunting and introspective exploration of the dangers of pride and the consequences of reaching too far. The lyrics start with a comparison between a lion tearing a man's flesh and a woman who disguises herself as a male, suggesting the power of pride to transform and destroy. The song incorporates vignettes about various people who have been brought low by their own pride or the pride of others, from the funeral of a man who reached too high to a retired businessman who preys on others to a man who climbed a hill and was struck down by his own ambition. The repeated refrain of "there ain't no going back when your foot of pride come down" underscores the finality of the consequences of pride.


The song has a measured pace and a mournful, bluesy tone that underscores the weightiness of the lyrics. The images in the lyrics are vivid and memorable, such as the comparison of the singer's love affair to Erroll Flynn to his own eventual fall by the sword. The song seems to be a meditation on the inevitability of death and the dangers of hubris, with a sense of cautionary wisdom that is compelling and timeless.


Line by Line Meaning

Like the lion tears the flesh off of a man So can a woman who passes herself off as a male
A woman who disguises herself as a man can be just as dangerous as a wild animal attacking its prey.


They sang "Danny Boy" at his funeral and the Lord's Prayer Preacher talking 'bout Christ betrayed
Despite the mourners singing a traditional song and the preacher discussing religious themes, the focus is on the betrayal that the deceased faced.


It's like the earth just opened and swallowed him up He reached too high, was thrown back to the ground
The person who was raised too high fell from grace and was humbled, as if the ground beneath them had given way.


You know what they say about bein' nice to the right people on the way up Sooner or later you gonna meet them comin' down
If you take advantage of others while climbing the ladder of success, you will eventually encounter those same people who will bring you down when you fall from grace.


Well, there ain't no goin' back when your foot of pride come down Ain't no goin' back
Once you have experienced a fall from grace, you can never truly return to your former status or position of power.


Hear ya got a brother named James, don't forget faces or names Sunken cheeks and his blood is mixed
The singer is cautioning someone not to forget the identity of their brother, James, whose sunken cheeks and mixed blood suggest that he is battling issues of addiction and poverty.


He looked straight into the sun and said revenge is mine But he drinks, and drinks can be fixed
James seeks revenge for what happened to him in the past, but his reliance on alcohol is a problem that can be overcome.


Sing me one more song, about ya love me to the moon and the stranger And your fall by the sword love affair with Erroll Flynn
The artist wants someone to sing a romantic song about falling in love with a stranger and compares it to a doomed love affair with a famous actor.


in these times of compassion when conformity's in fashion Say one more stupid thing to me before the final nail is driven in.
The artist is sarcastically pointing out that while society is increasingly embracing compassion, there are still those who insist on making insensitive comments at the worst possible moment.


There's a retired businessman named Red, cast down from heaven and he's out of his head He feeds off of everyone that he can touch
The artist is describing a greedy retired businessman named Red who has become insane and will do anything to exploit and take advantage of others.


She'll do wondrous works with your fate Feed you coconut bread, spice buns in your bed If you don't mind sleepin' with your head face down in a grave.
A woman named Miss Delilah is capable of manipulating your destiny and offering you luxuries, but you will ultimately pay the price with your own life.


Well they'll choose a man for you to meet tonight You'll play the fool and learn how to walk through doors How to enter into the gates of paradise No, how to carry a burden too heavy to be yours
Someone else will choose your fate and force you to endure situations that are beyond your control, and you will be burdened with the weight of responsibility you cannot bear.


Yeah, from the stage they'll be tryin' to get water outta rocks A whore will pass the hat, collect a hundred grand and say thanks They like to take all this money from sin, build big universities to study in Sing "Amazing Grace" all the way to the Swiss banks
People in positions of power will exploit the less fortunate and use their resources to build academic institutions, all while pretending to be virtuous and charitable.


They don't believe in mercy Judgment on them is something that you'll never see They can exalt you up or bring you down main route Turn you into anything that they want you to be
Those in power do not believe in forgiveness or compassion, and they can easily elevate you to a position of influence or completely ruin your life, forcing you to become whoever they want you to be.


Yes, I guess I loved him too I can still see him in my mind climbin' that hill Did he make it to the top, well he probably did and dropped Struck down by the strength of the will
The singer is reminiscing about a past love who may have climbed to great heights but fell due to his own determination and ambition.


Ain't nothin' left here partner, just the dust of a plague that has left this whole town afraid From now on, this'll be where you're from Let the dead bury the dead. Your time will come Let hot iron blow as he raised the shade
The artist is describing a desolate place where the townspeople are fearful and unable to move forward, resigning themselves to their fate and letting the past remain buried.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB DYLAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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