Crossbow
Common Market Lyrics

(Hey) The interjection interrupts the status-quo
The singer is interrupting the current situation and wants to bring about a change.

Grab the staff – holdin' back the stratus off the plateau
Take control of the situation and prevent it from getting worse.

Cold settle in, elders talkin' "long winters evident"
The situation is dire and the elders are warning of difficult times ahead.

Seal it closed; deal another dose of medicine, they say
Take action and find a solution to the problem, like administering medicine to cure an illness.

(Hey) Things could always be worse – the church is waterproof
The artist is trying to remain optimistic and sees the church as a safe haven in difficult times.

Impermeable to the blood the slaughter produces
The church is immune to the violence and atrocities that occur outside its walls.

We'll wait it out here and summon the saints to oversee us
We will stay here in the safety of the church and seek divine guidance.

Pastor chaperone, lead us in a prayer for non-believers sayin'
The pastor will guide us in prayer, asking for forgiveness for those who do not believe.

(Hey) Lord they strayed from the fold
The artist is praying for those who have turned away from religion.

Gave 'em the knowledge of Solomon and they made the choice to trade it for gold
The artist is lamenting that people have traded spiritual knowledge for worldly possessions and wealth.

Grant us victory against the victims Satan takes in
The singer is asking for divine help in overcoming the evil forces that tempt people away from the church.

Paused to end – the room in unison repeated "amen," and then
The prayer ends with a sense of unity, as everyone says 'amen' together.

(Hey) A solitary echo through the sanctuary set it off
A sudden noise disrupts the stillness of the church.

"How can we be leaders if the rest are lost?"
One person questions how they can lead others if they themselves are lost or uncertain.

Quelled quick – cleric rose and spoke, addressed him 'heretic'
The cleric quickly silences the person who spoke up, accusing him of being a heretic.

He drew heat from the manuscript in Hebrew, Greek and Arabic
The cleric draws from his extensive knowledge of religious texts in different languages to prove his point.

"Many are called, but few are chosen" he quoted
The cleric quotes a common religious phrase to affirm that only a select few are meant to lead others.

To which the team ratified and all but one seemed satisfied
Everyone seems to accept the cleric's explanation, except for one person who is still unsatisfied.

Same cat: "Explain that please – where's the balance?"
The same person who was previously questioning speaks up again, asking for clarification and balance in the argument.

The panel seized – no man of reason ever dared to challenge the
The group falls silent and no one wants to challenge the religious authorities.

Infallible – Priest deferred to Bishop, the Bishop to the Cardinal
The religious authorities are seen as infallible and each defers to the one above them in rank.

Cardinal to the Pope – Pope to Oracle
Even the Pope defers to a higher authority, the Oracle.

And She suggested possibly the meaning was implied
The Oracle suggests that the true meaning is implied rather than explicitly stated.

That the 'chosen one' was he the others chose to cast aside sayin'
The Oracle suggests that the chosen leader may not necessarily be the one chosen by the religious authorities.

(Hey) You cannot be worthy with your dirty garb
The singer accuses someone of being unworthy due to their poor appearance.

Fuck your thirty-odd-year ministry; you're finished leadin'
The singer curses someone's long years in the religious ministry and says they are no longer fit to lead.

People down a narrow path, complicatin' Pharaoh's Math
The singer accuses the religious authorities of leading people down a difficult path and causing confusion.

Castigate the cat for trynna harrow with the parallax
The artist criticizes someone for trying to deceive others with misleading information.

(Hey) Who you think you're foolin' with your nobleness and globalism
The artist is questioning someone's motives and accuses them of being fake and overly concerned with global issues.

When your pearl of wisdom lack the opalescent sheen
Despite having some wisdom, the singer feels that it lacks depth and clarity.

We're accustomed to carats in high teens
The singer is used to seeing things of high quality and is not impressed by someone's mediocre wisdom.

By the King we demand you answer to a higher being sayin'
The artist demands that the person being addressed answers to a higher power.

(Hey) Hey – all the way to your beheading
The artist is threatening someone with a violent punishment such as a beheading.

You're gon' pay for letting broken etiquette affect the wedding ceremony
The artist accuses someone of causing problems at a wedding ceremony due to their lack of manners and decorum.

Pony up and put your pumpkin in the guillotine
The singer is asking someone to take responsibility for their actions and accept the punishment that awaits them.

Storefront watch and score one for the Philistines
The artist is using a metaphor to suggest that someone is acting like a war profiteer and selling goods to the enemy.

(Hey) Pay attention, son – here's where the plot twists
The singer warns someone to pay attention because there's a surprising turn of events coming up.

Bloody moon debauchery and talk of the apocalypse is
There is talk of dangerous and dark events happening soon, with references to the end of the world.

Taken outta context, Pagans tout a contest
People who don't understand the true meaning of religious texts are misinterpreting them and creating problems.

The knight was a sacrifice to let the pawn check
A noble person sacrificed themselves to allow a less important person to make a move.

(Hey) Now they're makin' moves in self defense
People are now acting in response to a perceived threat, rather than taking offensive action.

Trynna piece together strategies from clues shelved since
People are trying to figure out a plan of action based on information they've gathered in the past.

The Orthodoxy had interpretation liberties exclusively
Religious authorities have been interpreting texts in ways that benefit their own agenda rather than what is truly intended.

Stone-throwin' finger-pointin' bitches – you aint new to me
The artist is used to people blaming others and pointing fingers to avoid taking responsibility.

(Hey) See we are not the Puritans or Lutherans
The artist wants to distinguish themselves from other religious groups like the Puritans or Lutherans.

Or Calvinists or any other Protestantic pseudonym
The artist does not identify with any other religious group or label themselves with any religious name.

Ironically they persecute us, too – to turn 'em all against
Even though the singer is not part of any particular religious group, they are still unfairly persecuted and discriminated against.

The truth – mental funnel out the fundamental tolerance
The artist believes in the fundamental truth and tolerance that comes with religion.

(Hey) We're callin' from the wall around your compound
The singer is calling out someone from a place of safety and security.

Reclaim our stomping grounds – common bond'll be the God Sound
The singer wants to take back their territory and unite people through their common belief in God.

Pump it – speakers stay conveyin' translations of the message
The singer wants to spread their message through music and public speaking.

By virtue of the words it's evidence of the
The artist believes that the message contained in their words is proof of its truth.

Vestige of the lesser prophets – make it a point
The artist believes in the teachings of the less well-known prophets and wants to emphasize their value.

Through acknowledgement the successor drop it over the joint
The singer wants to pass on their message to others through recognition and acceptance.

Touch greatness – how long you gonna play us to the side
The singer believes in their own greatness and is frustrated that others don't see it.

See the pauper you condemned is now him that takes the bride sayin'
The artist is using a metaphor to suggest that someone who was once thought less of has now risen to a position of power and respect.

(Hey) Today we celebrate the revolution
The artist is celebrating a change or transformation that has occurred.

The cycle is complete and each has made a contribution
The artist believes that everyone has played a role in the completion of a cycle or phase.

From this day forward we're gon' work allied in concert
Moving forward, everyone will work together in harmony and cooperation.

Faith applied in service – not concerned with makin' converts
The focus will be on helping others rather than trying to convert them to a particular religious belief.

(Hey) A single inquisition from the gathering
Someone asks a question and others start to gather around in anticipation of the answer.

A smattering of "what about's?" and heads started scattering
People start to ask questions and become anxious or emotional about the situation.

Typical – folks a prone to dodge the one to search
People often avoid difficult or uncomfortable conversations and instead shift the blame or responsibility elsewhere.

And I said "pardon me for probin' but I used to go to church…"
The artist admits that they are not an expert but asks a question anyway, citing their own religious background.