Here is some background information on Clear Heart Full Eyes from the No Future Songfacts . In early 2011 Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn challenged himself to write a new song every day in his Brooklyn apartment for his first solo album. "I had written a bunch of songs that were outside of the norm for The Hold Steady, a little quieter and perhaps more narrative," he said. "I wanted to gain some experience and insight into the process of making a record by working with new people." Finn enlisted producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon) and traveled to an Austin, Texas studio far away from his New York comfort zone. He hooked up with some local musicians there, including members of Phosphorescent and White Denim and sang his vocals live, keeping takes to a minimum and completed recording in a few days. The resulting album, Clear Heart Full Eyes was released on January 24, 2012 on Vagrant Records.
Head Rolls Off
Craig Finn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And God's got his dead friends round
I believe in a house in the clouds
And God's got his dead friends round
I believe in a house in the clouds
And God's got his dead friends round
Jesus is just a Spanish boy's name
To any me, it's pointless to anybody
That doesn't have faith
Give me the cloth and I'll wipe my face
When it's all gone, something carries on
And it's not morbid at all
Just when natures had enough of you
When my blood stops, someone else's will thaw
When my head rolls off, someone else's will turn
And while I'm alive, I'll make tiny changes to earth
Tiny changes to earth, tiny changes to earth
So you can burn me 'cause we'll all be the same, the same way
Dirt in someone's eyes cried down the drain
I believe in a house in the clouds
And God's got his dead friends round
He's painted all the walls red to remind them they're all dead
And when it's all gone, something carries on
And it's not morbid at all, it's just that natures had enough of you
When my blood stops, someone else's will thaw
When my head rolls off, someone else's will turn
While I'm alive, I'll make tiny changes to earth
Tiny changes to earth, tiny changes to earth
Tiny changes to earth, tiny changes to earth
Tiny changes to earth, tiny changes to earth
Jesus is just a Spanish boy's name
In "Head Rolls Off" by Craig Finn, the lyrics explore themes of belief, mortality, and the interconnectedness of life. The song begins with the repeated line, "I believe in a house in the clouds, and God's got his dead friends round." This line speaks to the singer's belief in an afterlife or spiritual realm, where departed souls gather. It suggests that there is a comfort in the idea that those who have passed away are still present in some way, providing solace and companionship.
The lyrics then touch upon the idea of the insignificance of fame and the question of why one person, like Jesus, attained such great fame while others may go unnoticed. The line "To any me, it's pointless to anybody that doesn't have faith" reflects the idea that faith gives meaning and significance to certain names or individuals.
The chorus emphasizes the cyclical nature of life and death, with the line "When it's all gone, something carries on." This can be interpreted as a reminder that even after death, something of ourselves remains, whether it is the impact we had on others or the continuation of life in someone else.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of humility and acceptance of one's mortality. The line "So you can burn me 'cause we'll all be the same, the same way" reflects a recognition that in the end, we all share the same fate. This acceptance is further expressed in the line "When my head rolls off, someone else's will turn," portraying the idea that life goes on, and others will carry on the torch.
Line by Line Meaning
I believe in a house in the clouds
I have faith in the existence of a spiritual realm
And God's got his dead friends round
In this spiritual realm, God is surrounded by the souls of the deceased
Jesus is just a Spanish boy's name
The significance of Jesus extends beyond cultural labels
How come one man got so much fame?
Why did one individual achieve such widespread recognition?
To any me, it's pointless to anybody
From my perspective, it may seem meaningless to others
That doesn't have faith
Those who lack faith may not understand its significance
Give me the cloth and I'll wipe my face
I will take responsibility for my own actions and consequences
When it's all gone, something carries on
Even when everything seems lost, something continues to endure
And it's not morbid at all
This continuation is not morbid or depressing
Just when natures had enough of you
At the point when nature has exhausted its patience with you
When my blood stops, someone else's will thaw
When I cease to exist, another person's life will flourish
When my head rolls off, someone else's will turn
When I die, someone else will take my place and continue living
And while I'm alive, I'll make tiny changes to earth
During my lifetime, I will contribute small modifications to the world
So you can burn me 'cause we'll all be the same, the same way
You can condemn me to destruction because ultimately we are all equal
Dirt in someone's eyes cried down the drain
The tears shed for someone's pain eventually wash away
He's painted all the walls red to remind them they're all dead
God has symbolically painted the walls red to serve as a reminder that everyone in this spiritual realm is deceased
While I'm alive, I'll make tiny changes to earth
While I am alive, I will continue to contribute small modifications to the world
Tiny changes to earth, tiny changes to earth
These modifications may be small but still have an impact on the world
Tiny changes to earth, tiny changes to earth
Continuing to make small alterations to the world
Tiny changes to earth, tiny changes to earth
Persisting in making these minor adjustments to the world
Tiny changes to earth, tiny changes to earth
Making tiny modifications to the world on an ongoing basis
Jesus is just a Spanish boy's name
The name Jesus is merely a label given from a particular cultural perspective
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Grant David Hutchison, Scott John Hutchison, David Kennedy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MrPmerefield
Craig Finn - front man of the Greatest Bar Band I've ever seen play live. Scottie and The Hold Steady will always be linked in my mind as he played a solo set on the first night of their London Weekender at the EB, Camden 2018. The rest of the story sadly we all know. God Bless Scott - Great job Craig.
'Jesus is just a Spanish Boy's name'
María Inés Camacho Becerra
Pekdjwjejekee=
Aiden Kinerk
God, this entire album is fantastic. All these covers are brilliant while still capturing the raw, depressive emotion of the original. A wonderful tribute.
Johnny Reviews!
Thanks for releasing this album! Love to Scott, Grant and all of FR and their extended family!!
Jason Kennedy
Very different. Love the original, love this too.
Andrew Cunningham
Craig gave us an absolutely heartbreaking stripped down version when he played Edinburgh last, I like this version but that night it was just... so sad but so perfect. When it's all gone, something carries on...
Mike Hart
He's painted all the walls in red
To remind them they're all dead.
Jesse Moynan
Julien Baker should have just covered the whole album
Allison Sellers
Get out of here Altar Cat
UUUNNNHHH
10 toes down though