Distinguishing characteristics of the band include frontman Daniel Smith's squeaky falsetto and sometimes nasally vocals. The band also incorporates visuals into some of its performance such as matching costumes and encouraging audience participation of clap-alongs, hand gestures and dance moves. Some appearances have seen Daniel playing a guitar while inside a costume of a ten foot tree bearing nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.[1]
Members of Danielson Famile portray a proud DIY attitude within many aspects of their work. All of Danielson's album artwork is done by Daniel himself, with the exception of the construction paper inserts of the two Tri-Danielson albums which were done by Chris. The animation in their music videos for the songs Headz in the Cloudz and Rubbernecker feature stop motion animation done by Chris. The band members' uniforms begin as Daniel's vision and then are designed by Megan. Although all the girls participate in the sewing, the driving force behind the construction is Marian, their mother.
My Lion Sleeps Tonight
Danielson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My share of the estate
Poison
Stomach
Pig pods
No longer worthy
To be called your son
But papa runs to me
And in his arms
?Round me he does throw
I?ve been given best robe
Rings and sandals
For my bloody feet
Bring on the fatted calf
And let us all have a feast
This son of mine once was dead
But now is alive again
My
Lion
Sleeps
Tonight
As a dog returns
To his vomit
So I have run
I set my affection on thee
The only one and
I turn my eyes from all
The worthless things and
I set my affection on thee
The only one and, oh
The only one, oh
This son is done and, oh
This son is done and, oh
This son is done
The poison has been drained
The lyrics in this song are taken from the parable of the Prodigal Son in the Bible. The first part of the song is a description of the son's journey from his distant country, where he has squandered his inheritance, to his home where he hopes to receive mercy from his father. He admits to his unworthiness and hopes only to be a servant. However, his father does not just forgive him, he fully restores him to his position as a son by giving him the best robe, a ring, sandals, and ordering a feast to be held in his honor. The lyrics then transition to a declaration from the son that he will turn away from the worthless things that led him astray and set his affection only on his father. The song ends with the line, "The poison has been drained," possibly indicating that the son has been cleansed from his former lifestyle.
The use of "My Lion Sleeps Tonight" in the song references the famous song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," also known as "Wimoweh," which is based on a traditional African song. It was popularized in the 1960s by The Tokens and has since been covered by many other artists. The use of this reference may suggest that the son's journey is like a lion's hunt, with the son eventually finding rest and peace in his father's love.
Some other possible interpretations of the lyrics include the idea that the son's journey represents a spiritual journey of redemption and forgiveness, or that it is a metaphor for the cycle of sin and repentance that can occur in human relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Distant country
I was far away from my father's house
My share of the estate
I asked my father for my inheritance and received it
Poison
The food I ate was so bad that it made me sick
Stomach
My stomach was hurting from the poison
Is filled with
I ate a lot of pig food because I had nothing else to eat
Pig pods
The food that pigs eat, which was all I could afford
No longer worthy
I felt ashamed and unworthy of being my father's son
To be called your son
I didn't think I deserved to be called his son anymore
But papa runs to me
My father ran towards me to greet me and welcome me home
And in his arms
He hugged me and held me close
?Round me he does throw
He threw his arms around me
I?ve been given best robe
My father gave me his best robe to wear, signifying his love and forgiveness
Rings and sandals
He also gave me a ring and sandals, symbols of his acceptance and authority
For my bloody feet
He cared for my wounds and bruises, showing his compassion and kindness
Bring on the fatted calf
My father ordered the best calf to be killed for a feast in my honor
And let us all have a feast
He wanted everyone to celebrate my return and his joy at having me back
This son of mine once was dead
I was lost and separated from my father, living as if I were dead spiritually
But now is alive again
My father's love and forgiveness resurrected me and gave me new life
My
My father's
Lion
Authority and power
Sleeps
Rests, because he knows I am safe and restored
As a dog returns
As a foolish and unclean animal returns
To his vomit
To his own filth and degradation
So I have run
In the past, I ran away from my father's love and protection
I set my affection on thee
Now, I have redirected my love towards my father and his ways
The only one and
He is the only one worthy of my love and devotion
I turn my eyes from all
I have turned away from all that was worthless and sinful in my life
The worthless things and
All that was meaningless and harmful to my soul
I set my affection on thee
I choose to love and follow my father, who showed me true love and forgiveness
The only one and, oh
He is the only one who can truly satisfy my heart and soul
The only one, oh
He alone deserves my worship and adoration
This son is done and, oh
I have turned away from my past and embraced my new life in my father's love
This son is done and, oh
I am no longer lost, but found and accepted by my father
This son is done
My past mistakes and failures no longer define me, because I am restored and redeemed by my father's love
The poison has been drained
My heart and soul have been cleansed from the poison of sin, because of my father's love and forgiveness
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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