After performing in a number of metal bands in high school, Townsend was discovered by a record label in 1993 and was asked to perform lead vocals on Steve Vai's album Sex & Religion. After recording and touring with Vai, Townsend was discouraged by what he found in the music industry, and vented his anger on a solo album released under the pseudonym Strapping Young Lad. He soon assembled a band under the name, and released the critically acclaimed City in 1997. Since then, he has released three more studio albums with Strapping Young Lad, along with solo material released under his own independent record label, HevyDevy Records. Townsend's solo albums, a diverse mix of hard rock and progressive metal, have featured a varying lineup of supporting musicians. In 2002 he formed The Devin Townsend Band, a dedicated lineup which recorded and toured for two of his solo releases.
In 2007, Townsend disbanded both Strapping Young Lad and The Devin Townsend Band, taking a break from touring to spend more time with his family. After a two-year hiatus, he began work on a four-album series called The Devin Townsend Project, with each album written in a different style. The first two entries in the series, Ki and Addicted, were released in 2009. Townsend scheduled tours throughout Australia and North America in 2010 in support of the albums, and released the next two, Deconstruction and Ghost, in 2011.
Townsend's trademark production style, featuring a heavily multitracked wall of sound, has been compared to the styles of Phil Spector and Frank Zappa. His versatile vocal delivery ranges from screaming to an opera-esque singing, and his songwriting is similarly diverse. Townsend's musical style is rooted in metal, and his albums are written to express different aspects of his personality.
Funeral
Devin Townsend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tortured and blown
Stretch for the heavens and go...
I watch him go
Here it comes
Jesus was a poor boy
Jesus was a poor boy
I'm coming home
And this one's for the life
This one's for the funeral in the rain
And if only for tonight
This one's for the funeral in the rain
The day's gone and the year's gone
And I don't know when I'm coming home
I can't hold on to what I've had
When what I've had
There's nothing left at all...
So this one's for the life
This one's for the funeral in the rain
And if only for tonight
Close your eyes and try to sleep again...
A world away, you turn away
I'm wide awake, and I don't need your home
Tell me why he went, it seems to be
An element to this mystery
It's so cold today, so I get away, and I'm left behind with nothing but words...
The song "Funeral" by Devin Townsend is a melancholic and emotional piece that describes the grieving process of losing someone close. It starts with the singer standing over the grave of his brother, who was tortured and blown. As his brother's spirit stretches for the heavens and leaves this world, the singer watches him go.
In the second verse, the lyrics take a turn towards a reference to Jesus, who was also a poor boy. The line "it's just a spring clean for the May queen" is a direct reference to the Led Zeppelin song "Stairway to Heaven," in which the singer is told that if he is ever uncertain of what to do, the May queen will show him the way. The singer then states that he is coming home.
The chorus emphasizes that the song is dedicated to the life of the deceased, and more specifically, the funeral that is happening in the rain. The lyrics suggest that although the singer can't hold on to what he's had, he can honor the memory of his loved one by dedicating this song to the life he had lived, and especially to the funeral that is happening in the rain.
Overall, "Funeral" is a deeply emotional and introspective song that is often regarded as one of Townsend's most personal works.
Line by Line Meaning
Jesus, here lies my brother
The singer addresses Jesus acknowledging the death of his brother
Tortured and blown
The singer describes how his brother died in a violent manner
Stretch for the heavens and go...
The singer talks about his brother's soul leaving his body and ascending to Heaven
I watch him go
The artist laments his helplessness in watching his brother pass away
Here it comes
This line marks the end of his brother's life
Jesus was a poor boy
The singer brings up Jesus' humble beginnings to draw a parallel with his brother's life and death
It's just a spring clean for the May queen
The singer derides the idea of a superficial cleaning ritual when the essence of life itself is lost
I'm coming home
The artist reminisces about his own mortality and the inevitability of his own death
And this one's for the life
The artist dedicates the song to his brother's memory
This one's for the funeral in the rain
The artist describes his brother's funeral in gloomy terms
And if only for tonight
The singer proposes that for this one night, his brother's memory be honored
The day's gone and the year's gone
The artist reflects on the fleeting nature of time and how it doesn't stop for anyone
And I don't know when I'm coming home
The singer admits to not knowing when and how he will die
I can't hold on to what I've had
The singer regrets the passing of time and the loss of his brother
When what I've had
The singer reflects on how his memories of his brother are all that remain
There's nothing left at all...
The artist acknowledges that his brother's death has left a void in his life
So this one's for the life
The artist reiterates that the song is a tribute to his brother's life
Close your eyes and try to sleep again...
The singer suggests that grieving be allowed to happen in peace and to find solace in the gift of life
A world away, you turn away
The singer comments on the fact that people often turn a blind eye to others' suffering
I'm wide awake, and I don't need your home
The artist notes that he is sober and knows how to handle his grief without the comfort of others
Tell me why he went, it seems to be
The artist questions the reasons for his brother's untimely death
An element to this mystery
The artist acknowledges that some things are inexplicable
It's so cold today, so I get away, and I'm left behind with nothing but words...
The singer feels alone and unable to escape his grief
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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