Funeral
Devin Townsend (Ocean Machine) Lyrics

Jesus, here lies my brother
The singer is invoking Jesus as they mourn the death of their brother.

Tortured and blown
The brother suffered greatly, possibly indicating a violent or sudden death.

Stretch for the heavens and go...
The singer wishes for their brother to ascend to a better place, perhaps in the afterlife.

I watch him go
The artist is observing their brother's final moments.

Here it comes
The inevitability of death is emphasized.

Jesus was a poor boy
The singer reflects on the humble origins of Jesus and his own upbringing.

Jesus was a poor boy
Repetition of the earlier line, possibly emphasizing the humility of Jesus and his compassion for the less fortunate.

"It's just a spring clean for the May queen"
A possible reference to the cleansing of pagan or Christian altars in preparation for the May Day festival, though the exact significance is unclear.

I'm coming home
The artist is returning, possibly to a place of comfort or familiarity.

And this one's for the life
The song is dedicated to the life of the deceased.

This one's for the funeral in the rain
The funeral is melancholic, perhaps reflecting the mood of the singer.

And if only for tonight
The act of honoring the deceased is important, if only for a short time.

The day's gone and the year's gone
Time passes quickly, and the singer feels adrift.

And I don't know when I'm coming home
The singer is uncertain about their future.

I can't hold on to what I've had
The singer pines for something they've lost.

When what I've had
Their possessions or relationships- perhaps lost due to the death of the brother- are now gone.

There's nothing left at all...
The void left by those losses is empty.

So this one's for the life
Repetition of an earlier line, possibly as a reminder of the importance of honoring the deceased.

This one's for the funeral in the rain
Repetition, possibly emphasizing the melancholic nature of the funeral.

And if only for tonight
Repetition, perhaps as a plea to not forget the importance of the funeral.

Close your eyes and try to sleep again...
A somber note to end on, implying that the artist must someday come to terms with the loss they have suffered.

A world away, you turn away
The artist feels alone and isolated in their pain.

I'm wide awake, and I don't need your home
The same isolation is now seen as freeing, and the singer no longer yearns for comfort.

Tell me why he went, it seems to be
The artist is consumed by grief and seeks answers to why their brother has died.

An element to this mystery
The cause of death remains unknown and therefore mysterious.

It's so cold today, so I get away, and I'm left behind with nothing but words...
The singer is feeling distant and further away from their brother's memory as time passes, perhaps indicating a struggle to deal with their loss.