Matador
Faith No More Lyrics


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When your soul stood over me
A future shadow
He boasted and sang to me
Farewell, so long
I'll awake you from this living sleep
We'll walk the shore, where you were born
In bed with me
Pull the white sheet off your face
March forward my son
A battle beyond frozen years
Only for dogs ears
We will rise from the killing floor
Like
A matador
The stained glass
Of bovine eyes
Can see right through
Every tombstone lie
Let us retrace every step
Out of this world
And every ditch
Every ditch
We will be, when you will be
No more
No more
(Will be no more)
The stained glass up the hangman's ass
We served you well, now we're comin' back
Atop the white, crossless ghost we'll jump the gates, live to rise
We will rise
We will rise from the killing floor
Like
A matador
Let the dead live
May the dead live
And the dead live
What more can we give
Let the dead live
May the dead live




And the dead live
'Till they live

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Faith No More's "Matador" can be interpreted in several ways, but what the song seems to describe is a journey through a realm of the afterlife, in which an ethereal figure shows the singer around and encourages him to face his fears and challenges. This figure is addressed as "Matador", which, in Spanish, translates as a bullfighter, a person who faces danger and death with bravery and confidence, and also as a killer of bulls, an image that illustrates the duality of life and death, creation and destruction that permeates the song.


The first verse introduces this allegorical character, who "boasted and sang" to the singer, possibly referring to the voice of the conscience or the memories of a loved one who has passed away. The image of the "future shadow" suggests a merging of past and present, life and death, and sets the tone for the rest of the song, which unfolds as a mixture of reminiscence, hope, and defiance. The chorus, "We will rise from the killing floor like a matador," reinforces this theme of confronting death with courage and style, turning the sense of loss and sorrow into a triumphant gesture.


Line by Line Meaning

When your soul stood over me
When you had power over me


A future shadow
A looming, uncertain future


He boasted and sang to me
He bragged and serenaded me


Farewell, so long
Goodbye, I'm leaving


I'll awake you from this living sleep
I'll rouse you from your unfulfilling life


We'll walk the shore, where you were born
We'll explore the place of your origin


In bed with me
In intimate connection


Pull the white sheet off your face
Remove the covering that obscures the truth


March forward my son
Advance, my disciple


A battle beyond frozen years
An epic struggle beyond the ages


Only for dogs ears
Only perceptible to animal hearing


We will rise from the killing floor
We will emerge victorious from the slaughter


Like A matador
As a skilled and brave bullfighter


The stained glass Of bovine eyes
The distorted perspective of cattle


Can see right through Every tombstone lie
Can discern the falsehoods beneath the surface


Let us retrace every step
Let's revisit every move


Out of this world
Beyond accepted reality


And every ditch
And every low point


We will be, when you will be No more No more (Will be no more)
We will persist even after your demise, indefinitely


The stained glass up the hangman's ass
The twisted perception of an executioner


We served you well, now we're comin' back
We were obedient before, now we're taking control


Atop the white, crossless ghost we'll jump the gates, live to rise
We'll ride on a blank, spiritual foundation to conquer and revive


We will rise We will rise from the killing floor Like A matador
We will emerge victorious from the slaughter, like a skilled and brave bullfighter


Let the dead live May the dead live And the dead live What more can we give Let the dead live May the dead live And the dead live 'Till they live
We want to honor those who have passed, and give them the chance to truly live on




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bill David Gould, Michael Patton

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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