babylon
Glass Hammer Lyrics
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Passing through the gate
Far beyond the unwashed throng
Their pity and their hate
I never dared to look back at the fire
No return, let it burn
Riding in a speeding train
In my mind I'm justified
In my heart I'm free
I never dared to look back at the fire
No return, let it burn
See the rock thrown from a mountain top
Punish it for falling
See the child who's still too young to walk
Punish him for crawling
I turn away, I turn away
Just for a moment I thought that maybe
I'd caught a foul scent in the air
The stench of morality, real or imagined
Reeking like burning hair
All those meddling fools, all those pious Judases
Let them all burn in the world they hold dear
I sail away, crossing the Rubicon
Towards the point of no return
I never dared to look back at the fire
No return, let it burn
The lyrics to Glass Hammer's song Babylon seem to allude to the idea of breaking free from the constraints and expectations of society. The Rubicon, referred to in the first line of the song, is a river in northern Italy that served as a boundary between the Roman Republic and its conquered territories. Crossing the Rubicon was a decisive and irreversible action, and here it seems to represent a similar choice being made by the singer. They are leaving behind the "unwashed throng" and their "pity and their hate."
The following lines describe a sense of urgency and justification in the singer's actions, as they ride a "speeding train" towards the sea, ready to escape to someplace where they can be free. They turn away from the sight of punishment, for things beyond individuals' control, like rocks falling from a mountain top or a child who's still learning to walk. However, the singer seems to have a sense of disdain towards those who meddle in the lives of others and hold onto their "morality" too tightly. They sail away, not daring to look back at the fire they left behind.
In summary, the song seems to reflect a desire to break free from society's expectations and live life on one's own terms, however unconventional or unexpected they may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Sailing 'cross the Rubicon
Venturing into unknown territory, leaving behind the familiar
Passing through the gate
Moving to a new phase of life with no way to turn back
Far beyond the unwashed throng
Far away from the envious and spiteful crowd
Their pity and their hate
The negative emotions of others being left behind
I never dared to look back at the fire
No regrets or second thoughts about leaving the past behind
No return, let it burn
Moving forward without looking back and not worrying about the consequences
Riding in a speeding train
Going fast towards the objective
Hell-bent toward the sea
Heading towards the horizon with great determination
In my mind I'm justified
Believing in the rightfulness of one's actions
In my heart I'm free
Feeling unrestrained and liberated
See the rock thrown from a mountain top
Witnessing an object being punished for its natural behavior
Punish it for falling
Blaming the object for its inherent characteristic
See the child who's still too young to walk
Observing the unfairness with which children are sometimes treated
Punish him for crawling
Blaming a child for being in a developmental phase
I turn away, I turn away
Refusing to participate in or support such unfairness
Just for a moment I thought that maybe
Briefly considering a deviation from the right path
I'd caught a foul scent in the air
Being suspicious of the influence of negative factors
The stench of morality, real or imagined
The unappealingness of a rigid moral code
Reeking like burning hair
Being repulsive just like the smell of burning hair
All those meddling fools, all those pious Judases
Dismissing those who interfere or act hypocritically
Let them all burn in the world they hold dear
Desiring the destruction of the whole system that they represent
I sail away, crossing the Rubicon
Continuing the journey further and further away from the familiar surroundings
Towards the point of no return
Aware of the consequences of the actions and proceeding undeterred
I never dared to look back at the fire
Resolutely moving forward leaving the past behind
No return, let it burn
Unwavering determination to keep moving forward, abandoning past mistakes
Contributed by Ella F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.