Throwing Stones
Grateful Dead/Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter Lyrics

Picture a bright blue ball
Imagine a bright blue planet

Just spinning, spinning free
Rotating and revolving without any restrictions

Dizzy with eternity
Feeling disoriented with the infinite nature of time and space

Paint it with a skin of sky
Cover it with a layer of atmosphere consisting of gas and clouds

Brush in some clouds and sea
Add some water bodies and clouds to the scenery

Call it home for you and me
Designate it as a place of belonging for all living beings

A peaceful place or so it looks from space
Appears tranquil when viewed from outer space

A closer look reveals the human race
On closer inspection, we see the presence and impact of human civilization

Full of hope, full of grace, is the human face
Human beings possess a hopeful and benevolent spirit

But afraid, we may lay our home to waste
However, we are also fearful that we may destroy our planet

There's a fear down here we can't forget
There is an unshakeable sense of apprehension among humans

Hasn't got a name just yet
The source of this fear is still unidentified

Always awake, always around
It is constantly present and affects everyone

Singing ashes to ashes all fall down
Reminding us that everything is temporary and will eventually come to an end

Now watch as the ball revolves and the nighttime falls
Observing the planet as it spins and transitions into night

And again the hunt begins and again the blood wind calls
The cycle of violence and war continues with each passing day

By and by again, the morning sun will rise
However, no matter how dark it gets, the sun will always rise again

But the darkness never goes from some men's eyes
Some humans are consumed by darkness and violence

It strolls the sidewalks and it rolls the streets
Violence and crime are prevalent in everyday life

Staking turf, dividing up meat
People are fighting for resources and territory

Nightmare spook, piece of heat
This is a frightening and dangerous reality

It's you and me, you and me
All of us are affected by this issue

Click, flash blade in ghetto night
Guns and knives are commonplace in the ghetto

Rudie's looking for a fight
People are actively seeking confrontations and disputes

Rat cat alley roll them bones
People are gambling and taking risks

Need that cash to feed that jones
They do so to support their addictions or desires

And the politician's throwing stones
Even politicians are engaging in destructive behavior

Commissars and pin-striped bosses role the dice
Those in power are making decisions that affect everyone

Any way they fall guess who gets to pay the price
The cost of their decisions is borne by everyone else

Money green or proletarian gray
Whether you are wealthy or poor doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things

Selling guns instead of food today
The priorities of society are misguided and misplaced

So the kids they dance, and shake their bones
Even in the face of this darkness, people find moments of joy and pleasure

And the politician's throwing stones
Meanwhile, the politicians continue to behave recklessly

Heartless powers try to tell us what to think
Those in authority try to control our thoughts and behavior

If the spirit's sleeping, then the flesh is ink, yeah
If we let our spirit die, we become nothing more than empty vessels

History's page, it is thusly carved in stone
The events of the past cannot be erased or undone

The future's here, we are it, we are on our own
We must take responsibility for our own future

On our own. On our own. On our own.
We are alone in this journey and must navigate it ourselves

If the game is lost then we're all the same
In the end, we are all equal and will share the same fate

No one left to place or take the blame
There is no one left to take responsibility or point fingers

We will leave this place an empty stone
We risk turning this planet into a barren and lifeless wasteland

Or that shinning ball of blue we can call our home
Alternatively, we can cherish and protect our planet for the unique and special place it is

Shipping powders back and forth
Drug trafficking and smuggling is a major issue

Singing "black goes south and white comes north"
Referencing the racial divide and strife in the United States

And the whole world full of petty wars
Small-scale wars and conflicts continue to plague the world

Singing "I got mine and you got yours"
People are selfish and only care about their own interests

And the current fashions set the pace
The trends and fashion of society dictate behavior and choices

Lose your step, fall out of grace
If you don't adhere to societal norms, you risk being ostracized or punished

And the radical he rant and rage
Those who fight against the status quo are seen as radical and unhinged

Singing "someone got to turn the page"
We need a change from the current reality

And the rich man in his summer home,
The wealthy and privileged are insulated from the problems of society

Singing "Just leave well enough alone"
They prefer to maintain the status quo and not rock the boat

But his pants are down, his cover's blown
Their true nature is exposed and they can no longer hide their corruption and greed

Wo, fall down, (Ashes to Ashes, all fall down)
Reminding us that everything is temporary and will eventually come to an end

Ashes, Ashes all fall down (Ashes to Ashes, all fall down)
Highlighting the inevitability of our own mortality and mortality of everything in this world