AJ Estrada - Vocals, Guitars, Keys, Saxophone
Brandon Peterson - Vocals, Guitars, Keys
Neil Scalesse - Drums, Percussion
Mike Nixdorf - Percussion, Glockenspiel, Organ
Anthony Arma - Bass Guitar
Mike Solomon - Keys, Organ, Vocals
Sanctuary
Hotel of the Laughing Tree Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But they came on the spring in the rain.
Oh they'll never catch me now.
Just get me out of here, I see my faith, my fear.
My saving sanctuary.
Sad son, I split two worlds in my head,
But somebody said you were sober.
and I heard my father cry to cover up your lies.
We'll take a second flight, I'd like to go with you tonight.
They took me up upon the boat and sung in circles 'til I choked,
I lost my way back to your garden, howling back at all those stupid horoscopes
you hate that make you ill, and curse their wine until it spills,
to wash away the rose petals the night I made a cripple out of you.
I couldn't see in the I.C.U., and I curse myself to find out nothings new, or true,
and no one knows I hide behind diplomas and ferrarris,
the little hands inside her belly look like you, just like you.
Singing sanctuary inside, kissing my Siberian wife,
when all my favorite seasons collide, take me outside.
The song Sanctuary by Hotel of the Laughing Tree seems to tell a story about a person who is hiding and trying to stay out of sight from someone or something. The lyrics suggest that this person might be running away from their fears or facing a difficult situation that they don't know how to handle. The first verse sets the scene for this theme as the person hides almost every night and tries to avoid being caught by whoever or whatever is chasing them. However, when they see their "faith" and "fear", they find their "sanctuary".
The second verse brings in a new character who seems to be struggling with addiction or sobriety. The singer mentions a "sad son" who has split two worlds in his head, but it's not clear if they are referring to themselves or someone else. They hear their father cry to "cover up your lies", suggesting that there is some kind of deception or dishonesty going on. The singer talks about taking a second flight and wanting to go with this person, possibly to escape their troubles.
The final verse brings in more imagery and suggests that the singer is in a relationship with someone who is pregnant. They sing about a "Siberian wife" and "little hands inside her belly", which could be a reference to their unborn child. The lyrics suggest that the singer is finding comfort and sanctuary in this relationship, even as they struggle with their fears and doubts.
Overall, the song seems to be about finding a place of safety and comfort in the midst of difficult circumstances. The singer is running away from something or someone and needs a place to hide, but they also have support and love from those around them.
Line by Line Meaning
I hide almost every night; I try to keep out of sight.
I spend most of my nights hiding or trying to remain unnoticed.
But they came on the spring in the rain.
Despite my efforts, they found me during a rainy spring day.
Oh they'll never catch me now.
Even though they found me once, they won't be able to catch me again.
Just get me out of here, I see my faith, my fear.
I need to leave this place to find myself, to face my fears and to restore my faith.
My saving sanctuary.
The place where I feel safe and protected from the outside world.
Sad son, I split two worlds in my head,
I feel torn between two different worlds, unable to choose which one to follow.
But somebody said you were sober.
Someone told me you had stopped drinking.
All in time; drinking my sunrise,
I'm waiting for the right time to act, while I'm drinking in the morning sun.
and I heard my father cry to cover up your lies.
I overheard my father trying to hide your lies.
We'll take a second flight, I'd like to go with you tonight.
We'll take another flight, I want to go with you tonight.
They took me up upon the boat and sung in circles 'til I choked,
They took me on a boat and sang in circles until I felt overwhelmed.
I lost my way back to your garden, howling back at all those stupid horoscopes
I couldn't find my way back to your garden, feeling angry at all those meaningless horoscopes.
you hate that make you ill, and curse their wine until it spills,
You despise them so much that they make you sick, and you even curse their wine until it spills.
to wash away the rose petals the night I made a cripple out of you.
I want to forget the night when I hurt you and pretend it never happened.
I couldn't see in the I.C.U., and I curse myself to find out nothings new, or true,
I couldn't see what was happening in the intensive care unit, and I blame myself for not knowing what was new or true.
and no one knows I hide behind diplomas and ferraris,
I hide my true self behind my achievements and possessions.
the little hands inside her belly look like you, just like you.
The little hands moving inside her belly resemble yours.
Singing sanctuary inside, kissing my Siberian wife,
I find a sanctuary within myself, while being intimate with my Siberian wife.
when all my favorite seasons collide, take me outside.
When everything I love comes together, I want to go outside and enjoy it.
Contributed by Owen M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.