Straight And Narrow
Iron & Wine Lyrics


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The trouble with the straight and the narrow
Is its so thin, I keep sliding off to the side
And the devil makes good use of these hands of mine

And if Jesus is the straight path that saves
Then I'm condemned to live my whole life on the curb
On the crossroad to the devil, I'll dwell and I'll count my years
You know that I got a little something I should say
I guess that I'm just so easily led astray
It's alright because I know my own way back home from here

And I don't fall of the wagon you know
I take a dive and go as deep as I can go
Don't hold your breath because I'm coming up slow, this time.

And The trouble with the straight and the narrow
Is its so thin, I keep sliding off to the side
And the devil makes good use of these hands of mine

You know a little problem or two
I guess that I keep on taking a few
I've been told its not the best thing that I can do, right now

And I don't go looking for my sins you know
They come out waiting, and I just get on and go
Don't hold your breath because I'm coming up slow this time

And The trouble with the straight and the narrow
Is its so thin, I keep sliding off to the side
And the devil makes good use of these hands of mine

And if Jesus is the straight path that saves
Then I'm condemned to live my whole life on the curb
On the crossroad to the devil, I'll dwell and I'll count my years

And The trouble with the straight and the narrow




Is its so thin, I keep sliding off to the side
And the devil makes, the devil makes, good use of these hands of mine

Overall Meaning

In Iron & Wine and Ben Bridwell's song "Straight and Narrow," the lyrics depict a struggle with temptation and the desire to lead a virtuous life. The first half of the chorus acknowledges the difficulty of resisting temptation, as the singer fails to stay on the narrow path and often indulges in sinful behavior - behavior that the devil eagerly exploits. The second half of the chorus introduces a religious element, acknowledging that following Jesus is the way to salvation, but admitting that the singer will likely never be able to stay on that righteous path. The verses express similar sentiments, with the singer admitting to being easily led astray and often succumbing to vices, despite being aware that it's not the best thing for them to do.


Overall, the lyrics suggest a sense of internal conflict, as the singer acknowledges their flaws and struggles to maintain a straight and narrow path. Despite this, there is a sense of acceptance and even resignation - the acknowledgement that they will likely never be able to fully overcome their tendencies, but they are able to find their own way back home.


Line by Line Meaning

The trouble with the straight and the narrow
Being on the straight and narrow path is difficult


Is its so thin, I keep sliding off to the side
The path is narrow and easy to stray from


And the devil makes good use of these hands of mine
The singer is susceptible to being corrupted by temptation


And if Jesus is the straight path that saves
The artist is considering the merits of a righteous life


Then I'm condemned to live my whole life on the curb
The artist feels they are incapable of staying on the straight and narrow path


On the crossroad to the devil, I'll dwell and I'll count my years
The singer expects to follow a life of sin and face the consequences for it


You know that I got a little something I should say
The singer has something on their mind


I guess that I'm just so easily led astray
The artist admits to being easily influenced by temptation


It's alright because I know my own way back home from here
The artist believes they have the ability to find their way back to righteousness despite their flaws


And I don't fall of the wagon you know
The artist doesn't just occasionally slip up


I take a dive and go as deep as I can go
The singer actively engages in sinful behavior


Don't hold your breath because I'm coming up slow, this time.
The artist may be slower to repent and return to a righteous path


You know a little problem or two
The singer is aware of their shortcomings


I guess that I keep on taking a few
The singer continues to engage in sin despite knowing it is wrong


I've been told its not the best thing that I can do, right now
The singer acknowledges that their behavior is not ideal


And I don't go looking for my sins you know
The artist doesn't seek out temptation


They come out waiting, and I just get on and go
The artist is easily influenced by temptation that presents itself


And The trouble with the straight and the narrow
Reiteration that the straight and narrow path is difficult


Is its so thin, I keep sliding off to the side
Reiteration that the path is narrow and hard to follow


And the devil makes, the devil makes, good use of these hands of mine
The artist is easily led astray by temptation and often gives in to it




Lyrics © CHRYSALIS MUSIC GROUP INC
Written by: Jason Pierce

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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