Parade
Jerusha Rai Lyrics
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i once knew an old nun
she had hands like
shards of ice
i once knew a jazz pianist
he had hands like
flowing water
she had hands
like rising vapor
soon, soon i'll join that wondrous parade
all, all the things the good lord has made
i once knew a single mother
she had hands like
plastic flowers
she used to
adorn her daughters room with
i once knew a supreme court judge
he had hands like
rotten paper in archives
soaking up
murderous ink and
i once knew a prostitute
she had hands like
wet cardboard
she used to
build herself a home in
soon, soon i'll join that wondrous parade
all, all the things the good lord has made
sleep is defeat
stay up and swallow the faces
the night hours bring
and what do mornings
in your room look like
faces turned to dust
dancing in the sunlight
and rage takes energy
eat your breakfast
read poetry
say i know myself
better than you
say do da da da do da da da do
see how the world
keeps on moving without you
say ah-ah what a relief
say do da da da do
In this heart-wrenching song "Parade" by Jerusha Rai, she describes the many different kinds of people she has come across in her life and the unique attributes they possess. The first verse is about a nun, a jazz pianist, and a phantom child, all of whom are described by the kind of hands they have. The nun's hands are like "shards of ice," the jazz pianist's are "flowing water," and the phantom child's are "rising vapor." This image of hands is significant because it represents the different ways people choose to interact with the world around them. Some are cold, some are fluid and adaptable, while others are elusive and intangible.
The second verse is about a single mother, a supreme court judge, and a prostitute, and again, their hands serve as a representation for their personalities. The single mother's hands are like "plastic flowers" that adorn her daughter's room, while the judge's are like "rotten paper in archives," used to soak up the murderous ink of the court. The prostitute's hands are like "wet cardboard," used to build herself a home in. These different stories of people from different walks of life serve to show how life can be difficult and challenging for people from all backgrounds.
In the end, the song comes back to the chorus as Jerusha sings about joining a "wondrous parade" that celebrates all the different things that the Lord has made. She recognizes that the world is full of different people with different struggles, but ultimately, they are all part of a larger whole. The final lines of the song encourage listeners to stay up and face the world, to eat breakfast and read poetry, and to find ways to cultivate their own inner peace and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
i once knew an old nun
I met an elderly nun
she had hands like shards of ice
Her hands were extremely cold, like broken pieces of ice
i once knew a jazz pianist
I knew a talented jazz pianist
he had hands like flowing water
His hands moved fluidly like water
i once knew a phantom child
I knew a child who was like a ghost
she had hands like rising vapor
Her hands floated like vapor
soon, soon i'll join that wondrous parade
I'll be a part of the amazing procession soon
all, all the things the good lord has made
Everything the Lord has created
i once knew a single mother
I knew a mother who was raising her child alone
she had hands like plastic flowers
Her hands were like artificial flowers
she used to adorn her daughter's room with
She would decorate her child's room with them
i once knew a supreme court judge
I knew a respected judge of the Supreme court
he had hands like rotten paper in archives
His hands were like decomposing paper stored in archives
soaking up murderous ink and
Absorbing the ink from criminal case files
i once knew a prostitute
I knew a woman who sold her body for money
she had hands like wet cardboard
Her hands were damp and weak like cardboard soaked in water
she used to build herself a home in
She would find comfort in her lifestyle and circumstances
sleep is defeat
Resting is seen as giving up
stay up and swallow the faces the night hours bring
Stay awake and face your problems that arise during the night
and what do mornings in your room look like
What is the atmosphere in the room when you wake up?
faces turned to dust dancing in the sunlight
The things once important to you are now ignored
and rage takes energy
Anger consumes a lot of energy
eat your breakfast read poetry
Take care of yourself and feed your soul
say i know myself better than you
Declare that you know yourself more than anyone else
say do da da da do da da da do
Sing a nonsensical phrase
see how the world keeps on moving without you
Observe how the world carries on, regardless of your struggles
say ah-ah what a relief
Exclaim that you feel better now
say do da da da do
Repeat the nonsensical singing
Contributed by Addison N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sudarshan Pandey
OMG! This song is a Masterpiece.
Chill_house.
Soon, soon I'll join that wondrous parade
All, all the things the good Lord has made.
Zeyana
Starting music is just wowww..🖤diff vibe
bipin nakarmi
This is absolutely brilliant!!! Can i make a remix of this??
Jab Kk
Need lyrics
kritika Pandey
🤍
Sahara Shrestha
favorite after native stranger :)
Ashish
3:58 <3 <3 <3
Allen Berger
I love you J.
Melina Shrestha
Where is old pine