Amen
Jewel Lyrics


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You're mother's child
But night lays you down
Hair aflame, wild look in your eye
Naked belly to the ground
A forest fire
Nibbles at your veins
Crawls up your arm
Runs away with your mind
And burns dry thoughts like leaves
Amen

Eyes stare up
But something's in the way
In the Bible only angels have wings
And the rest must wait to be saved
A dry tongue
Screams at the sky
But the wind just breathes words in
As a strange bird tries to fly
Amen

Pieces of us die everyday
As though our flesh were hell
Such an injustice, as children we are told
That from God we fell
Where are my angels?
Where's my golden one?
Where is my hope
Now that my heroes have gone?
Some are being beaten
Some are being born
And some can't tell
The difference anymore
Amen

Amen, amen, amen




Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Overall Meaning

In Jewel's song Amen, the first verse paints a picture of a person who is troubled and succumbing to the vices of life. Despite being someone's child, the night makes them restless and wild, and they succumb to the temptation of drugs. The intense sensation of the drugs is described as a forest fire that nibbles at their veins and takes them over, burning their thoughts away. The word “Amen” is used as a form of prayer, highlighting the desperation of the person for salvation.


In the second verse, the person is metaphorically compared to a fallen angel who is trying to fly away but is unable to do so. They scream at the sky, hoping for redemption, and yet, all they feel is the wind that blows their words away. The lines, "In the Bible only angels have wings, And the rest must wait to be saved," highlights the fact that some people are destined to struggle and suffer in life and have limited ways to escape it. The final verse portrays the unjust and cruel nature of life, where every day, we lose parts of ourselves that are essential to our happiness and wellbeing. The lines, "Some are being beaten, Some are being born, And some can't tell The difference anymore," suggest that the cycle of pain and suffering is relentless and takes its toll on everyone.


Line by Line Meaning

You're mother's child
You may resemble your mother in some ways, but ultimately you are your own person.


But night lays you down
The quiet and stillness of night can sometimes consume you.


Hair aflame, wild look in your eye
You may have an intense and passionate energy coursing through you.


Naked belly to the ground
You may feel vulnerable and exposed to the world.


A forest fire
Your passion and intensity can be like a raging wildfire.


Nibbles at your veins
Your passion can consume you, taking over your very being.


Crawls up your arm
Your passion can spread through your body like a creeping sensation.


Runs away with your mind
Your passions can take over your thoughts and mental energy.


And burns dry thoughts like leaves
Your passions can override logic and reason, consuming mundane thoughts like dry leaves in a wildfire.


Amen
So be it.


Eyes stare up
We may look to the sky for answers, comfort, or inspiration.


But something's in the way
There may be obstacles or unclear paths in our journey for enlightenment.


In the Bible only angels have wings
There are limits to what we can do or be, and only some are bestowed with special gifts or abilities.


And the rest must wait to be saved
Those without special gifts may have to be patient and hope to be saved in the future.


A dry tongue
We may feel parched or overwhelmed in our search for answers or comfort.


Screams at the sky
We may feel unheeded despite our cries or pleas for help.


But the wind just breathes words in
Our voices may be lost or unheard, but we may still find solace in the world around us.


As a strange bird tries to fly
We may feel out of place or like an outsider in our journey for enlightenment.


Pieces of us die everyday
We lose a part of ourselves each day, whether it be physically or mentally.


As though our flesh were hell
Our life experiences and pain can make it feel like we are in our own personal hell on earth.


Such an injustice, as children we are told
As children, we may be taught a simplistic or idealistic view of the world that may not reflect reality.


That from God we fell
We may be taught that we were born into sin and are thus inherently flawed.


Where are my angels?
We may feel alone or abandoned in our search for guidance or comfort.


Where's my golden one?
We may search for one special person or thing to give us direction or purpose.


Where is my hope
We may feel hopeless or lost.


Now that my heroes have gone?
We may feel lost or hopeless when our role models or heroes are no longer present or have disappointed us.


Some are being beaten
Some people may be going through great hardship or oppression.


Some are being born
New life and possibilities are being born all the time.


And some can't tell
Some people may be living in confusion or unable to distinguish between light and darkness.


The difference anymore
The distinction between good and bad, or right and wrong, may no longer be clear for some people.


Amen
So be it.


Amen
So be it.


Amen
So be it.


Hallelujah
Praise the Lord.


Hallelujah
Praise the Lord.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Jewel Kilcher

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@JWR4300

Probably my favourite song on this album, followed closely by the other 13 tracks

@mtifftable

This album was the soundtrack to my teens. 💖💖💖

@lisahardy2070

Who is still sobbing listening to this song in 2022?

@babylynncollateraldamage9817

My mom died from using a dirty needle...( she fought drug addiction) for years. I can truly feel this song to the core of my being...

@johnsmi213

It was inspired by Kurt Cobain killing himself and leaving all his fans without a hero.

@FreyjaFoxx.x

I feel like this would make an absolutely amazing drag performance.

@grazupe5371

I can't tell you how much I miss you

@brianirish3215

Beautiful song

@athecheat

My absolute favorite probably

@kelliv2995

💕

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