The remarkable versatility of Lesser Known Saint has been evident since their inception. Years of experimentation sees the band now taking their versatility and filtering it through the lens of experience, continuously adding a critical ingredient to the mix: focus. Past influences are still present, yet they are displayed in an increasingly organic and natural fashion within the songs. With Lesser Known Saint’s attention to detail, their collective BAC can’t derail their meticulously crafted music and gritty live performances, as songs transition seamlessly from one to another creating a singular, epic and crushing experience.
Recently, Lesser Known Saint has signed with Zero Budget Records.
Everest
Lesser Known Saint Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Serving genocide to the bustling masses
Ants of people ride coattails while making passes
Just to get a dime spared from any
This mountain of a ladder climbs above delinquent crosses
As you raise your control
I'm so sorry I have nothing to offer
Myopic, still caring for keeping score
Fetching food for those holding your hopes above your –
Head now stuck on those who hum the tune to make you –
Facilitate the bargaining to
Work twice as hard for half the recoup
A shallow place to rest your head and wait for progress
Cutting the tether that breaks my neck breaking your fall
A cloak and dagger killing spree
Color draining from me
A can of gray to coat this town
Too soon to turn around
Not planning to live past these white-out conditions
Not speaking your mind even as I race you to the top
Tease extinction promoting desecration
Seeking emancipation from the depths of a brooding sky
The lyrics of Lesser Known Saint's Everest seem to be an outcry against the manipulation and exploitation of the masses by the powerful few. The first verse portrays a world where virtue is ignored, and people are willing to serve genocide in exchange for tiny benefits. The lines "Ants of people ride coattails while making passes/Just to get a dime spared from any" seems to express the idea that most people are willing to compromise their values to get even the smallest bit of advantage from the powerful.
The second verse appears to be directed at an individual who has risen to a position of power and control. The lines "As you raise your control/Pushing aesthetic of desired effect/I'm so sorry I have nothing to offer/Myopic, still caring for keeping score" suggests that the person in question is more concerned with personal gain and achieving their desired effect than with the well-being of the people they control. The following lines "Fetching food for those holding your hopes above your –/Head now stuck on those who hum the tune to make you –" show how some people become trapped in a cycle of serving the powerful with the vain hope of rising in the ranks.
The final verse is a call to break free from these manipulations and embrace true freedom, symbolized by "cutting the tether that breaks my neck breaking your fall." The lines "Not speaking your mind even as I race you to the top/Tease extinction promoting desecration/Seeking emancipation from the depths of a brooding sky" seem to suggest that only by refusing to play the game and pursuing true freedom can one hope to avoid the destruction that comes with seeking power at any cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Virtue cast aside with empty chances
Abandoning moral goodness for fruitless opportunities
Serving genocide to the bustling masses
Committing mass murder against the crowded population
Ants of people ride coattails while making passes
Crowds of people trying to take shortcuts for their own benefit
Just to get a dime spared from any
Taking any chance to make a small profit
This mountain of a ladder climbs above delinquent crosses
A large, difficult climb towards success despite past wrongs
As you raise your control
Gaining power and influence over others
Pushing aesthetic of desired effect
Promoting a certain look or image for desired outcomes
I'm so sorry I have nothing to offer
Feeling inadequate and useless
Myopic, still caring for keeping score
Focusing only on personal success and achievements
Fetching food for those holding your hopes above your –
Working hard to please those with higher expectations
Head now stuck on those who hum the tune to make you –
Being influenced by those with persuasive words and actions
Facilitate the bargaining to
Helping to negotiate and make deals
Work twice as hard for half the recoup
Putting in more effort than what's gained in return
A shallow place to rest your head and wait for progress
Finding security in a temporary situation while waiting for progress
Cutting the tether that breaks my neck breaking your fall
Breaking free from a harmful attachment despite the consequences
A cloak and dagger killing spree
A secretive and harmful plot
Color draining from me
Losing vitality and energy
A can of gray to coat this town
A dull and lifeless atmosphere
Too soon to turn around
Not ready to give up yet
Not planning to live past these white-out conditions
Not expecting to survive the difficult situation
Not speaking your mind even as I race you to the top
Not expressing oneself despite competing for success
Tease extinction promoting desecration
Poking fun at destruction and disrespecting it
Seeking emancipation from the depths of a brooding sky
Looking for freedom and relief from a dark and gloomy situation
Contributed by Isaac L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Maybe a Potoo…
Lakpa Rita Sherpa, Pemba Tenzing Sherpa and Dachhiri Sherpa…. 3 amazing men who lost their lives on Sagarmāthā (Everest) while laying out the path for climbers this year. April 12th.
16th May: Phurba Sherpa passed away just above Camp 3. He was part of the the Nepal Army Mountain Clean-up campaign.
23rd May: Ang Kami Sherpa, Cook who died at Camp 2.
The line “We climb, so our children do not have too” comes to mind. I seem to recall it was spoken by Tenzing Norgay.
They risk their lives year after year so their families can eat and their children can get an education.
I just felt their names needed to be mentioned along side the people who they were there to guide and support.
StormyPeak
It's sad they allow just anyone up there. There should be some kind of certifications that one has recently climbed certain peaks in the world, to show they have the experience, and too, maybe an age limit. That one guy, was 63 years old, and he died even after making it down to the 2nd camp.
I'm 60, and I don't care how many shout out that 60 is the new 40...it really isn't. The wear and tear on the body does accumulate, even if we now live to be 80+ Maybe 50 to 52 should be the age limit?
People in their 60s, even if in great health, do not recover physically as fast as someone in their 40s....as far as long term physical effort. If you have 2 forest-fire fighters, and one is 20 and the other 40 -- the 40 year old can keep up with the 20 year old.
However, 3 months later, after climbing ridges, shoveling dirt, using axes and chainsaws to help clear deadfall out of paths, the 20 year old seems to just grow stronger but the 40 year old is feeling that long term exertion, and they start to feel worn out by the end of the season.
Also, old bones and ligaments are more apt when injured to take longer to heal and could be more susceptible to re-injury...so some older person who say broke an ankle 2 years prior, might find the cold and hard physical work, doing things to that old injury again.
There should be age limits set, and that would reduce the deaths, and also be safer for the Sherpas who have to often help people off the mountain...and who often die trying to do so.
IF you got this far...thanks for reading...and if you wish to continue, below is some probably flawed 'research' I did...but I think there's enough in what numbers I did find, to point out things about age, and climbing this mountain.
My number count is probably flawed...did this pretty fast:
From Wikipedia -- I was curious about age of death and how they died.
They have 331deaths listed. Most don't have their ages listed. But here's my quick count.
45 climbers were age 50 on up to age 85! a dozen of them were in their 60s
45 climbers were in their 40s.
58 climbers were in their 30s
33 climbers were between 19 years old and 29 years old.
The climbers 40 years old on up to those in their 80s-
(around 90 people, 56 had issues other than accidents).
~8 had heart failure
~48 died of other illnesses, brain/breathing issues due to altitude, exhaustion and exposure, (one was a 41 year old Sherpa, who died of a stroke)
~12 died from accidents, falls, and avalanches. (?still, I have to wonder if some of the falls were due to lack of strength/exhaustion?)
The 30 yr olds (approx.58 people)
health issues happened to those closer to 40 than to age 30.
~1 (suspected) heart attack...that climber was 37 years old
~17 passed away due to brain/breathing issues due to altitude
~The remaining 40 or so climbers died from falls, some of which were due to equipment failure, and avalanches...and a few of those just disappeared - so they probably fell,
The 20 year old group (approx. 33 people)
~9 had altitude issues -brain/breathing - most were closer to 30 than 20 years old.
~Zero heart attacks.
The balance of 23 people, including a 19 year old...died from avalanches, and falls, with a few who disappeared. Also, one guy tried to snowboard off the mountain...did so one time on a 'safer' path down, but wanted to try it again on a much steeper path...they still haven't found his body, from what I've read about him.
Again...this leaves a large number where ages were not listed, but I think this admittedly inaccurate cross-cut of age groups and reasons for their deaths, does show the older you are the more apt death is going to be due to health issues and not stuff like falls, or avalanches.
I guess, the 2 sides to this, is that everyone knows they can die up there, and that is their own choice to go...no matter their age, if they try to scale the peak.
However...the flip side to that, is they could be endangering Sherpas or other climbers when their health fails them. Sherpas will try, but it's a risk for them and others to help a collapsed climber. so sometimes, climbers are often too exhausted their selves to put their life at risk to help another collapsed climber.
Even the 20 years olds have strength/endurance issues, and personally, I just think the older one gets, their long term endurance fails...as do other things in their bodies...like their hearts...if those numbers I posted show even a small hint of that.
Maybe a Potoo…
Lakpa Rita Sherpa, Pemba Tenzing Sherpa and Dachhiri Sherpa…. 3 amazing men who lost their lives on Sagarmāthā (Everest) while laying out the path for climbers this year. April 12th.
16th May: Phurba Sherpa passed away just above Camp 3. He was part of the the Nepal Army Mountain Clean-up campaign.
23rd May: Ang Kami Sherpa, Cook who died at Camp 2.
The line “We climb, so our children do not have too” comes to mind. I seem to recall it was spoken by Tenzing Norgay.
They risk their lives year after year so their families can eat and their children can get an education.
I just felt their names needed to be mentioned along side the people who they were there to guide and support.
Guillaume
Thank you, i wish this could stop, or at least give less permit, and find suitable solutions for these men`s
IvyroseGullwhacker
Thank you for bringing awareness to the Sherpas lost this season. It's heartbreaking, and it's horrific that the army must mount a "clean-up campaign" to pick up trash. May they rest in peace.
Lady B
I hadn't heard about Pemba Tenzing Sherpa passing. This truly breaks my heart. Love and prayers to all the Sherpas families.
buddy hembrey
indeed , i am glad you named them, the sherpas are NOT nobodys , thank you for mentioning them
Ama Gab
Glad someone is giving these Sherpas a voice in the west. These casualties go ignored too often.
Carol Bentley
I can tell you for a fact that there are climbers allowed to try for the summit that have absolutely no business being there! In 2014 I trekked to Mt Everest basecamp. I met a lady at our overnight lodges on several occasions. Her summiting group members were many days ahead of her. She was so unfit that she couldn’t even keep up with the amateur trekkers on the trail. She had paid for and was planning on trying for the summit. That was the year that an avalanche in the Khumbu Icefall killed 16 Sherpas so nobody was able to attempt to summit. Not only would she have had a very high risk of losing her life, she would have jeopardized the lives of climbers who were more capable of summiting. There needs to be a sanctioned system in place for qualifying all prospective summiting clients. Until then, it will only get worse.
TSimo113
Everyone who goes there to summit has more money than common sense.
Ricky Bobby
Any climber that needs a Sherpa has no business climbing. The whole point is the challenge. Why would you go for the highest mountain only to make it easier? Makes zero sense.
Austin Caplinger
@Ricky Bobby I recommend looking into the history a little more.