Pillars of Davidson
Live Lyrics


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warm bodies I sense

are not machines that can only make money

past perfect tense

words for a feeling and all I've discovered
I'll be along son

with medicine supposed to designed to

make you high

I'll be along son

with words for a feeling and all I've discovered

old bad eyes

old bad eyes

old bad eyes

on loneliness comes

go see the foreman go see the profiteer

on loneliness drives

we're takin' our time movin' shit for

this holy slime

old, bad eyes

old, bad eyes

old, bad eyes, almighty fear

the shepherd won't leave me alone

he's in my face and I

the shepherd of my days

and I want you here by my heart





and my head, I can't start till I'm dead

Overall Meaning

The opening line of Live's Pillar Of Davidson, "warm bodies I sense are not machines that can only make money" suggests a feeling of disconnection and disillusionment with society. It seems as though the songwriter believes that people are more than just cogs in a machine that exists to make money, and that there is a deeper human connection that is being missed. The "past perfect tense" references feelings of nostalgia and longing for a time gone by, where perhaps things felt more authentic.


The chorus, "I'll be along son with medicine supposed to make you high, I'll be along son with words for a feeling and all I've discovered" suggests that the singer has found some kind of personal truth or enlightenment, and wants to share it with others. However, the use of the word "medicine" suggests that this truth may come from a place of pain or struggle, and that it is not necessarily an easy path to walk.


The song also features references to loneliness, fear, and a sense of being lost. The line "the shepherd won't leave me alone, he's in my face" could be interpreted as a nod to religion or spirituality, and the idea of a higher power watching over and guiding the singer. Ultimately, the closing lines of the song express a desire for human connection and a feeling of being lost without it - "I want you here by my heart and my head, I can't start till I'm dead."


Line by Line Meaning

warm bodies I sense
I sense the presence of living beings around me


are not machines that can only make money
They are not mere machines capable of just making money, they have emotions and other facets to them


past perfect tense
It refers to a grammatical tense that emphasizes the completion of a task or an event in the past


words for a feeling and all I've discovered
I have found words that can describe feelings and emotions


I'll be along son with medicine supposed to designed to make you high
I will come with medicine that is supposed to get you high


I'll be along son with words for a feeling and all I've discovered
I will come with words that can describe emotions and feelings


old bad eyes
It refers to someone with aged and troubled eyes


on loneliness comes go see the foreman go see the profiteer
When loneliness creeps in, go out and work or try to make money


on loneliness drives we're takin' our time movin' shit for this holy slime
Loneliness drives us to work slowly on meaningless, mundane tasks that are of little to no value


old, bad eyes, almighty fear
The artist is afraid owing to old age, poor eyesight, and other problems


the shepherd won't leave me alone he's in my face and I the shepherd of my days
Metaphorically speaking, the singer is being followed by a shepherd who represents death or fear thereof, and the singer is the shepherd of their remaining days on this earth


and I want you here by my heart and my head, I can't start till I'm dead
The artist wants the person they love to be close to them both physically and mentally, but can't start living fully until they're dead




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHAD ALAN GRACEY, CHAD DAVID TAYLOR, EDWARD JOEL KOWALCZYK, PATRICK DAHLHEIMER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@SecretCh0rd

Ha! You think that's something, listen carefully to how he closes the song.

>Compares self to Unicorn
>Finds self unworthy
>Envies "pillar of Davidson".... do you know the phrase Davidic lineage?
>Cheaper than all the souls he will walk upon
>Deeper and deeper in love so I hold my head up, cheaper than all the souls he will walk upon. (This will come naturally to the person in question. He won't have to try like Ed does. )
>Pillar of David's Son "feeling too hard to go down".

So he's got a hard on to live up to the Second Coming. But ain't nobody lives up to the Second Coming... but the Second Coming.

Holy Slime indeed.



@TheRiverJordan199

Ria Watmough
Pillar of Davidson is Jesus
The Shepard that won't leave him alone is Jesus as well.
"I can't start till I'm dead" or reborn.
The stallion is satan...
The beginning lyrics represent disenchantment with evangelical/religious organizations subverting or suppressing spiritual awakening.
Old bad eyes then Almighty Fear comes as the awakening begins and the Shepard is staring him in the face unsettling him.
IMO cheaper than all the souls lyric refers to true spiritual awakening costing nothing monetarily speaking, which ties back into the beginning lyrics.
Once he's found the Pillar of Davidson (Jesus being descended from King David, hence David's "son" in a sense) he won't go down.



All comments from YouTube:

@kylekellar5063

I really think this is one of the best songs ever written

@eliteteamkiller319

The last minute of this song, with the beautiful counterpoint singing at the end, is an utter masterpiece.

@AmanduhFlawdHog

One of THE MOST underrated bands AND songs in existence. People just don't know unless you MAKE them listen then they love it. AMAZING.

@rodhmu

The joy of listening to an album. Discovering it. Sadly, this experience is virtually lost today.

@capslockcapable1719

I think it had to be a certain place and a certain time, and we were fortunate enough to be there and then. I don't think it translates

@pedrogonzalez2806

That is very true. I made my buddies listen to this album and they loved it as well! cheers!

@lesterine77

This song is amazing. But I don't think live was an underrated band. Maybe I'm wrong bc I've always listened to them.

@azeers1975

@@lesterine77 yes.. they were HIGHLY underrated. This song is a fkn masterpiece!!!

@chumleychumchizer9035

It is my belief that this is one of the last great rock concept albums. Listen from start to finish, don't cheat yourselves kids.

@hodray1

righto grandpa ...geesch

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