Luke has for some time been interested in releasing his music for free, and has now made his debut album available for free download through the Creative Commons license. Here is the download link. You may still purchase the Limited Edition compact disc for 20.00 (USD) from http://www.lukesiedle.com
In the meantime, the whole album can be streamed here or at www.lukesiedle.com.
The Messenger
Luke Siedle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who held that flag up for me
What would I do
If the blood you spilled was for nothing?
I never knew we were so messed up
I never knew we were so messed up
Who held that gun to your head
Could have been you
Who broke that girl in her bed
I never knew we were so messed up
I never knew we were so messed up inside
He's coming for us
In the morning
He's coming for us
I'll be running
Going back to the ghost
Of my religion
He's coming for us
Should have been me
Who cast his sword to the ground
What did you see in the boy I lost
That you found
Must have been blind
To let you into my heart
What did you find
When you looked in the deepest part
I never knew we were so messed up
I never knew we were so messed up inside
The Messenger by Luke Siedle seems to be a reflective piece of music, exploring themes of regret and self-criticism. The song, featuring reflective lyrics with gruff vocals over a stripped-down acoustic guitar, begins by hypothesizing about someone holding a flag for the singer. The symbolism of this flag is not entirely clear, but it seems to represent something that helped the singer along on their journey. Following this, however, the mood turns darker as the singer reflects on the consequences of violence and the damage it causes. The second stanza suggests that the singer may have had a role in the violence, or at least in contributing to the social conditions that allowed it to happen. The singer repeats several times that they "never knew we were so messed up", which could be interpreted as self-blame for not recognizing the severity of the situation or their own complicity in it.
The final stanza seems to be addressing someone directly, perhaps someone who has betrayed the singer's trust or hurt them in some way. The singer expresses regret and a sense of loss, wondering what the other person found when they looked into their heart. The refrain of "I never knew we were so messed up" is repeated several times at the end, emphasizing the central theme of the song. Despite the regret and self-criticism present in the lyrics, there is also a sense of hope that "the messenger" is coming, which could be interpreted as a symbol of change or redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
Must have been you
The singer acknowledges that someone else was responsible for holding up the flag for him/her.
Who held that flag up for me
The singer is grateful for the person who held a flag up for him/her, possibly a symbol of hope or guidance.
What would I do
The singer is questioning what he/she would do in a hypothetical situation.
If the blood you spilled was for nothing?
The artist implies that someone spilled blood for a cause, and he/she hopes it was worth it.
I never knew we were so messed up
The artist expresses surprise and realization about the level of dysfunction in a situation.
Could have been me
The singer considers the possibility that he/she could have been involved in a different way.
Who held that gun to your head
The singer acknowledges the use of violent force in a situation, possibly directed towards someone close to him/her.
Could have been you
The artist considers the possibility that the other person could have done something else.
Who broke that girl in her bed
The artist acknowledges the harm caused to a girl, possibly by the other person.
He's coming for us
The artist indicates impending danger or consequence.
In the morning
The singer signals a specific time frame for the danger or consequence to occur.
I'll be running
The artist reveals his/her intention to flee or escape from the danger or consequence.
Going back to the ghost
The singer refers to his/her religion as a source of guidance or comfort.
Of my religion
The singer clarifies that the previous line is about his/her religious background.
Should have been me
The singer acknowledges that he/she should have done something different.
Who cast his sword to the ground
The artist recognizes someone who gave up his/her weapon or power.
What did you see in the boy I lost
The artist is curious about what the other person found attractive about someone the artist has lost.
That you found
The singer acknowledges that the other person found something valuable about that lost person.
Must have been blind
The singer admits to a previous lack of awareness or understanding.
To let you into my heart
The artist acknowledges that the other person had an emotional impact on him/her.
What did you find
The artist is curious about what the other person discovered or learned about him/her.
When you looked in the deepest part
The artist implies that the other person learned something personal or intimate about him/her.
I never knew we were so messed up
The singer repeats his/her realization of the level of dysfunction in a situation.
I never knew we were so messed up inside
The artist further emphasizes that the dysfunction is internal, possibly within his/her own mind or emotions.
Contributed by Sebastian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.