Sinner
Neil Finn Lyrics


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See it anyone got my eyes got my face
Sing it everyone got my nose got my blood
Conscience plays upon me now
Safe until my luck runs out
Cukoos call, pendulum swings
I thought you knew everything
Lift my hands make the cross
Sinner I have never learned
Beginner I cannot return
Forever I must walk this earth
Like some forgotten soldier

Those things I should keep to myself
But I feel somehow strangely compelled
Under moonlight I stood wild and naked
Felt no shame just my spirit awakened

Sinner got my eyes got my face
Fireball drop from the sky
All my dreams have come to pass
Where's my faith is it lost
Can't see it 'til you cast it off

Sinner there is no such thing
Beginner I have learned to sing
Forever I must walk this earth
Like some forgotten soldier

Today I am still disconnected
To the face that I saw in the clouds




And the closest I get to contentment
Is when all of the barriers come down

Overall Meaning

In this song, Neil Finn seems to be exploring his own identity or the concept of identity itself. He opens with the lines "See it anyone got my eyes got my face/Sing it everyone got my nose got my blood" which suggests that he is recognising the physical features that he has inherited from his ancestors. This is followed by the line "Conscience plays upon me now" which implies that he is feeling guilty or perhaps experiencing moral conflict. He continues with "Safe until my luck runs out" which could be a comment on the fragility of life and how one's circumstances can change in an instant. The metaphor of the cuckoo clock and pendulum are then introduced which hint at the inevitability of the passing of time and the need to make the most of the time we have. The line "I thought you knew everything" is perhaps directed at a higher power or perhaps a loved one who he had placed faith in but who has let him down. The song then takes a religious turn with "Lift my hands make the cross" which suggests that he is seeking redemption or absolution for his sins.


He then goes on to say "Sinner I have never learned/Beginner I cannot return/Forever I must walk this earth/Like some forgotten soldier" which hints at regrets or missed opportunities. The next verse starts with "Those things I should keep to myself" which suggests that he is aware that he is revealing too much but he can't help it. He then goes on to talk about a spiritual awakening that he experienced while standing naked under the moonlight. The line "Sinner got my eyes got my face/Fireball drop from the sky" seems to be a metaphor for a sudden realisation or epiphany. He then asks "Where's my faith is it lost" which shows that he is seeking answers but is struggling to find them.


The final verse says "Today I am still disconnected/To the face that I saw in the clouds/And the closest I get to contentment/Is when all of the barriers come down" which suggests that he is still searching for meaning and connection but he is finding it hard to find. He seems to suggest that he feels most content when he is able to let his guard down and be vulnerable.


Line by Line Meaning

See it anyone got my eyes got my face
I see other people resembling me with my physical features.


Sing it everyone got my nose got my blood
Everyone is connected by having similar bloodline and physical traits.


Conscience plays upon me now
My guilty conscience is bothering me right now.


Safe until my luck runs out
I feel protected until my good fortune ends.


Cukoos call, pendulum swings
Nature repeats its predictable patterns while cuckoos' calls add variation to the monotony.


I thought you knew everything
I had assumed that you were omniscient.


Lift my hands make the cross
I make the sign of the cross with my hands.


Sinner I have never learned
Despite my misdeeds, I haven't assimilated the teachings of virtue.


Beginner I cannot return
I'm not a novice anymore and can't go back to being innocent.


Forever I must walk this earth
My mortal existence has no redemption, and I must live my life on this planet forever.


Like some forgotten soldier
I'm like a soldier who fought a war but got neglected and left to rot.


Those things I should keep to myself
There are some secrets that I ought not to share with anyone.


But I feel somehow strangely compelled
Despite knowing it's unwise, I feel a strong urge to confess my secrets.


Under moonlight I stood wild and naked
I was under the moonlit sky standing uninhibited and exposed.


Felt no shame just my spirit awakened
I didn't feel embarrassed, but my soul came alive.


Fireball drop from the sky
A flaming object falls from the sky.


All my dreams have come to pass
All my desires and aspirations have been fulfilled.


Where's my faith is it lost
I can't locate my belief in morality; is it dissipated?


Can't see it 'til you cast it off
I can't perceive my faith unless I let go of my doubts.


Sinner there is no such thing
There's no absolute moral authority or a person who's entirely sinless.


Beginner I have learned to sing
I may have started as an amateur, but I've developed my voice and skills over time.


Today I am still disconnected
Even after trying for so long, I feel alienated from myself and others.


To the face that I saw in the clouds
I'm trying to connect with the divine figure I saw in the clouds once.


And the closest I get to contentment
The nearest I come to satisfaction is when I can overcome obstacles.


Is when all of the barriers come down
When I demolish all my emotional and practical obstacles, I feel contented.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MARIUS DE VRIES, NEIL MULLANE FINN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@Marcusichieichgo

When I first heard this song I was mesmerised and went straight to the shops and bought the album. So many nuances with shade, funk, groove and Jazz undertones. Magical and sublime rhythms. Classic Neil Finn. A blessing from start to finish. Relatable to so many scenarios. Cheers to you Neil.

@tommywm24

This song and album is incredibly underrated.

@dm7626

A truly amazing song, actually Try Whistling This is an amazing album, you know what, Neil Finn is the most amazing musician! I love his music from Split Enz to now and everything in between!

@fernandoclaro8124

A little bit of darkness, a little bit of sweetness, a little bit far
from the Crowded House catchy songs...I love this album too!.
Thanks for commenting

@dm7626

Fernando claro thank you for replying, and thank you for posting such a great song :)

@frodo261

Danny McCauley NZ's version of Paul McCartney

@sparklinshe3491

Powerful track. Still sounds amazing.

@thetheraine

love neil finn's lyrics... beautiful music...

@vikram8391

Fucking beautiful this is. Why people overlook such gems like this? :'(

@jasonmccormack8993

It came out at a weird time between the alternative era and whatever the boy band/spears/aguilera era was called. It had no home.

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