Blessing
One Ring Zero Lyrics
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Peeling and a-tossin' your lottery tickets
Oh Nazarene, drinking dust
Oh Christ, rising and a-fallin'
In Christ I'll tumble (?)
Bless, please, the people in art galleries
Lonely as a distant train
Bless, now, the cancer of the bone
The last light making beautiful
The poisons in the sky
And the condemned man in his tuxedo dream
His dream of limousines and innocence
Take off your clothes and come to him in dreams
Stand on the fire escape naked and blest.
With jazz like a rivulet of codeine
The laughter spilling from our broken necklaces, oh
Bless, please, the people in art galleries
Lonely as a distant train
Bless, now, the cancer of the bone
The last light making beautiful
The poisons in the sky
Christ, by the dumpster
Peeling and a-tossin' your lottery tickets
Oh Nazarene, drinking dust
Oh Christ, rising and a-fallin'
Oh, Jesus Christ, givin' us the finger
In Christ I'll tumble
(lyrics by Denis Johnson)
The lyrics to One Ring Zero’s song “Blessing” are a complex and multi-layered exploration of faith, art, and the human condition. The song begins with a scene of Christ by a dumpster, peeling and tossing lottery tickets, and drinking dust. The image of Christ in such a humble setting serves as a reminder of the suffering that is present in the world, but also suggests that even in the midst of such difficulties, there is hope and redemption to be found. The verse ends with the provocative image of Christ “giving us the finger,” which can be read as a gesture of defiance in the face of adversity or a challenge to rise above our limitations.
Line by Line Meaning
Christ, by the dumpster
The savior of the world, standing beside the trash collector containers
Peeling and a-tossin' your lottery tickets
Removing and discarding scraps of hope from life's opportunities
Oh Nazarene, drinking dust
The messiah of Nazareth, parched and drinking sand
Oh, Christ, rising and a-fallin'
The savior, enduring the ups and downs of life and death
Oh, Jesus Christ, givin' us the finger
The Lord, expressing disdain or anger toward us
In Christ I'll tumble (?)
In the savior, I will somersault or stumble (?), uncertain of my path
Bless, please, the people in art galleries
Please grant divine favor to those viewing or creating works of art
Lonely as a distant train
Desolate and isolated, like the sound of a train far away
Bless, now, the cancer of the bone
Grant favor and healing to those afflicted with bone cancer
The last light making beautiful
The remaining illumination of life, making things appear lovely
The poisons in the sky
The pollutants and toxins in the air above us
And the condemned man in his tuxedo dream
The guilty individual with a fanciful aspiration and wardrobe
His dream of limousines and innocence
His imagined scenario of luxury and blamelessness
Take off your clothes and come to him in dreams
Remove the facade and connect truthfully with him, even in dreams
Stand on the fire escape naked and blest.
Perch on the building's emergency exit exposed and sanctified.
With jazz like a rivulet of codeine
Smooth and calming jazz comparable to a stream of pain medicine
The laughter spilling from our broken necklaces, oh
The mirth escaping from our shattered adornments, oh
Contributed by Ruby Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kathleen McLaughlin-Hoppe
I watched this on the recommendation of Mary Roach, who is the only "deity" I choose to worship. (OK, actually it's just envy that she's living out the life I wish I had time to live, but I chose a different path--still think she is worthy to give a YouTube recommendation or any other media review), and so I find myself here and am glad that's the case. I am now a huge fan of One Ring Zero! I hope that my purchase of your music sends you a karmic hello :D
Michael Hearst
Aw, thanks, GaelicHead. Mary Roach is indeed a deity. In case you didn't already see it check out our song "Zero Gravity Blues" which we wrote with her. cheers! ORZ
akimbonorman
thank you, gents. I have just enjoyed the dvd of "as smart as they are". i will spend many happy hours in my future seeking out the artifacts of your take on the universe. regards, nlg
akimbonorman
thank you gents -- have just enjoyed the dvd of "as smart as they are". i will spend many happy hours in my future seeking out the artifacts of your take on the universe. regards, nlg
GayleMI
The documentary 'Accordion Rising' featured a live version that was great. Hey, where's the accordion? Great video, though.