waterkill
Red House Painters Lyrics
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From the bottom of the fate lake
I feel the vibes as feet of Christ go by
Large and small and fast they fall
Prayin' for my dear breath
Don't want to face my fear of death
Dredge and fork and dive and fish
For everyone's best wish
But still with my eyes and ears
Without breath, even still
I like it down here in waterkill
Without breath, even still
I like it down here in waterkill
Separate from the shoal of unserious
Who fed upon my dwindlin' life
Robbed what dim and dyin' soul that I might
Settled in the nervous core
Days down, recollectin' youth before
Holdin' my dear self
Don't want to feel my flesh unfelt
Slowest tortoise, fastest shark
I watch from the bottom of the lake dark
Slowest tortoise, fastest shark
I watch from the bottom of the lake dark
The lyrics of Waterkill by Red House Painters are cryptic and evoke a sense of isolation, melancholy, and resignation. The first few lines draw the listener's attention to the unyielding and suffocating nature of fate. The singer finds himself trapped at the bottom of a lake, struggling to breathe, and feeling helpless as he watches the feet of Christ pass by. The imagery employed in the lyrics is intense and powerful, creating a sense of desperation and despair.
The theme of death runs through the entire song. The singer prays for dear life, and yet he seems to embrace his predicament. The line "Without breath, even still, I like it down here in waterkill" is particularly poignant. The lyrics suggest that the singer has grown tired of the superficiality of life that he finds on the surface, and that he has found some solace and meaning in his predicament.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's psyche. He feels separate from the "shoal of unserious" who have taken advantage of him and robbed him of his vitality. He spends his days reminiscing about his childhood and holding on to his sense of self. However, he lives in constant fear of losing touch with reality and becoming numb to his surroundings. The final lines of the song "Slowest tortoise, fastest shark, I watch from the bottom of the lake dark" reinforce the image of the singer's isolation and his sense of detachment from the world.
Overall, the lyrics of Waterkill are enigmatic and offer little in terms of clear-cut meaning. However, they evoke strong emotions in the listener and paint a vivid picture of the singer's inner world.
Line by Line Meaning
It isn't great tryin' to breathe
Struggling to breathe is not a pleasant experience
From the bottom of the fate lake
Refers to being in a deep and dark emotional place
I feel the vibes as feet of Christ go by
Sensing a spiritual presence around them
Large and small and fast they fall
Refers to different experiences in life, good and bad, fast and slow
Under meltin' summer sky
A time period that conjures feelings of warmth and relaxation
Prayin' for my dear breath
Hopeful for the ability to continue living
Don't want to face my fear of death
Avoiding thinking about the inevitability of death
Dredge and fork and dive and fish
The various ways people try to find what they're looking for
For everyone's best wish
Trying to please everyone and make things better for everyone
But still with my eyes and ears
Still aware and present despite not being able to breathe
Without breath, even still
Even without the ability to breathe, there is still beauty to be found
I like it down here in waterkill
Feeling comfortable and at ease in the deep emotional place
Separate from the shoal of unserious
Distinct from those who are not serious about life
Who fed upon my dwindlin' life
Those who took away from their life instead of adding to it
Robbed what dim and dyin' soul that I might
Stealing from their soul that was already struggling
Settled in the nervous core
Referring to deep anxiety and unsettled emotions
Days down, recollectin' youth before
Reflecting on past experiences that were happier and more carefree
Holdin' my dear self
Holding onto themselves and wanting to protect themselves
Don't want to feel my flesh unfelt
Not wanting to become numb to their emotions
Slowest tortoise, fastest shark
Referring to the different paces people move in life
I watch from the bottom of the lake dark
Observing life from a place of deep emotional struggle
Slowest tortoise, fastest shark
Referring to the different paces people move in life
I watch from the bottom of the lake dark
Observing life from a place of deep emotional struggle
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Mark Edward Kozelek
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
rexasul
wow, this is a gem! I agree, such a shame it never made an album.
Gideon K
If it's so miserable a song, why is it so beautiful and euphoric to listen to? Damn.
D Friedman
This sounds an awful lot like the version on the second disc of Retrospective.
Brian Prosper
Well, Down Colorful Hill is 20 years young this year. Bonus track hopefully?