Their debut album, 'Black River Falls' (released under the name of 'Reverend Glasseye And His Wooden Legs') of 2001 was warmly welcomed by press and radio alike. Reverend Glasseye's second release, 'Happy End and Begin', came out in the Fall of 2004 on Ottawa's Music For Cats Records, and went on to become the label's top seller. In 2005 Reverend Glasseye won Boston's most prestigious battle of the bands, WBCN's Rock and Roll Rumble. Their record, 'Our Lady of the Broken Spine' was released on November 8, 2005.
The revolving line-up has included among others Piet Masone, Paul Fonfara (incorrectly listed as "Fonfera") (Woven Hand, Devotchka, Jim White, and Twin Cities-based bands Painted Saints, Spaghetti Western String Co., and The Brass Messengers), Stevhen Iancu (Portland’s The Dolomites and recent fill-in accordionist for Gogol Bordello), Paul Dilly on the upright bass and lead guitar, Cassandra Lomas on the trombone and tuba, and Kevin Corzett on the saxophone and clarinet.
In 2007 Adam Glasseye and Tim Maher moved to Austin, Texas, and decided to put Reverend Glasseye on hiatus. By 2009 they have recruited Barbara Arriaga (Cello), Randall Holt (Cello), and Thom Washburn (Drums) as members of the band, recorded new songs and plan to go on tour again.
Oh Lord
Reverend Glasseye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The old man, he said
I've been walking all day
Until my feet, they bled
You got water, son?
I'm bound to die of thirst
Yesterday was hard,
Today's been so much worse
Sit down, my son,
And have a word with me
And like Judas Iscariot
I obliged him instantly
He said, it seems I pass along this day
I don't wanna be alone
Got a couple more things to say
Oh lord, why have you been so cruel to me?
Is this something I really had to see?
I will walk away a better man
Hand in hand to the promised land
Hold on, my friend, I wont go very far
And I high-tailed it to my beaten up car
I was right there just gonna drive away
I had the worst feeling creeping up my head
So I walked back with the water jug in hand
And the old man was passed out in the sand
I knew right there he wasn't coming back
I walked away never to look back
Oh lord, why have you been so cruel to me?
Is this something I really had to see?
I will walk away a better man
These images, they also fresh at hand
Fifteen routes in his mission
Fifteen words across my arm
Fifteen days 'til I'm a
Fifteen ways that I've done wrong
Fifteen ways I'll promise I'll do better
Fifteen songs I'll learn to sing
Fifteen counts point toward you
Oh lord, you've been so cruel to me
The song "Oh Lord" by Reverend Glasseye depicts a conversation between a young man and an old man who are both enduring hardship. The old man has been walking for a long period, and his feet are bleeding. He asks the young man for water because he is close to dying of thirst. The young man is hesitant to help, but he agrees to sit and chat with the old man for a while. During their conversation, the old man reflects on his life, and he tells the young man that he doesn't want to be alone. The young man suddenly feels a sense of panic and rushes to his car. But he has a change of heart and decides to return with water, and he finds the old man passed out in the sand. The message of the song is that, despite the harsh experiences of life, there is always an opportunity to connect with others and find redemption.
The lyrics of "Oh Lord" are a commentary on the human condition, particularly the struggle to find meaning in life's hardships. The initial reluctance of the young man to help the old man reveals a common tendency to turn away from the suffering of others. However, his decision to go back and help is an act of compassion and kindness. The imagery of the old man walking until his feet bled, combined with his plea for companionship in his final moments, is a stark reminder of the fragility of human life. The song's reference to Judas Iscariot implies an understanding of the unpredictability of human behavior and the potential for redemption, even in the face of betrayal.
Line by Line Meaning
With the lines on his face
The man was old and had plenty of experience
The old man, he said
The man spoke to me
I've been walking all day
The man had been walking for a long time
Until my feet, they bled
The man's feet were physically damaged
You got water, son?
The man was thirsty and needed water to drink
I'm bound to die of thirst
The man feared he would die of dehydration
Yesterday was hard,
The day before was difficult for him
Today's been so much worse
The current day was even more difficult than the previous day
Sit down, my son,
The man wanted me to sit with him
And have a word with me
The man wanted to talk to me
And like Judas Iscariot
I quickly agreed to talk to him
It seems I pass along this day
The man felt he would die soon
I don't wanna be alone
The man didn't want to die alone
Got a couple more things to say
The man had a few more things to tell me before he died
Oh lord, why have you been so cruel to me?
The man questioned why he had to go through so much hardship
Is this something I really had to see?
The man wondered why he had to witness such difficulties
I will walk away a better man
The man hoped to learn from his trials and grow from them
Hand in hand to the promised land
The man wanted to die with hope and peace
Hold on, my friend, I won't go very far
I promised to stay with him in his final moments
And I high-tailed it to my beaten up car
I quickly ran to my car to get him some water
I was right there just gonna drive away
I felt uncertain about how to handle the situation
I had the worst feeling creeping up my head
I had a negative feeling about leaving him alone
So I walked back with the water jug in hand
I decided to return with the water
And the old man was passed out in the sand
The man had fainted or died while I was gone
I knew right there he wasn't coming back
I realized the man had died and would not return
I walked away never to look back
I left the scene and didn't turn back
These images, they also fresh at hand
The images of the man's death were still vivid in my mind
Fifteen routes in his mission
The man had taken various paths in his life
Fifteen words across my arm
I had some sort of writing or tattoo on my arm
Fifteen days 'til I'm a
I had a limited amount of time to accomplish something
Fifteen ways that I've done wrong
I had made many mistakes
Fifteen ways I'll promise I'll do better
I hoped to improve and avoid past mistakes
Fifteen songs I'll learn to sing
I wanted to learn and appreciate new things
Fifteen counts point toward you
There were many reasons to focus on religion or God
Oh lord, you've been so cruel to me
The man continued to question why God had made his life so difficult
Contributed by Alice D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Equus
on Mother is a Carpegian
[Voice 1:] You: have done much damage
You: of little worth?
Hand of heavy pocket
Hand of heavy thirst
Hand of dumb luck
Hand of swollen tongue
You: who stole my daughter
I: of loaded gun
I am of little vision
You: of little faith
You: of faulty genes
You are in my way
I who pretetect ___heres?
I who make demands
I who speak in tongues.
I am a poor, poor man
With no money and no trinkets.
I made you a drink, sir
I reckon you should drink it.
[Voice 1 and Priest] I got a daughter and she looks like me
Well she oughta she’s got half of my genes
And her mother is a Carpegian
From the border, she sells grenadine for a quarter by the water
[Voice 1] I wrote you a song
You got a pretty voice
My daughter praises you
I think you make her moist.
You: who are not welcome
You: who gave her seed
You: she calls at night
You: she says she needs!
I have begun to hate you
A Judas of our town
Your neighbor, subtle poison,
Brings ‘nother goodman down.
I must take some blame —
I guess I shoulda known —
I gave you so much trust,
Now I’m a poor poor man!
With no money and no trinkets…
I made you a drink, sir
I reckon you should drink it.
[Voice 1 and Priest] I got a daughter and she looks like me
Well she oughta she’s got half of my genes
And her mother is a Carpegian
From the border, she sells grenadine for a quarter by the water
[Voice 1] Bind his hands and gag his mouth my friends
It is time that we all make amends
Bind his hands, boys,
Bind his hands and sing.
[Voice 2:] Now listen up now,
I got something to say.
I was an evil man, I did some cruel things!
Done sold my kids,
Felated from {For linen for} my wife…
I done killed a man!
I done killed a man,
I done killed a man,
I done killed a man!
I walked right into town—
There was a man like me there,
A-hangin’ on a long rope as the,
The townsfolk stood in prayer.
[Crowd & Voice 1, sounding like Priest:] Hang him high, oh hang him high, yo ho, etc
[Voice 1 and Priest] I got a daughter and she looks like me.
Well, she oughta she’s got half of my genes
And her mother is a Carpegian.
From the border she sells grenadine for a quarter by the water.
I got a daughter and she looks like me!
Well she oughta she’s got half of my genes!
And her mother is a Carpegian!
From, the border she sells grenadine for a quarter by the wa…ter!
[Priest:] *chanting indistinctly, similar to Black River Falls*
[Voice 3?:] I got a grandson, looks like me.
Aw, he oughta, he’s got most of my genes.
[Voice 1, over the Priest:] Yo ho la la etc
[Voice 1:] And he looks
[Priest & Voice 1] like me.
Equus
on God Help You Dumb Boy
Dumb boy, what do you make?
My eyes are lazy my skin doth flake
Then what good can you do?
Not so much as men like you.
Dumb boy, what do you see?
Lesser men coming down on me.
Tell us, what will you do?
I’ll let my axe come down on you!
Here by the water
I’ll raise my kingdom
I’ll farm my foliage
I’ll raise my arms and
I’ll say my name with, with glory-be’s and,
Here by the water
I’ll raise my temple
Where no man shall be as smart as me!
But I can’t load the bullets and I can’t use a gun
I can’t have no children so I won’t have a son
I can’t wake up early so nothing will grow
I will lay on my lands til the sun hangs low til the sun hangs low
I’ll lay on my lands til the sun hangs low!
Dumb boy, you done wrong.
By what right do you good men judge?
You are in the contempt of man.
Then gag my mouth and bind my hands.
Dumb boy why do you sing?
Heh, your guns, they are empty!
Your rope, it is frayed!
Tell us, what did you say?
In your empty chests, my axe I will lay!
Here by the water
I’ll raise my kingdom
I’ll farm my foliage
I’ll raise my arms and
I’ll say my name with, with glory-be’s and,
Here by the water
I’ll raise my temple
Where no man shall be as smart as me!
I can’t load the bullets and I can’t use a gun.
I can’t have no children so I won’t have a son.
I can’t wake up early so nothing will grow.
I will lay on my lands til the sun hangs low, til the sun hangs low.
I’ll lay on my lands til the sun hangs low!
..
Speak and follow,
Your words are hollow.
Steps are heavy.
You will not save me.
Speak and follow
Your words are hollow,
Steps are heavy,
You will not save me!
God help you, dumb boy!
God help you, dumb boy!
God help you, dumb boy!
God help you, dumb boy!
But I can’t load the bullets and I can’t use a gun.
I can’t have no children so I won’t have a son.
I can’t wake up early so nothing will grow.
I’ll lay on my lands til the sun hangs low.
I can’t load the bullets and I can’t use a gun.
I can’t have no children so I won’t have a son.
I can’t wake up early so nothing will grow.
I’ll lay on my lands til the sun hangs low.
I can’t load the bullets … can’t use a gun.
… can’t have no children so I won’t have a son.
… can’t wake up early so nothing will grow.
I’ll lay on my lands til the sun hangs low.
Equus
on 3 Ton Chain (live)
Well now gather round my people
And sing me off to sleep,
My days are filled with sorrow
That sorrow is so deep.
Well sing those songs of trouble
Luminous as sin
Those songs of certain evil
And good men giving in.
For you shall be my shepherds
Leading me to joy,
And through this everlasting
We’ll find a better day.
For if the end is coming
And all of us should drown,
Then sing me first a love song
When that mean ol’ sun goes down.
Close your eyes and go to sleep,
Stars your maps and charts to keep.
All these precious gifts we give to thee…
And if my countrymen be brothers
I sing of your deeds,
Sing to me in joyous tones
In this, my time of need.
When one day you will find me
And when at last you come,
I’ll tell you of my secret:
That the world is not my home
Hold your voices high,
As the room is dark now!
Let the trumpets break
Through this __ !
Sing the songs of wonder! Gentlemen, in my time of need!
We have been this place before
Jonah row your boat ashore
We are lost, can’t see the stars
Jonah row your boat ashore
Forgive me my distempers
I’ve been so quick to judge
Help is cold and greedy
As you’ve meant so very much.
And if this darkness is everlasting
And it’s wicked and it’s cruel
Then kiss my forehead gently
And know that I love you.
Close your eyes and go to sleep,
Stars your maps and charts to keep.
All these precious gifts we give to thee…
As the sun goes gently down
My friends they pivot and turn around
They bound and swivel,
They sing lo, lo, lo!
And the world is not my home, sir!
And the world is not my home, sir!
And the world is not my home, sir!
And the world is not my home, sir!
We have been this place before,
Jonah row your boat ashore.
We are lost, can’t see the stars,
Jonah row your boat ashore.
I have been this place, I know—
Jonah row your boat ashore
It is true that the world is not my home, no,
Jonah row your boat ashore.