Williams has published four books of poetry: "The Seventh Octave", "S/he", ",said the shotgun to the head." and "The Dead Emcee Scrolls"; and released six albums: Amethyst Rock Star, the self titled Saul Williams, The Inevitable Rise and Liberation Of Niggy Tardust, Volcanic Sunlight, MartyrLoserKing and most recently, Encrypted & Vulnerable.
Notice Of Eviction
Saul Williams Lyrics
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There will be no more breath and no more light
I've burned every candle and extinguished every fear
And I've waited for your time to pass
To bring in my new year
Something is dying tonight
There will be no more struggle, no more fight
Through suffering and youth
But I'm the landlord of my dreams now
And my tenets rent is due
Something is dying
Something is dying inside of me
In spite of me
Something is dying tonight
My old paddles off to Saturn
Taking flight and the astronaut within me
Has no air supply at all so
He's plunging into the deep sea
With no parachute to fall
Something is dying tonight
I can't eat and I can't sleep, so I just write
'Cause I wanted you to lean on
To distract me from my feet
Oh, my karma will cure me
Out of bounds and out of reach
Something is dying
Something is dying inside of me
In spite of me
Something is dying
Something is dying inside of me
In spite of me
Author of 'Winds Of Change'
'Phantom Of The Opera'
Tenor of the Octet Frame
Spews volcanic lava
Silent heart of the sun
Not just the world of interest
Sun retires calls it a day
And sleeps a hundred winters
Darkness echoes thunder cries
And wagers war of laughter
Dolphins come form sea
And sky and the here after
Bumble bees crawl to the tops of trees
And call out to the children
Little girl awakes from dream
As Elvis leave the building
Elvis leaves the building
Elvis leaves the building
Elvis leaves the building
Elvis leaves the building
Down poor from the darkest cloud
And humiliated attention
Flasher of the third leads him
To the fourth dimension
Shotgun rings across a plan
Down goes another line
Harlem church cries sing refrain
A margin of design
The song "Notice of Eviction" by Saul Williams is a poetic reflection of the artist's personal journey towards growth and self-discovery. The beginning of the song is characterized by a sense of finality as the singer acknowledges the end of an era in their life, symbolized by the death of something inside of them. Williams uses vivid imagery to convey the idea of transition, from burning candles and extinguishing fear to waiting for the old year to pass and ushering in a new one. The singer claims ownership of their dreams and acknowledges the toll that suffering and youth have taken on them, but asserts their authority as the "landlord" of their aspirations.
The second half of the song takes on a more surreal and metaphorical tone, with references to space exploration and dreams. Williams combines cosmic imagery with personal struggles, depicting the astronaut within him as taking flight while simultaneously being in danger because of a lack of air supply. The juxtaposition of space travel with drowning in the deep sea speaks to the idea of being caught between worlds or states of being. The singer's restlessness and insomnia prompt them to write, and they reflect on the desire for distraction and comfort from others that they have harbored in the past. The chorus repeats the idea of something inside of the singer dying, despite their best efforts to resist or control it. The final lines of the song are a mixture of political and social commentary, with references to musical icons and the insignificance of human actions in the grand scheme of things.
Line by Line Meaning
Something is dying tonight
The singer is experiencing the end of something significant in their life.
There will be no more breath and no more light
Whatever is ending is bringing an end to vitality and hope.
I've burned every candle and extinguished every fear
The singer has faced their fears head-on and is left with nothing to hide behind.
And I've waited for your time to pass
The artist needed time to move on from something, but is now ready to do so.
To bring in my new year
The artist is ready for a fresh start.
There will be no more struggle, no more fight
Whatever is ending has been a long and difficult struggle.
And I've known that I'd have to live
The singer has come to terms with the hardship of life.
Through suffering and youth
The artist has experienced hardship for a long time, even in their youth.
But I'm the landlord of my dreams now
The artist is in control of their own destiny.
And my tenets rent is due
There is an expectation for success in the artist's own life.
Something is dying inside of me
The singer is not only experiencing the end of something external, but also internal.
In spite of me
The end is not something the artist wanted or caused.
I can't eat and I can't sleep, so I just write
The singer is using writing to cope with the end of something.
'Cause I wanted you to lean on
The singer was hoping for support during this tough time from someone specific.
To distract me from my feet
The singer was hoping to avoid having to make difficult decisions about their own life.
Oh, my karma will cure me
The artist has faith that their actions will have positive consequences in the long run.
Out of bounds and out of reach
The end of something is preventing the artist from achieving their goals.
Author of 'Winds Of Change'
The singer is an accomplished writer.
'Phantom Of The Opera'
The singer is referencing or alluding to the famous musical, possibly indicating their love for the arts.
Tenor of the Octet Frame
The artist is skilled in music and singing.
Spews volcanic lava
The artist is passionate and intense.
Silent heart of the sun
The artist is describing an astronomical event or phenomenon.
Not just the world of interest
The singer is pointing out that there are things beyond human understanding or knowledge.
Sun retires calls it a day
The sun sets, bringing an end to the day.
And sleeps a hundred winters
The sun's rest is permanent and will last for many years (figuratively).
Darkness echoes thunder cries
The singer is describing a stormy and intense moment.
And wagers war of laughter
The singer is noting how something violent or intense can turn lighthearted very quickly.
Dolphins come from sea
The artist is describing a beautiful natural event.
And sky and the here after
The artist is describing something that seems to transcend normal human experience.
Bumble bees crawl to the tops of trees
The singer uses creative language to describe the buzzing sound of bees.
And call out to the children
The singer is describing a serene moment.
Little girl awakes from dream
The artist is telling a story, either real or fictional.
As Elvis leave the building
The artist is referencing the famous phrase said at the end of Elvis Presley's concerts before he left the stage.
Elvis leaves the building
The artist is repeating this phrase for effect or as a reference to something else.
Downpour from the darkest cloud
The singer is describing a severe rainstorm.
And humiliated attention
The artist is describing something that is causing emotions of embarrassment or shame.
Flasher of the third leads him
The singer is describing something that guides or motivates someone in a seemingly random way.
To the fourth dimension
The singer is describing something that transcends normal human experience.
Shotgun rings across a plan
The singer is describing a gunshot in a hostile environment.
Down goes another line
The artist is describing someone dying.
Harlem church cries sing refrain
The artist is describing a moment of emotional pain and grief.
A margin of design
The singer is suggesting that all of these moments and events were planned or designed in some way.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SAUL WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind