In 2005 guitarist Dave Miller left the band and was replaced by Heath Saraceno, formerly of Midtown. The band's second full-length album, Still Searching, was released in 2006. They joined Warped Tour and Taste of Chaos in support of the album. Mike Glita then left the band the following year and Jason Black, also a member of Hot Water Music, joined initially as a temporary replacement but ended up remaining in the band. Their third album, Life Is Not a Waiting Room, was released in 2008. Heath Saraceno then left the band after their appearance at the 2009 Warped Tour and was replaced by Zack Roach, also guitarist of post-rock band Spirit of the Stairs.
Senses Fail's fourth album The Fire was released October 25, 2010 through UK label Hassle Records and elsewhere through Vagrant the following day. In February 2011, Garrett Zablocki left the band to attend college and was replaced by Matt Smith, also guitarist for Strike Anywhere.
The Priest and the Matador
Senses Fail Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Clouds and shapes of dogs and cats
I hear a woman, start to yell
"Oh dear God, I think he fell"
I'm the arrow shot straight to hell
From the bow of William Tell
My body lies kissing the ground
A priest is rushing to my side
Begins to read me, my last rites
Father, you're too late, my faith is weak
So won't you save your half-hearted speech
I'm the arrow shot straight to hell
From the bow of William Tell
My body lies kissing the ground
Like a cross turned upside down
A man bends down and says
"Son, we're going to get through this one
Take my hand and let us pray"
I scream, "Please get the fuck away"
I'm the arrow shot straight to hell
From the bow of William Tell
My body lies kissing the ground
Like a cross turned upside down
The ambulance is singing
As cops push back the crowd
I start to take my last breath
As blood pours out my mouth
The medics walk in my way
I think this could be it
I hear 'em start to state
The time of death is half past six
I'm the arrow shot straight to hell
I'm the arrow shot straight to hell
The song "The Priest and the Matador" by Senses Fail is about a man who has fallen, possibly to his death, and is lying on the ground staring at the sky. He hears a woman screaming for help, and a priest rushes to his side to perform the last rites. However, the man's faith is weak and he wants the priest to save his "half-hearted speech". Another man tries to comfort him and offer his hand in prayer, but the man screams at him to leave him alone. As the ambulance arrives and the crowd is pushed back by the police, the man takes his last breath and dies.
The lyrics are full of religious imagery, with the man being compared to the arrow shot straight to hell from the bow of William Tell. He lies on the ground like a cross turned upside down, symbolizing his rejection of faith. The priest represents the Church and its attempt to provide comfort to those in need, but the man's lack of faith in that moment renders their efforts useless. The other man's attempt to offer prayer and comfort is also rejected by the man, who is resigned to his fate.
The song deals with themes of faith, death, and the meaning of life. It challenges the idea that religion can provide answers and comfort in moments of crisis, and instead suggests that the only thing that truly matters is how one lives their life.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I lie, I'm staring at
The singer is lying down and looking up at the sky.
Clouds and shapes of dogs and cats
The singer sees clouds in the sky that resemble dogs and cats.
I hear a woman, start to yell
The singer hears a woman screaming.
"Oh dear God, I think he fell"
The woman is expressing concern that someone may have fallen.
I'm the arrow shot straight to hell
The artist feels like they are on a path to destruction.
From the bow of William Tell
The singer is being propelled towards hell by a force beyond their control.
My body lies kissing the ground
The singer is lying on the ground.
Like a cross turned upside down
The artist's body is positioned like an upside-down cross, which is often seen as a symbol of Satanism.
A priest is rushing to my side
A priest is hurrying to help the artist.
Begins to read me, my last rites
The priest is performing a religious ceremony for someone who is dying.
Father, you're too late, my faith is weak
The singer does not feel comforted by the priest's actions.
So won't you save your half-hearted speech
The artist does not want to hear the priest's insincere words of comfort.
A man bends down and says
Another man approaches and speaks to the singer.
"Son, we're going to get through this one
The man is offering encouragement to the singer, telling them that they will survive this ordeal.
Take my hand and let us pray"
The man offers to pray with the singer, using physical contact to comfort them.
I scream, "Please get the fuck away"
The artist rejects the man's offer of comfort and aggressively tells him to leave.
The ambulance is singing
The sirens of an ambulance can be heard approaching.
As cops push back the crowd
Police officers are managing a crowd of onlookers.
I start to take my last breath
The singer is dying and is struggling to breathe.
As blood pours out my mouth
The artist is experiencing an injury that is causing them to bleed from their mouth.
The medics walk in my way
Medical personnel arrive on the scene.
I think this could be it
The artist realizes that their life is about to end.
I hear 'em start to state
The medical personnel begin to announce the time of death.
The time of death is half past six
The artist has died at 6:30 PM.
I'm the arrow shot straight to hell
The singer feels like they are doomed to go to hell.
I'm the arrow shot straight to hell
Repeating the earlier line, the singer emphasizes their feeling of being on a path to destruction.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: DANIEL GERARD TRAPP, GARRETT MICHAEL ZABLOCKI, HEATH MATTHEW SARACENO, JAMES ANTHONY BUDDY NIELSEN, MICHAEL JOHN GLITA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Spencer Paulson
mmm the song of a non-believer fighting the fear of not knowing whats going to happen after his last breath.... a beautiful and haunting masterpiece from senses fail.
FoxWolf
or the peace of mind knowing that this is it. that nothing will happen to them after this. their struggle is over. they can rest in peace, forever.
FoxWolf
you mean the same exact fear even the most devout believers feal in there last moment of existence?
Aaron Czerwinski
The whole album is about the downfall of that man. It's a map to his suicide and giving up. It's a beautiful but sad masterpiece. When you listen to it as a whole, it's almost like their version of a Shakespeare-ish tragedy.
Uriel Drake
@Emery Marcus Definitely, have been watching on Kaldrostream for since november myself =)
Emery Marcus
Pro tip: watch movies on kaldrostream. Been using it for watching all kinds of movies lately.
Dior Air Jordan 1s
When I first heard this, I cried so hard. I love this song so much and it is beautifully made.
Jay Hart
This is the first time I've listened to this whole album since 2009 in one sitting and dude when it ended i still wanted more same exact feeling as the first time i heard it. so many good memories
SuperEpicGamerMommie
Im so happy this album exists
backpack450
A man bends down and says "Son, we're gonna get through this one. Take my hands and let us pray." I scream "Please get the fuck away!"