Medicine Hat
Son Volt Lyrics


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There will be droughts and days inundated
Unveilings free from saturation
Departures raised with no masquerading.

There will be teachers that die by their own hand
Pundits that push headlong for atonement
Friends and followers devoted to living.
There will be watchers that plot from in confines
And those committed to society's circles
Unwary cogs with no cadence or virtue.

There will be right, there will be wrong.
Drop of the hat and it's already started
Just like that and the deed is done




What I'd give for the hat to be medicine
The time is now to be on the run.

Overall Meaning

Son Volt's "Medicine Hat" is a contemplation on the unpredictability and impermanence of life, and an acknowledgment of the fact that there are many forces beyond our control. The lyrics above describe various scenarios that will inevitably play out in the course of life – droughts, floods, departures – and the different types of people who inhabit the world – teachers who take their own lives, pundits seeking redemption, loyal friends and followers. Some, like the watchers who plot from the shadows, seem to have their own agendas, while others simply go through life as "unwary cogs with no cadence or virtue."


The song seems to suggest that in the face of all this, the only thing we can really do is keep moving forward, because the world will keep turning with or without us. The chorus, "What I'd give for the hat to be medicine, the time is now to be on the run," acknowledges the desire for some sort of magic fix for the chaos of life, but also recognizes that there is no such thing. Instead, the only option is to keep moving, to run like the wind and hope that we can outrun whatever comes our way.


Overall, "Medicine Hat" is a poignant meditation on the human condition, and a reminder that, despite all the unpredictability and darkness in the world, there is always hope to be found in the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other.


Line by Line Meaning

There will be droughts and days inundated
There will be times of scarcity and times of abundance


Unveilings free from saturation
New discoveries that break through the norms


Departures raised with no masquerading
Leaving without pretending


There will be teachers that die by their own hand
Some educators will take their own life


Pundits that push headlong for atonement
Experts advocating for redemption with urgency


Friends and followers devoted to living
People who follow and cherish life


There will be watchers that plot from in confines
There will be people who scheme secretly


And those committed to society's circles
Others who are dedicated to communal networks


Unwary cogs with no cadence or virtue
People without a sense of rhythm or morality


There will be right, there will be wrong.
There will be both good and evil


Drop of the hat and it's already started
Things can change quickly


Just like that and the deed is done
Actions can have swift consequences


What I'd give for the hat to be medicine
Wishing for a solution to problems


The time is now to be on the run.
The moment has arrived to escape




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAY FARRAR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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