Spiritual Beggars are a stoner rock/metal band from Halmstad, Sweden. They … Read Full Bio ↴Spiritual Beggars are a stoner rock/metal band from Halmstad, Sweden. They formed in 1992 and debuted with a self-titled album in 1994.

Spiritual Beggars are basically a reversion to true rock roots. Although this is no-way a retrogression of musical techniques. They offer intelligent and burnished pieces of euphony, that come across like a junkie of groove. In other words a musical drug, an addictive blend of severity and harmony.

Current lineup

Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, Carcass) - Guitars
Apollo Papathanasio (Firewind) - Vocals
Sharlee D'Angelo (Arch Enemy, Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Dismember) - Bass
Per Wiberg (Opeth) - Keyboards
Ludwig Witt (The Mushroom River band, Shining, Firebird) - Drums

Past members

Christian "Spice" Sjöstrand (The Mushroom River Band, Kayser, Spice and the RJ Band) - Vocals, Bass
Johnny Dordevic (Entombed) - Bass
Roger Nilsson (The Quill, Firebird) - Bass
Janne "JB" Christoffersson (Grand Magus) - Vocals

Mantra
Spiritual Beggars Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've been down so long
Nothing ever changes
No matter how much I try
Got neighbours in my head
They're constantly arguing
About each step I take
My hands move like rattlesnakes
And my fingers fumble

Like they've just been invented
I bleed through the faking truth
I don't understand
All you fools
I keep drinking wine
Alone in the dark
You know the last drink
Is always the saddest
I have enough pills

To take me home
'cause this neighbour's song is doing it too slow

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Mantra" by Spiritual Beggars present the inner turmoil of a person who is going through a difficult phase in life. The first line, "I've been down so long, nothing ever changes," sets the tone for the rest of the song, which speaks about the feeling of hopelessness and futility. The singer tries to change their circumstances, but nothing seems to work, and they are stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts.

The song mentions "neighbours in my head" that are constantly arguing, suggesting a battle between different thoughts or emotions in the singer's mind. They are unable to control their movements and feel like their hands move like rattlesnakes, indicating a lack of coordination and control. The lyrics also speak about drinking wine alone in the dark, which is often a sign of depression or isolation.

The singer mentions having enough pills to take them home, which could imply thoughts of suicide. The last line, "because this neighbor's song is doing it too slow," is a cryptic ending that leaves room for interpretation. It could be a reference to a literal noise disturbance caused by a neighbor's loud music, or it could be a metaphor for the slow pace of life and how the singer wants to escape it.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been down so long
I have been struggling and feeling low for an extended period of time.

Nothing ever changes
Despite my efforts, my situation remains the same and I feel stuck.

No matter how much I try
Despite my persistent efforts to improve my situation, I have had no success.

Got neighbours in my head
I have negative thoughts or different personas in my mind which are constantly contradicting each other.

They're constantly arguing
The thoughts or personas in my head are in constant conflict with each other.

About each step I take
My thoughts or personas argue about the decisions I make and the paths I choose to take.

My hands move like rattlesnakes
My hands shake or tremble in a sharp, unpredictable manner.

And my fingers fumble
My fingers are uncoordinated and struggle to execute tasks with precision.

Like they've just been invented
My fingers feel unfamiliar and as if they lack experience or proper training.

I bleed through the faking truth
I am hurting and struggling to maintain a facade of positivity or composure.

I don't understand
I am confused and unsure about something.

All you fools
The people around me are foolish or ignorant.

I keep drinking wine
I cope with my struggles by drinking alcohol.

Alone in the dark
I feel lonely and isolated in my struggles.

You know the last drink
I am aware that sometimes the final drink consumed in a drinking session represents sadness or gloom.

Is always the saddest
The last drink consumed is typically the most emotional or difficult.

I have enough pills
I have access to medication that could potentially end my life.

To take me home
I could use the pills to end my life.

'cause this neighbour's song is doing it too slow
The internal conflict and negativity inside my mind is causing me to feel like ending my life is a quicker solution than waiting for things to improve.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTIAN BO SJOSTRAND, LUDWIG JOHANNES WITT, MICHAEL AMOTT, PER JONAS WIBERG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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