After The Fall
Terrance Zdunich Lyrics
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Up town they fluff the feathers,
Coachmen walk with canes,
And every collar is creased.
A Gentleman prefers to break from airs and fetters,
To roll off his sleeves,
And liberate the Beast.
Let us claw in the mud,
Let us swing with both fists
As we writhe in the blood,
Let us walk on stained glass,
Sinners one,
Sinners all,
It's always prettiest after the Fall.
We gnaw on the bone,
Up town they sprinkle sweetener
Nectar for the cups,
And napkins for the chins,
A Gentleman prefers to dig in with his fingers,
Suck in through his teeth,
And bare a hungry grin,
Let us piss from the vine,
Let us claw in the mud,
Let us swing with both fists
As we writhe in the blood,
Let us walk on stained glass,
Sinners one,
Sinners all,
It's always prettiest after the Fall.
We board up the shed,
Up town they gild Cathedrals,
Choir boys for Hymns,
And candles for the Mass,
A Gentleman prefers to differ with his Steeple
Salt his scripture well,
And show a little class.
Let us piss from the vine
Let us claw in the mud,
Let us swing with both fists
As we writhe in the blood,
Let us walk on stained glass,
Sinners one,
Sinners ALL,
Let us piss from the vine
Let us claw in the mud,
Let us swing with both fists
As we writhe in the blood,
Let us walk on stained glass,
Sinners one,
Sinners all,
It's always prettiest after the Fall.
The song "After the Fall" by Terrance Zdunich appears to be an exploration of class differences and the idea of social expectations versus the innate desires of human beings. The repeated imagery of "up town" versus the primal, earthy imagery of "scratching on the plains" and "clawing in the mud" suggests a tension between the refinement and propriety expected of certain social classes versus the more base desires and instincts that are part of human nature. The repetition of the line "A Gentleman prefers" suggests a critique of aristocratic culture, emphasizing the desire to break free from the constraints and expectations of class and embrace a more authentic and honest expression of self.
The idea of the "Fall" in the chorus perhaps references the biblical fall from grace, suggesting that there is a beauty to be found in a state of rebellion or opposition to societal norms. This is reinforced by the line "it's always prettiest after the Fall," which implies that there is a certain elegance or allure to be found in embracing one's true nature, even if it goes against the expectations of society.
Line by Line Meaning
We scratch on the plains,
We struggle to survive in the wilderness,
Up town they fluff the feathers,
Those in the city focus on appearances and put on a show of refinement and elegance,
Coachmen walk with canes,
The wealthy in the city are pampered and indulged,
And every collar is creased.
Everyone is concerned with their appearance and maintaining their image,
A Gentleman prefers to break from airs and fetters,
A true gentleman rejects this superficiality and values freedom and authenticity above all else,
To roll off his sleeves,
Rather than putting on airs, he's willing to get his hands dirty and do real work,
And liberate the Beast.
By rejecting external pressures to conform, he can unleash the fullness of his inner self,
Let us piss from the vine,
Let's embrace our primal nature and indulge our desires without restraint,
Let us claw in the mud,
Let's engage in raw, intense physicality and embrace our animalistic instincts,
Let us swing with both fists As we writhe in the blood,
Let's fight hard and revel in the violence and chaos of the struggle,
Let us walk on stained glass, Sinners one, Sinners all,
Let's reject the idea of perfection and embrace our flaws, even as we walk over the broken remnants of our lives,
It's always prettiest after the Fall.
Only when we accept and embrace the messiness of life can we truly find beauty and meaning in it.
We gnaw on the bone,
We make the best of what little we have and scavenge for our sustenance,
Up town they sprinkle sweetener
Those in the city sugarcoat their lives and pretend everything is perfect,
Nectar for the cups,
They indulge in excess and seek pleasure and luxury above all else,
And napkins for the chins,
They are pampered and coddled, with no need to get their hands dirty or engage in real struggle,
A Gentleman prefers to dig in with his fingers,
A true gentleman is not afraid to embrace his humanity and get his hands dirty when necessary,
Suck in through his teeth,
He savors every moment of life, even the bitter and difficult ones,
And bare a hungry grin,
He embraces his passion and desire, even when it seems animalistic or barbaric.
We board up the shed,
We protect what little we have and try to create our own safe spaces,
Up town they gild Cathedrals,
The wealthy in the city focus on grandeur and opulence, even in matters of religion,
Choir boys for Hymns,
They indulge in ritual and ceremony, but lack real heart and passion,
And candles for the Mass,
They put on a show of religiosity, but it is hollow and empty at its core,
A Gentleman prefers to differ with his Steeple
A true gentleman seeks his own understanding of the world and does not conform to societal expectations, even in matters of faith,
Salt his scripture well,
He finds meaning and value in his own interpretation of religious texts, rather than blindly following dogma,
And show a little class.
He does not reject the trappings of civilization, but seeks to use them in service of his own values and ideals.
Contributed by Cole M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.