The Holy Hour
The Cure敵 Lyrics

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I kneel and wait in silence
As one by one the people slip away
Into the night
The quiet and empty bodies
Kiss the ground before they pray
Kiss the ground
And slip away

I sit and listen dreamlessly
A promise of salvation makes me stay
Then look at your face
And feel my heart pushed in
As all around the children play
The games they tired of yesterday
They play
They play

I stand and hear my voice
Cry out
A wordless scream at ancient power
It breaks against stone
I softly leave you crying
I cannot hold what you devour

The sacrifice of penance
In the holy hour

Overall Meaning

The Holy Hour by The Cure is a melancholic and soulful song that paints a beautiful but haunting picture of a church service. The lyrics of the song convey a sense of loneliness and existential angst that is often experienced in moments of great personal turmoil. The song describes the singer waiting alone in a church, watching as people quietly leave one by one into the darkness of night. The people are empty, and kneel to the ground in prayer to seek solace from the unknown. Meanwhile, the singer sits and listens “dreamlessly” to the sermon, hesitant to leave but unable to find solace in the message.

As the song progresses, the singer begins to feel the weight of sorrow and emptiness grow within him, but is momentarily comforted by the sight of a loved one's face. However, this momentary solace is short-lived, and soon he feels his heart being pushed in as the children around him play their games. He then stands and cries out, a wordless scream at the ancient power, describing the deep personal turmoil he is experiencing. The singer acknowledges that he cannot hold the force that is devouring him, and leaves crying softly.

The Holy Hour is a haunting reflection on the experience of community and personal isolation in moments of spiritual searching. Through the exquisitely poetic lyrics, The Cure understands the sense of sorrow that comes with an existential quest for meaning and purpose.

Line by Line Meaning

I kneel and wait in silence
I humbly submit and patiently wait

As one by one the people slip away
Each person leaves, one at a time

Into the night
They disappear into the darkness

The quiet and empty bodies
The hushed and lifeless forms

Kiss the ground before they pray
They humbly prostrate themselves before their deity

Kiss the ground
They lower their faces to the soil

And slip away
Then exit

I sit and listen dreamlessly
I idly sit and hear without absorbing

A promise of salvation makes me stay
I am enticed to remain by a pledge of deliverance

Then look at your face
However, once I gaze at your countenance

And feel my heart pushed in
I experience internal pressure and distress

As all around the children play
Meanwhile, the youngsters frolic about

The games they tired of yesterday
The diversions they grew weary of the day prior

They play
They continue to engage in amusement

They play
They continue to enjoy themselves

I stand and hear my voice
I now stand and listen as I speak

Cry out
I loudly shout and exclaim

A wordless scream at ancient power
A soundless howl towards an age-old force

It breaks against stone
It shatters at the hard surface

I softly leave you crying
I tenderly depart from you shedding tears

I cannot hold what you devour
I lack the ability to retain that which you consume

The sacrifice of penance
The offering of penitence

In the holy hour
During a sacred moment

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LAURENCE ANDREW TOLHURST, ROBERT JAMES SMITH, SIMON GALLUP

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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