The Flute's Tale
The Ex Lyrics
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in the land of Nearby, which is as near as mine
the emperor hat a special flute
made out of precious wood
And in its reflection he could see things
happiness, laughter, a child that sings
But he'd better watch it
the happiness would fade, the laughter die
the singing-child would start to cry
The emperor, he knew it
and what did he do?
He blew it.
In The Ex's song The Flute's Tale, the lyrics take us on a journey to the land of Nearby where the emperor possesses a special flute made out of precious wood. The emperor can see joy, happiness, and innocence reflected in the flute, but he is warned not to touch it. If he does, the happiness will fade, and the laughter will die. Even the singing-child will start to cry. Despite being warned, the emperor still chooses to blow the flute, knowing full well the consequences.
The song is a metaphor for the consequences of greed and desire. The emperor's flute represents material wealth and possession, which are fleeting and ultimately lead to happiness and innocence disappearing. It is a warning against the pursuit of material wealth at the expense of other things in life that really matter.
Line by Line Meaning
At a stone's throw away from the sea of time
Nearby, but unreachable, there is an elusive realm beyond the limits of time.
in the land of Nearby, which is as near as mine
The magical land of Nearby is as close to the singer as their own land.
the emperor hat a special flute
The emperor owned a unique and extraordinary musical instrument.
made out of precious wood
The flute was crafted from a rare and valuable type of wood.
And in its reflection he could see things
The flute had a shiny surface that mirrored the world around it.
happiness, laughter, a child that sings
When the emperor played the flute, he saw images of joy, mirth, and a carefree child singing.
But he'd better watch it
The emperor was warned to handle the flute with care.
he should not touch it
The emperor was instructed not to touch the surface of the flute.
the happiness would fade, the laughter die
If the emperor touched the flute, the joyful images would disappear and be replaced with sorrow.
the singing-child would start to cry
The happy child's singing would turn into weeping and sadness.
The emperor, he knew it
The emperor was aware of the consequences of ignoring the warning.
and what did he do?
Despite the warning, the emperor couldn't resist temptation and took the chance.
He blew it.
He played the flute and saw the images of joy and happiness, but the consequences soon followed.
Contributed by James M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@CakouGa
The emperor, he knew it and what did he do? he blew it...
@TelepathicStudios
A very powerful metaphor if people would only listen.
@D3word3
@TelepathicStudios Maybe everyone needs someone _else_ to blame for. And what are emperors good for? We give them power and we have the right to hate them.