Hangman
The Lonely Forest Lyrics
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Her son lay dead before her.
She lifts his body, cradles softly,
Cursing God, the Father.
Morning light saves from darkness.
Her son lay dead before her.
She lifts his body, cradles softly,
Tried to live life justly
And now you have repaid me.
You've taken my son from the world
Up into your arms?
Now I'm sure I won't believe in
All the promises that you sing
And damned if I don't feel this love
And all the hope you say you'll bring.
Now I'm sure I won't believe in
All the promises that you sing
And damned if I don't feel this love
And all the hope you say you'll bring.
Tried to live life justly
And now you have repaid me.
You've taken my son from the world
Up into your arms?
Left me hanging.
Left me hanging.
Time and time again.
Oh you've left me hanging.
Left me hanging.
From the noose we've tied my friend.
Take care of him Lord.
Tried to live life justly
And now you have repaid me.
You've taken my son from the world
Up into your arms?
Take care of him! Have mercy!
Tried to live life justly
And now you have repaid me.
You've taken my son from the world
Up into your arms?
Left me hanging.
Left me hanging.
Time and time again.
Oh you've left me hanging.
Left me hanging.
From the noose we've tied my friend.
Take care of him Lord.
The lyrics to The Lonely Forest's song, "Hangman," are emotionally charged and evocative, conjuring a sense of grief and disillusionment. The song opens with the lines, "Morning light saves from darkness. Her son lay dead before her." From the start, we are introduced to a mourning mother, who has lost her beloved child. The heartbreaking image of her cradling her dead son, cursing God, the Father, is both tragic and powerful. The use of repetition in the lyrics creates a sense of urgency and emotion, as if the singer is pleading for understanding and mercy.
Throughout the song, the theme of justice and faith is explored. The line, "Tried to live life justly and now you have repaid me," suggests that the singer has lived a good life but has been punished by the loss of her son. The reference to the promises that God sings and the singer's lack of belief in them implies that she has lost faith in the divine. Despite this, she admits to feeling love and hope, even as she is left hanging from the noose that has been tied.
The final lines of the song, "Take care of him Lord. Tried to live life justly and now you have repaid me. You've taken my son from the world. Up into your arms?" reveal both the singer's pain and her desperate plea for mercy. The use of Lord implies that she still has some faith in God, despite her disillusionment. Overall, "Hangman" is a moving and thought-provoking song that examines the relationship between justice, faith, and grief.
Line by Line Meaning
Morning light saves from darkness.
The bright daylight brought hope and positivity to her life which was previously full of sadness and despair.
Her son lay dead before her.
The woman witnessed the death of her own son and was heartbroken and devastated by the experience.
She lifts his body, cradles softly,
The woman holds her son's lifeless body comfortably, wishing he was still alive and could feel her embrace.
Cursing God, the Father.
The woman is angry at God for taking her son away from her and is questioning His decision.
Tried to live life justly
The woman lived an honest life, and always tried to do the right thing, but still suffered a profound loss.
And now you have repaid me.
She feels betrayed as the death of her son was like repayment for her supposed righteous living, leaving her with a feeling of unsettledness.
You've taken my son from the world
She feels that God has taken her son from the world, leaving her alone and heartbroken.
Up into your arms?
She questions God's love and care for her son, as she calls into question the divine nature of taking a life.
Now I'm sure I won't believe in
After experiencing this great loss, she is no longer sure if she can have faith in anything anymore.
All the promises that you sing
She is skeptical of the many promises and hopeful messages that are sung about by religious people.
And damned if I don't feel this love
She feels conflicted as she still has deep feelings true love amidst her loss, despite her skepticism about its source.
And all the hope you say you'll bring.
The woman is uncertain if the hope and promises people talk about can ever actually be fulfilled.
Left me hanging.
The woman feels abandoned with nobody to comfort her in her time of loss.
Time and time again.
The woman feels like she has experienced loss multiple times, and is tired of it happening over and over again.
Oh you've left me hanging.
She feels hurt and let down by the lack of divine intervention in her life, leaving her feeling alone and unsupported.
From the noose we've tied my friend.
She feels trapped by the situation she finds herself in, as she seems thematically linked to a noose that gets tighter around her
Take care of him Lord.
As a final plea, the woman asks God to take care of her son in the afterlife and treat him well.
Contributed by Lincoln D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.