The Fabled City
The Nightwatchman Tom Morello Lyrics
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Shouted slogans in Spanish
Like it was our world to win
Then they moved the plant
Down to Ojeda
Time to bite your tongue again
I've seen the fabled city
But an iron fence runs 'round it
And its iron gate is closed
What ain't right ain't right
He told me
But something else passed behind his eyes
Now he's downtown on his knees
Washing floors for somebody
And quietly biding his time
I've seen the fabled city
And its streets are paved with gold
But an iron fence runs round it
And its iron gate is closed
At the gas station
On Sunset and Crescent
I met an angel sad and old
She lived in the alley
Behind the market
In the shadows maybe hidden from the Lord
And for a dollar
She sang a song
That sounded more like a prayer
A wish that her dead mother and father
Couldn't look down and see her there
I've seen the fabled city
And its streets are paved with gold
But an iron fence runs round it
And its iron gate is closed
On the wire outside my window
There sit 100 swallows
And I suspect that if one flew
Then 99 would follow
The song "The Fabled City" by The Nightwatchman Tom Morello is a tribute to the people who struggle every day to make ends meet amid the perceived glamour of city life. The lyrics speak about the struggles of everyday life and how the fabled cities' streets are paved with gold, but the gates are closed, and people can only dream of what lies inside. The song's first verse about shouting slogans in Spanish refers to the labor unions' activism in the factories that were moved out of the city to Ojeda. The line “Time to bite your tongue again" hints at the workers' silence in the face of the factories' closure and their powerlessness in the situation.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "I’ve seen the fabled city, and its streets are paved with gold" to emphasize the idea that the city is a place of opportunity and prosperity. Still, it's only accessible to few who are lucky enough to be born into privilege or gain access through means others can't. The iron fence and closed gate represent the barriers that prevent people from the working-class from experiencing the city's luxuries.
The second verse speaks about a man who once fought for what is right but is now "washing floors" and "biding his time." He has given up on his dreams due to the harsh reality that the system is rigged against him. The third verse is about meeting a homeless woman who sang a prayer-like song for a dollar, wishing that her dead parents couldn't see her in her current state. The song's imagery and metaphors convey the idea that people are trapped from which upward mobility seems impossible.
Line by Line Meaning
Me and Javi
Shouted slogans in Spanish
Like it was our world to win
Then they moved the plant
Down to Ojeda
Time to bite your tongue again
Me and my friend Javi were rallying for our cause, shouting slogans in Spanish as if we were destined to succeed. However, the company moved the factory to Ojeda, so we felt like we had to hold our tongues once again.
I've seen the fabled city
And its streets are paved with gold
But an iron fence runs 'round it
And its iron gate is closed
I have witnessed the legendary city with its well-off inhabitants and abundant riches, but it is surrounded by a barrier of metal and its entrance is barred.
What ain't right ain't right
He told me
But something else passed behind his eyes
Now he's downtown on his knees
Washing floors for somebody
And quietly biding his time
A man once told me that what's wrong is wrong, but I sensed something different in his gaze. Now, he's cleaning floors for someone else downtown, waiting for something to change.
At the gas station
On Sunset and Crescent
I met an angel sad and old
She lived in the alley
Behind the market
In the shadows maybe hidden from the Lord
And for a dollar
She sang a song
That sounded more like a prayer
A wish that her dead mother and father
Couldn't look down and see her there
While at a gas station on Sunset and Crescent, I came across an elderly woman who looked like an angel in distress. She resided in the alley behind the market, obscured behind shadows, maybe even from God. She sang me a song, seemingly a wish that her deceased parents wouldn't have to witness her living conditions.
On the wire outside my window
There sit 100 swallows
And I suspect that if one flew
Then 99 would follow
Outside of my window, there is a flock of 100 swallows perched on a wire. I have a feeling that if one took off, the others would follow in a grand display of unity.
Contributed by Elena A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.