Unwritten Law is an American punk rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, Califo… Read Full Bio ↴Unwritten Law is an American punk rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, California. They have released six full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour. They are notable for their singles "Seein' Red" and "Save Me (Wake Up Call)," both of which entered the top 5 in the US Modern Rock charts. Their latest studio album, Swan, was released in 2011

Coffin Text
Unwritten Law Lyrics

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There was a time when men would prosper
They saw a sign that would offer them the key
Immortality
The desert sand held a place of recourse
Their motivation driven by a higher source
A higher source

They let them know there's something more

The writings on the wall
Tell us the story of it all
It makes no sense

Show me the key
The coffin text
The disbelievers came to conquer
The secrets lost in a buried desert tomb
They sealed the truth
As evolution ate the pharaoh
Silenced the voice that cured all our sorrow
Oh, our sorrow

Silenced the voice that let us know
The writings on the wall
Tell us the story of it all
It makes no sense
Show me the key
The coffin text

Fighting, learning, saving, burning
Never knowing what is coming next
Lying, stealing, never healing

Safe to say we've all been hexed
It's in the coffin text

Overall Meaning

In Coffin Text by Unwritten Law, the lyrics tell the story of men who were seeking immortality and believed they could find the key to unlock it in the desert sands. Their motivation was driven by a higher source and they were guided by the writings on the wall, which told the story of a higher purpose. However, the disbelievers came to conquer and the secrets were lost in a buried desert tomb. The truth was sealed and evolution ate the pharaoh who had the power to cure sorrow. The voice that let them know the truth was silenced, making no sense. The lyrics ask for the key to the coffin text, which holds the secrets of immortality and higher purpose.

The song has mystical undertones and alludes to ancient Egyptian mythology in its phrasing. The coffin text refers to a type of ancient Egyptian funerary text that was inscribed on the coffins or sarcophagi of high-ranking officials during the Middle Kingdom (2040-1782 BC) and the New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC) periods. The text was supposed to protect the deceased and guide them in the afterlife. The song's title suggests that there may be secrets about immortality or higher purpose that have been hidden in the coffin text.

Line by Line Meaning

There was a time when men would prosper
The past held a time of prosperity

They saw a sign that would offer them the key
They found a symbol that would unlock the answer

Immortality
Eternal life

The desert sand held a place of recourse
A location of refuge lay within the desert sands

Their motivation driven by a higher source
They were driven by a greater power

A higher source
A divine entity

They let them know there's something more
They informed them of a greater truth

The writings on the wall
Messages inscribed onto the walls

Tell us the story of it all
Narrate the full tale

It makes no sense
It's nonsensical

Show me the key
Present me with the solution

The coffin text
The text carved into the coffin

The disbelievers came to conquer
Those without faith attempted domination

The secrets lost in a buried desert tomb
Unknown knowledge laid buried in a tomb beneath the sand

They sealed the truth
They concealed the reality

As evolution ate the pharaoh
The pharaoh was overtaken by progress

Silenced the voice that cured all our sorrow
Eliminated the source of comfort that alleviated our grief

Oh, our sorrow
Our sadness

Silenced the voice that let us know
Muted the entity that enlightened us

Fighting, learning, saving, burning
Struggling, acquiring knowledge, rescuing, destroying

Never knowing what is coming next
Unaware of what lies ahead

Lying, stealing, never healing
Dishonesty, theft, and an absence of recovery

Safe to say we've all been hexed
It's reasonable to assume we've all been cursed

It's in the coffin text
The truth can be found in the text on the coffin

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROBERT BREWER, ROBERT W. BREWER, SCOTT RUSSO, SCOTT DOUGLAS VICTOR RUSSO, STEVEN MORRIS, STEVEN ADAM MORRIS, WADE YOUMAN, WADE T. YOUMAN

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