747
Journey Through the Ethereal Skies: Decoding Bill Callahan's 747
Lyrics
Is it going?
Questioning whether something is in progress or happening.
I woke up on a 747
Awakening on an airplane, specifically a 747.
Flying through some stock footage of heaven
Flying through imagery resembling heaven, possibly symbolic.
This is the light right here
Describing a moment of illumination or clarity.
Before clouds bittersweet and with suggestion
Reference to a moment of light before challenges and ambiguity.
This is the light
Emphasizing the described light, possibly purity or truth.
Bald and bold as baby crawling toward adulteration
Comparing the light to the boldness of a crawling baby.
There was blood when you were born
Noting the presence of blood during birth.
And the blood was wiped from your eyes
Describing the removal of blood from newborn's eyes.
This must be the light you saw
Suggesting that the observed light is linked to the birth experience.
That just left you screaming
Implies a traumatic or intense reaction to the observed light.
And this must be the light you saw
Reiteration of the impact of the observed light.
Before our eyes could disguise true meaning
Suggesting that true meaning is hidden from perception.
And this must be the light you saw
Repeating the theme of perceiving a significant light.
Just as you were leaving
Indicating the timing of perceiving the light before departure.
Leaving
Repetition of the concept of leaving.
We walked on the moon
Metaphorical reference to human achievement, walking on the moon.
Like flies on a mule
Comparing human presence on the moon to insignificant creatures.
We walked on the moon
Reiteration of the moonwalk, emphasizing human flaws.
Flaws in a jewel
Describing flaws as inherent in something precious (jewel).
We are flies on a mule
Continuing the metaphor of humans as insignificant on a mule.
And we're good at what we do
Asserting competence in our actions despite insignificance.
We turn darkness into morning
Highlighting the transformative power of overcoming darkness.
We turn belief into evening
Suggesting the transformation of beliefs into the evening, perhaps a reflective or concluding phase.
Yeah, we turn darkness into morning
Repeating the theme of transforming darkness into morning.
And we turn belief into evening
Reiterating the transformation of belief, possibly into a period of rest or closure.
Comment