Wharves
Tides of Desolation: billy woods' Haunting Tale of War, Cannibal Tours, and Broken Souls
Lyrics
Waves on wharves, war washed the poor
Metaphorically refers to the impact of war on the impoverished, likening it to waves hitting wharves.
Never broke again, what he said on the farm
An individual's commitment to never break again what was said on the farm.
Next day they was gone
After the commitment, they disappeared the next day.
Back by nightfall, they swung in the maw
Returned by nightfall, facing the jaws of danger or conflict.
Hung by daylight, the day was long
People were hanged during daylight, and the day felt prolonged.
Sweep water out with the dipper
Symbolic action of sweeping water with a dipper, possibly alluding to futile efforts.
Salt in the mouth of a river
Describes the salty mouth of a river, suggesting bitterness or challenges.
Mangrove thickets, man's soul was broken mirrors
Depicts the broken state of a person's soul using the imagery of mangrove thickets and mirrors.
False witness, wolf tickets
Refers to false testimony and deception, characterized as "wolf tickets."
Nowadays scavengers come before the wolf's finished
Highlights the opportunistic nature of scavengers who arrive before a conflict or threat concludes.
Teeth bare, bristlin', they not scared, somethin' different
Describes a fearless demeanor, possibly in the face of adversity.
The huts was empty, coal still warm in the kitchen
Empty huts with warm coal suggest recent abandonment or displacement.
Cannibal tours, they came on all fours
Depicts a gruesome scene of cannibalism, possibly as a metaphor for societal decay or brutality.
Waterborne, eyes like Jaws
-Bones litter the beach, gnawed
-Cracked meat out the beast's claws
-Cannibal tours, they came on all fours
-Waterborne, eyes like Jaws
-Bones litter the beach, gnawed
-Cracked meat right out the beast's claws
-Drums in the hills like sunset
Describes a chaotic and degraded environment, possibly a war-torn or exploited region.
The gun turret swing right to left
-African Queen on the ships deck
-Shipwrecked Europeans swimmin' with the virus
-Shot out like God's semen
-"Fuck the world" Pac's screamin'
-Crack missions for the heathens
-Boats listing from the stealings
-Smoke drifting from holes in the ceilings
-The swollen chiefs sit, bickering while the meat crisp
-The chiefs eat children, the grease drip, the meat rich
-Down here it's just a muddy creek, bend and twist, the braai hiss
-The fat run in rivulets, the fire spit
-Cannibal tours, they came on all fours
Repeats the imagery of cannibalism, reinforcing a theme of brutality and degradation.
Waterborne, eyes like Jaws
-Bones litter the beach, gnawed
-Cracked meat out the beast's claws
-Cannibal tours, they came on all fours
-Waterborne, eyes like Jaws
-Bones litter the beach, gnawed
-Cracked meat right out the beast's claws
-(?) government, provided that all foreign troops were withdrawn from the country
References a political situation demanding the withdrawal of foreign troops.
Ja, ja, eine deutsche Kolonie, ja, eine deutsche Kolonie (?)
Unclear German phrases, possibly related to colonialism or cannibalism.
Where have they killed him?
An inquiry about a killing, possibly reflecting on violence or death.
(?) Überresten eines Hauses in dem, äh, früher, äh, Kannibalismus (?)
Unclear German phrases, mentioning the remains of a house and cannibalism.
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