Lyrics
One man stands to be hanged
Reference to a condemned man awaiting execution
Twelve were not hung
Twelve individuals escaped hanging
Two feet sway in the wind
Implies someone hanging, possibly a symbolic reference
Twenty-four on the floor
Twenty-four bodies on the floor, possibly corpses
Four hands for the body
Four hands alluding to the body's components
Two for the spade
Two hands for the spade, suggesting digging or burial
Six feet below the ground
Reference to burial six feet below ground
Still two remained
Despite the burial, two individuals persist
Take what you stole from the gallows
Encouraging theft from the gallows, possibly symbolic
Keep it close to your chest, count to ten
Advising secrecy and caution, counting to ten
Blindfolded and pacing 'round the cycle
Blindfolded and pacing, suggesting a sense of anticipation
What price would you pay to exonerate
Raising the question of the cost of exoneration
If you see the light of day, would you dare to tempt my gaze
Possibly a challenge to face a gaze in the light of day
One man stands
Repetition of the condemned man standing
Coin in hand
Having a coin, possibly representing a toll or payment
He'll pay the toll
Paying a toll, with a disregard for consequences
All things be damned
Expressing indifference or defiance to consequences
One man stands
Repetition of one man standing, possibly emphasizing a singular figure
Petty is as petty does
Reflecting on the nature of pettiness
But penance stares into what once was
Connecting pettiness with the penetrating gaze of penance
Huh
An interjection, possibly emphasizing a point
Take what you stole from the gallows
Reiterating the encouragement to steal from the gallows
Eight paces away from your grave
Specifying a distance from the grave
Damned to be consumed by death
Cursed to be consumed by death, implying a grim fate
Take what you stole from the gallows
Repeating the encouragement to steal, possibly reinforcing a theme
Six feet separate you and I
Highlighting the separation between two individuals
Blindfolded and pacing 'round the cycle
Repetition of blindfolded pacing, reinforcing anticipation
What price would you pay to exonerate
Restating the question of the cost of exoneration
If you see the light of day, would you dare to tempt my gaze
Potentially challenging the daring to meet a gaze in the light
Does it dig deep into your veins and wash away all of the blood that's spilled beneath the grain
Exploring the profound impact of guilt and its cleansing
What do you stand for
Posing a question about one's values and principles
What makes a king
Questioning the qualities that define a leader or ruler
Who holds the coin
Raising the question of who possesses control or authority
Is it he who pulls the strings
Questioning the influence and power dynamics
Fuck
An exclamation, possibly expressing frustration or intensity
What do you stand for
Repeating the question about personal values and principles
What makes a king
Repeating the question about the qualities of a leader
One man stands
Repetition of one man standing with a coin
Coin in hand
Reiterating the act of paying a toll with potential consequences
He'll pay the toll
Repetition of expressing disregard for all things
All things be damned
Reiteration of one man standing with a toll, emphasizing consequences
One man stands
Repetition of one man standing, underscoring a singular figure
Petty is as petty does
Repeating the reflection on pettiness and penance
But penance stares into what once was
Emphasizing the penetrating gaze of penance into the past
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