Prayer Book
Navigating Life's Depths: A Prayer Book by the River
Lyrics
There’s a pistol in my waistband that ain’t worth shooting
Expressing the worthlessness of a pistol in the waistband, suggesting a sense of futility or danger.
There’s a book that I bought but I never read
Refers to owning an unread book, possibly symbolizing neglected knowledge or experiences.
There’s a neighbor who’s a drummer
Introduces a neighbor who is a drummer, adding a detail about someone in the singer's environment.
And he chain smokes in the summer
Describes the neighbor's habit of chain smoking during the summer.
There’s a blonde boy with existential dread
Introduces a blonde boy with existential dread, highlighting a character dealing with deep philosophical concerns.
There’s a river out in Towson that I swam in
References a river in Towson where the singer swam, providing a specific location.
Where the water was only cold at my feet
Describes the temperature of the water, emphasizing its coldness at the singer's feet.
And I was insecure with my shirt off
Expresses the singer's insecurity with a shirt off, revealing vulnerability.
But I jumped in to get the dirt off
Shares an instance of overcoming insecurity by jumping into the water to cleanse oneself.
And I hit the bottom
Mentions hitting the bottom of the river, possibly symbolizing a challenging or low point in life.
Swear I’ve never been that deep
Suggests a profound experience, claiming to have never been that deep before.
Guess the storm comes patiently
Reflects on the patience of a storm, possibly paralleling life's challenges.
But I guess that’s nothing new to me
Acknowledges the familiarity of challenges, implying they are not new to the singer.
There’s a prayer book by her window that she reads
Introduces a prayer book by someone's window, which provides comfort but may not imply religious conviction.
She don’t think she’s religious but it keeps her company
Suggests that the person reading the prayer book doesn't consider themselves religious but finds solace in it.
And when she dies she knows that she’ll be fine
Speculates about the person's confidence in the afterlife due to their faith.
Cause she’s got god on her side
Posits that the person believes in divine protection, emphasizing a sense of security.
She says it’s better to be safe than to be sorry
Advocates for a cautious approach, choosing safety over regret.
I didn’t learn much when I jumped out of the boat
Reflects on a lack of significant learning from a risky experience, possibly regretting a decision.
Except that all the bodies in that river float
Shares a dark observation about bodies floating in the river, hinting at the harsh reality of life.
I’m not saying that it means nothing
Qualifies the observation, acknowledging its significance without dismissing its meaning.
I just seem to notice everything
Expresses heightened awareness, claiming to notice everything around, possibly indicating a vigilant mindset.
You can take what you want from that
Leaves room for interpretation, inviting the listener to derive their own meaning from the singer's observations.
Guess the storm stays off the map
Compares life's challenges to a storm, suggesting that difficulties may not always be apparent or predictable.
But I guess should have known that
Acknowledges the hindsight realization of a storm's presence, implying the singer should have been more aware.
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