New Orleans
Echoes of Shadows: Unveiling the Haunting Depths in Silver Jews' New Orleans
Lyrics
I'm scared (I swear) of you. In the tunnel, in the darkness,
Fear is expressed towards an unidentified entity in a dark tunnel.
The darkest walls of blue, there's beasts & ther's men
The environment is described with dark blue walls, inhabited by both beasts and men.
& there's something on this earth that comes back again:
An ominous presence or phenomenon on Earth is mentioned, suggesting a cyclical nature.
Alpha...delta....gamma... everybody's smoked
References to alpha, delta, and gamma suggest a scientific or symbolic aspect; everyone is affected.
You can't say that my soul has died away(x2) There's trouble
Denial of the decay of the soul is expressed despite the presence of trouble.
In the hall & trouble up the stairs & trouble in the trouble
Trouble is pervasive, filling the hall, stairs, and the air, emphasizing the challenges faced.
That's troubling the air. Please don't say that my
Request not to acknowledge the demise of the soul is reiterated.
Soul has died away.
A plea to reject the notion that the soul has perished.
There is a house in New Orleans, not the one
Introduction of a house in New Orleans, distinct from the famous one, setting the stage for a different narrative.
You've heard about. I'm talking about another house.
Clarification that it's not the well-known house, building anticipation for a unique story.
They spoke of gold in the cellar that a Spanish
A tale of a Spanish gentleman's gold hidden in the cellar, prompting a break-in a century ago.
Gentleman had left. I broke in one hundred years ago
The speaker admits to the intrusion, disclosing a daring act with a concealed dagger.
With a dagger tucked in my vest. Legends of gold
Mention of legends surrounding the gold, implying a struggle to retain them.
I've tried to hold in the grey half-lite of the
The narrator tries to preserve the legends in the dim light of the hallway at night.
Halway at night....one....two... 3 4 5 we're
A numerical count suggests being trapped inside a song, hinting at an inescapable situation.
Trapped inside the song. We're trapped inside the song(x3)
Repetition emphasizes being trapped in the song and the prolonged nights.
Where the nights are so long. There's traps inside us
The presence of traps within individuals is mentioned, resonating with the theme of entrapment.
All(x3) and the nights are so tall. And the night
Reiteration of traps within individuals and the enduringly long nights.
Is so tall. And the knife is so tall.
Heightened tension is conveyed through the reference to a tall night and a tall knife.
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