The Butcher
The Butcher's Lament: The Intricate Dance of Life and Loss
Lyrics
Run, run, fast as you can you can
Expresses a sense of urgency and the need to escape.
You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man
Asserts the impossibility of being caught, adopting the metaphor of the Gingerbread Man from a children's story.
Run, run, fast as you can you can
Reiterates the urgency to run and escape.
You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man
Reiterates the idea of being uncatchable like the Gingerbread Man.
Buddy didn't say I'm sorry
Introduces a character named Buddy who seems unapologetic.
Buddy didn't ask to be excused
Highlights Buddy's lack of apology or request for forgiveness.
Buddy didn't beg your pardon
Emphasizes Buddy's disregard for pardons or politeness.
When he steps on you
Suggests that Buddy is careless and may harm others.
He leaves too much fat on these t-bones
Refers to Buddy's behavior of leaving excessive leftovers.
Jerk
Expresses frustration or irritation with Buddy's actions.
I know he's gonna leave without cleaning up again
Anticipates Buddy leaving without cleaning up.
He knows I'll do it
Acknowledges the expectation that the speaker will clean up after Buddy.
Damn this knife is dull
Expresses frustration with a dull knife despite recent sharpening.
I know I just sharpened it yesterday
Confirms the recent sharpening of the knife.
I know he used it
Implies that Buddy used the speaker's favorite knife.
He knows it's my favorite knife
Highlights the significance of the knife to the speaker.
It's not supposed to be this way
Expresses discontent with the current situation.
Everyone says that if you come back
Questions the notion that returning to a situation makes it better.
It's better than it was before
Raises doubt about improvements after returning.
But, but it's no different
Asserts that the situation is unchanged despite expectations.
And what about the light? - what about the blue light?
Ponders the absence of a positive element (blue light) in the experience.
There's supposed to be a beautiful blue light
References the expectation of a beautiful blue light.
But all I saw was eels
Expresses disappointment as eels are seen instead of the expected blue light.
Eels squirming everywhere
Describes a disturbing vision of eels squirming.
And life doesn't have any more meaning
Contemplates the lack of meaning in life except for Buddy.
Only Buddy
Emphasizes the overwhelming significance of Buddy in the speaker's life.
It should have been him
Expresses a desire for Buddy's fate instead of the speaker's own.
And he should, should have stayed there with the eels
Suggests that Buddy should have remained in a difficult situation (with eels).
And, and, and all I can think about are his hands
Shifts focus to the speaker's fixation on Buddy's hands.
His hands and how they look graceful and strong and, and, and sensitive
Describes Buddy's hands as graceful, strong, and sensitive.
As they slice a section of rump roast
Depicts Buddy's hands engaged in slicing meat.
Or, or split the hindquarters of a lamb
Expands on the imagery of Buddy's hands in various meat-related activities.
And all I can think about are those same hands
Reiterates the speaker's preoccupation with Buddy's hands.
How they must caress the face of his wife
Speculates on how Buddy's hands interact with his family.
And tie the shoe laces of his children
Imagines Buddy tying the shoelaces of his children.
And, and
Expression cut off, leaving the meaning incomplete or open to interpretation.
I can't stop
Expresses an inability to stop thinking about Buddy.
I can't stop
Repeats the speaker's inability to stop thinking about Buddy.
I can't stop
Repeats the speaker's inability to stop thinking about Buddy, emphasizing a sense of obsession or fixation.
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