Six Feet Deep
Legacy in Earth: Thomas Owen's 'Six Feet Deep' Unveils Life's Unkept Promises
Lyrics
Let me tell you about a man who always swore up and down
The speaker introduces a man who consistently made promises.
Looked my mama in the eyes and said he'd always be around
The man assured the speaker's mother of his enduring presence.
I'm not calling him a liar, but he couldn't keep his word
The speaker doesn't label the man as deceitful but notes his failure to keep promises.
Now he's got me and my mama digging up the dirt
The man's unfulfilled promises now require the speaker and his mother to confront challenges.
Six feet deep
Repetition emphasizing a profound or irreversible situation; likely referring to death.
Six feet deep
Reiteration of the profound or irreversible situation, emphasizing its gravity.
Late nights and early mornings, eight days a week
The man's lifestyle involves long hours, almost beyond normal capacity.
He said, "I only live this life so you can live yours better than me
He claims to live a difficult life for the benefit of the speaker.
If only there was just some other way, but I'm in too deep, I can't get out"
He expresses a sense of entrapment, unable to change his circumstances.
Now my daddy's got his wishes made, he's sleeping in the ground
The man's desires are fulfilled through death; he's now buried in the ground.
Six feet deep
Repetition underscoring the irreversible nature of the man's fate.
Six feet deep
Continued emphasis on the depth of the man's resting place.
So I pick up a shovel and I get to work to make my daddy proud
The speaker takes up a shovel to honor his father's memory by working on his burial.
I get to breaking up the cold dark earth, sweat's falling from my brow
The physical effort of digging reflects the speaker's dedication, with sweat symbolizing hard work.
If only you'd have lived a different life, you'd have left mine up to me
Expresses a wish that the man had chosen a different path, allowing the speaker to control his own life.
You left behind your only son and wife to lay you down in peace
Addresses the abandonment of the speaker and his mother, left behind for the man's peaceful burial.
Six feet deep
Reiteration of the depth of the man's resting place, emphasizing finality.
Six feet deep
Repetition emphasizing the irrevocable nature of the man's state.
Six feet deep
Final repetition, underlining the permanence of the man's burial.
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