Well I really liked all the posts in this thread !
This was the first LC song that I felt I understood and it lead me to think more about the lyrics of his other songs instead of merely hearing (not listening to) them.
I never shared my insights though, and therefore never could be sure whether others would come to the same conclusions. It is a sweet sense of comfort to find it is so after all.
To me this song texts out different causes to pass away, but it is the opposite direction of the question that is really the thing to think about; not who is here, who is calling but rather who is asking these questions!
This fits so snuggly with all the opposites in the verses.
To me the one asking „who shall I say is calling“ could be St. Peter guarding the gates of heaven, and although asking for information on the surface, is really making the questioned ask themself, making them examine their conscience - why am I here, why did I die, was it all worth it?
The „who?“ includes the „how!“ (beautifully made out of the same letters) but actually points to the „why?“
Only today, reading in this forum I found out about the jewish poem that inspired this song. And I have been thinking about this more, and come up with this:
Where as said poem is about the coming year, about what will happen, my understanding is the song being at at the opposite end or opposite side of the event; opposite in time: not looking ahead, but looking back.
This is of course a christian approach bringing in yet a third religion into the equation, but all the more relevant to me after finding this quote in this very thread:
Lilifyre wrote: ↑Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:21 pm
[...]
First of all, this is not actually a "prayer" as such. In Judaism, there are basically 3 types of prayer: Praise, petition, and gratitude. This does not fall under any of those. Instead, it's considered a "piyut", a poem, or I would say more of a meditation. It is relatively recent as far as Jewish liturgy is concerned, dating back only to the 11th century, by Rabbi Amnon who chose torture and
death as opposed to forced conversion to Christianity.
[...]
Lili
As to the „merry merry month of may“ asked about earlier in this thread:
I once read (but never fact checked) that spring is the time of year with the highest suicide rate, and may is the month most representing that season. Also merry, merry is quite the opposite of a depression culminating in suicide. And, lastly, suicide is sudden and stands in opposition to very slow decay.
...my twopence worth
LD
EDiT: One last thing: I find some parallels to the Eurhythmics song Jennifer. If I cannot find anything about Eurhythmics in these forums, I will create a post and drop a link here.
EDiT2: Here it is
LyricsDecrypter wrote: ↑Fri Jan 15, 2021 2:45 pm
Wonderously (at least to me) there is nothing about Eurythmics on these forums (or at least I am too inept to find it EDiT: I stupidly spelled eurhythmics in my search), yet there are at least two songs that immedeatly come to mind that feel in some way related to LC songs: "Angel" for one, but much more "Jennifer".
As I just finished a post on Who by Fire, I started to think about the parallels between WBF and Jennifer:
In both songs someone is asking questions about probably deceased, yet the real question is:
Who is asking?
In case of Jennifer, the voice asking is very soft and loving which stands in contrast to the implied suicide of Jennifer (and torment of mood that lead to it). The lyrics describe her appearance as possible cause for her unhappines yet the repeated question of "where are you tonight", is actually answered "underneath the water".
While LCs lyrics do not offer an answer, and his lyrics are way more poetic in a the sense of being open to interpretation, you can find a level of poetry in the music accompanying the lyrics to Jennifer: There is a hint of the chopping sound a helicopter makes while supposedly out searching for Jennifer.
Back to the question on who is asking about Jennifer, I would say it is someone caring and close enough to be rightfully asking this kind of question, the loving softness of tone makes me first think of her mother more than any friend, or lover, or other person who might be "entitled" a hold over her.
Yet there is no fear, nor worry, nor forbodance of disaster at all - not very motherly. Even there seems to be a certain sense of consent to Jennifers current whereabouts in this softness.
This leads me to think it is herself asking the question. There is a serenety in that voice which implies that all is good now, any ordeal is over.
EDiT:
Or, on a more positive thought, she is not dead, only hiding by floating on her back in a still lake just below the water's surface, with only mouth and nose above the waterline more or less invisible from the water's edge and with the outside world's sounds muffled due to ears being below the waterline. In this scenario Jennifer is also rid of the outer world's unfriendlyness, sight and sound are tuned out, even gravity is overcome: she is floating with only the night sky in her sight. She serenly recides within herself, the only safe place of comfort to her.
My twopence worth...
LD