Lazarus Lyrics






There is a passage in the Bible about the raising of Lazarus - a believer in Jesus who falls ill and dies. Jesus is said to visit his tomb and raise him from the dead. So, generally speaking, I think this song is about recovery from ills and moving on to new beginnings.
I get the impression that the subject of the story, David, has endured a fairly miserable existence, raised by "twisted folk" in a "cheerless town". He is aware that he can have a better life, however (seeing light, i.e. the moon, through the fog). A voice (perhaps a religious/spiritual presence, or maybe his subconscious) then implores him to move towards the light of that moon - towards a better life. "Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul" would hint at his yearning to reach that light.
I'm unsure what the ghost of the twenties is about, though...
This is my first attempt at interpreting a PT song, so don't bash too much. :P
Excellent interpretation!
Excellent interpretation!
While we're in this bible context, I'd like to point out that the name David in hebrew stands for a beloved one or darling. Therefore the bridge can be understood as "My loved one don't you worry", instead of referring to some guy actually called David.
While we're in this bible context, I'd like to point out that the name David in hebrew stands for a beloved one or darling. Therefore the bridge can be understood as "My loved one don't you worry", instead of referring to some guy actually called David.
@ryanz0r I think "moonlight bleeding from out of your soul" means that not only David saw something through the fog but this something (I opt for a religious, Biblical context) also sees in David the same, so she (I think it's a she) decided to break the silence. There might have been a previous, unsuccessful attempt in establishing contact when David was in his 20s, ending in an abrupt, but at the same time beautiful golden summer day, after which David slowly rebuilt his life in a way that he could be contacted again.
@ryanz0r I think "moonlight bleeding from out of your soul" means that not only David saw something through the fog but this something (I opt for a religious, Biblical context) also sees in David the same, so she (I think it's a she) decided to break the silence. There might have been a previous, unsuccessful attempt in establishing contact when David was in his 20s, ending in an abrupt, but at the same time beautiful golden summer day, after which David slowly rebuilt his life in a way that he could be contacted again.

In a combonation of a few other interpretations, I think this song is in the second person, between the perspectives of a dead mother's ghost and her still-living son. He's sitting on a train, leaving where he's from, and his mother's ghost comes and tells him to follow her. He is living a life that is not cool at all (See: Shallow), and has reached a point of reflection. She is there to help him become more normal, or, more "human". Hope you liked it! -High Fives and Bulletproof Smiles, Foo

Beautiful vocals, lovely, lovely song. A little radiohead-esque, but with Steven Wilson's own touch.
That said, I have no idea what it means. For some reason I think of this as the sequel to Trains. Probably the mention of summers and valleys, and it's like that song sonically as well. Anybody else?

at the end of the song there are sounds like a train makes going over the tracks. ,maybe the person in the beginning who sees towns pass by his window is in a train.
i don't know what the religious references mean tho.
um......what??????
um......what??????

Shut up about the incest idea it is unfounded and quite disgusting. When I am listening to Deadwing I don't want to think about having sex with my sister...grows. This is a beautiful song and I can find no incest in this song.....
This has nothing to do with incest. 'Trains' is about Steven Wilson's cousin being killed by a train. 'Open Car' describes driving to a farm and burying a dead horse. 'Heart Attack In A Layby' is self-explanatory. 'Halo' suggests the listener spend "5 minutes with me in my van". 'Even Less' begins with someone washed up on a Norfolk beach and goes on to talk about a quiet boy buried on the moors (the 'Moors Murderers'?). Steven Wilson is clearly a serial-killer, using his music to list his accomplishments. The chorus line "Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul"...
This has nothing to do with incest. 'Trains' is about Steven Wilson's cousin being killed by a train. 'Open Car' describes driving to a farm and burying a dead horse. 'Heart Attack In A Layby' is self-explanatory. 'Halo' suggests the listener spend "5 minutes with me in my van". 'Even Less' begins with someone washed up on a Norfolk beach and goes on to talk about a quiet boy buried on the moors (the 'Moors Murderers'?). Steven Wilson is clearly a serial-killer, using his music to list his accomplishments. The chorus line "Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul" describes the gleaming reflection of the moonlight in the blood flowing from young 'Davy' as he carrys him down to his final resting place in the valley below. Lazarus was raised from the dead by Jesus. The final couplet suggests that this victim didn't die immediately, but his time to go would hopefully be very soon. These are horrific implications, yet I feel the songs (particularly 'Lazarus') are endowed with a deeper, more intense beauty in this light....
uhm i think when you said 'Halo' you mean't 'Blackest Eyes'
uhm i think when you said 'Halo' you mean't 'Blackest Eyes'

i dont believe the incest bit, though i see where youre coming from... if it helps, i know that this album's lyrics are based on an unproduced movie script that steve wilson and a friend wrote...
it seems this song is the subject, david, i guess being born again... maybe leaving his old town thats been holding him back. i dunno, but the incest idea you love doesnt seem to click at all.

has anyone noticed that the song preceding "lazarus" is "halo" - both titles have to do with religion. obviously, "halo" bashes religion, and i dont think "lazarus" glorifies it or anything... i think, as the incest boy was saying, that it's about someone who had to choose a road for himself. maybe its about choosing your own beliefs - "I survived against the will of my twisted folk".

Me and my friend just saw Porcupine Tree live. They played this song, and it was awesome, even better then the CD version. Steve Wilson really has an awesome voice. Anyway, He explained a few songs, Lazarus being one of them. He said something like: "This is as close to a lovesong as Porcupine Tree can get, and it's a pretty fucked up love song. Because in this song, one of the lovers is dead. The dead mother sings this to her son." Or something like that. In any case, it is about a dead mother and her child.

Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary of Bethania, who were friends of Jesus. The two sisters asked Jesus to bring Lazarus back to life. That's all I have to add... Heh.