When you're absolute beginners
It's a panoramic view
From her majesty Mount Zion
And the kingdom is for you
Uh huh, uh huh

When you tumble upon that valley
Shark or sparrow line the stairs
When the arrows start descending
Then they scatter everywhere

On a bookshelf in Caledonia
Sits a map of passageways
Best to stumble upon Mount Zion
To behold the natural gates
Uh huh, uh huh

They say the original sinners
Never felt a drop of pain
Until that second in the garden
Then they felt it each and every day

So draw back your bows you hunters
Who have never felt that plain
All the absolute beginners
They are safe in the shade for today
Uh huh, uh huh

When you're absolute beginners
It's a panoramic view
From her majesty Mount Zion
And the kingdom is for you
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, uh huh



Lyrics submitted by smileforthecamera

For Beginners Lyrics as written by M. Ward

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC

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    General Comment

    So, this song is about the fact that when we're young we're optimistic and the whole world seems right and just and beautiful. But eventually we come to a valley, and to "hunters" (people who want to harm us for one reason or another) shooting their symbolic arrows at us. Ward compares this to the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden. Before they disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve new no suffering, nor even death. This is in the Bible--it was by disobeying God that Adam and Eve brought their own downfall, which brought suffering into the world, very similar to how Pandora brought all suffering into the world by opening her box. Anyway, as youths we tend to enjoy a brief time when we are without a lot of suffering, but life inevitably brings misfortunes your way. It's just how it is, and there's not much we can do about it.

    However, Ward does give advice here. Essentially he says to the would-be hunters of the world, "Hey, if you've never experienced any misfortune, go ahead and shoot your arrows at other people." It's very similar to Jesus when he stopped the execution of an adulteress by saying, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." No one could cast a stone because everyone present had sinned. The idea here is asking us all to remember how others have treated us badly, and not to add to the pain of others ourselves. So basically, just be kind to others.

    Starwatcher23on January 20, 2018   Link

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