I'm not certain but I suspect this song is about an abusive priest. "Grey girls, grey boys" I think refers to his victims. They're grey because their innocence has been compromised. "Beware gorgeous noise" makes me think he is talking about the church choir, to which his victims may belong.
The line "This song's a smoke signal" has a double meaning. Smoke signals were often used as warnings in warfare, but here it also refers to the way a new pope is elected. When the papal conclave meets secretly, they communicate with the outside world by smoke signals. Black smoke means they haven't come to decision yet, while white smoke means they have elected a new pope. Ergo, this song is a warning about the Catholic church and the way it harbors and protects abusive priests. This echoes the song's suggestion to beware of gorgeous noise.
But the most telling lines are, "He'll help you take off your dress, insist there's more to confess." He will "help" kids take off their dress so he can get them naked, and he insists there's more to confess. Catholics, of course, confess to their priest. One way an abusive priest can control his victims is by making them continually feel guilty, and telling them that only he can absolve them of their sins, the ultimate irony being that he's the one sinning in that situation.
I'm not certain but I suspect this song is about an abusive priest. "Grey girls, grey boys" I think refers to his victims. They're grey because their innocence has been compromised. "Beware gorgeous noise" makes me think he is talking about the church choir, to which his victims may belong.
The line "This song's a smoke signal" has a double meaning. Smoke signals were often used as warnings in warfare, but here it also refers to the way a new pope is elected. When the papal conclave meets secretly, they communicate with the outside world by smoke signals. Black smoke means they haven't come to decision yet, while white smoke means they have elected a new pope. Ergo, this song is a warning about the Catholic church and the way it harbors and protects abusive priests. This echoes the song's suggestion to beware of gorgeous noise.
But the most telling lines are, "He'll help you take off your dress, insist there's more to confess." He will "help" kids take off their dress so he can get them naked, and he insists there's more to confess. Catholics, of course, confess to their priest. One way an abusive priest can control his victims is by making them continually feel guilty, and telling them that only he can absolve them of their sins, the ultimate irony being that he's the one sinning in that situation.
Mr. Sinister is thus a priest.