Written by: Aaron Tate
Lyrics:
The grass looked greener on the other side
So I tried to, snatch myself from your hand
Caught a boat to anywhere but Nineveh
And, well, you know, I got spit back on dry land.
Give me purity and give me continence
But oh no, not yet
Like a coin hiding in the corner
Trying not to be swept
I was trying not to be swept.
Kicking against these goads
Sure did cut up my feet
And didn’t your hands get bloody
As you washed them clean.
Here I am again, back where I began
Try as I may I can’t get away from you
And all these roads that lead me to roam,
Bring me back home.
Here I am again, back where I began.
So you have yourself your ninety nine
Isn’t that enough for you
Still you followed me to the shadowed valley
Carried me on your shoulders too.
I’ve done the work of Sisyphus
Thinking that I could get over this hill
But the one thing I can’t get over now…(is the)
Is the force of your will.
See also: MusicBrainz, iTunes.
The central theme of this song is a very common tale. The Christian struggle to release our own wills and accept God’s. The picture Aaron paints with this song is of a man who fights against God’s will, trying not to be seen, “like a coin hiding in a corner, trying not to be swept.” The man tries every road to “roam” (fun play on the phrase ‘All roads lead to Rome’) where he will, but God always brings him back to the same place. He kicks and screams for his own will, but in the end is always brought back.
“Caught a boat to anywhere but Nineveh”…refers to the story of Jonah running from God (the book of Jonah)
“Give me purity and give me continence, but oh no not yet”…is an almost direct quotation of Augustine, who said “Give me chastity and continence, but not yet” back in the 4th or 5th century A.D.
“Kicking against these goads sure did cut up my feet”…refers to Paul’s recollection of his conversion experience in Acts 26:14, where he says, “I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’”
“So you have yourself your ninety nine…”…this verse refers to a parable of Jesus found in Luke 15. The shepherd will leave the 99 sheep that are safe to go rescue the 1 that is lost. (the “coin hiding in the corner” is also from Luke 15)
“I’ve done the work of Sisyphus, thinking that I could get over this hill”…This is a reference to the Greek mythological character, Sisyphus, who, as punishment for his wrongdoings, was sentenced to, for eternity, roll a huge boulder up a hill. As soon as he reached the top of the hill, the boulder would roll back down and he would have to begin his task again and again. Aaron is comparing himself with this character, thinking he would finally be able to get ‘over the hill’ and have his own way, but is never able to finally make it.