As a Lieutenant for a busy engine company within a career Fire Department, a lover of late 90's emo, and a man suffering depression, this track hits so very close to home. It's true too. While we ordinarily cope pretty well with witnessing trauma and suffering, you'll have calls that will obliterate your ability to compartmentalize your work experience from your home life. Some calls just sit closer to the surface. Make sure you don't just bury everything you see. We want to make sure we reach retirement unbroken by the job. Hope this song is as much a gem to my brothers/sisters as it was to me.
I was casually listening to this album at work and I'm not usually attentive to lyrics but after hearing the opening and first couple lines I totally stopped what I was doing for five minutes was just completely absorbed by this narrative.
Wow this is such a gem. I stopped listening to music around 2020, but this brought me back to listening to Control at 17 years old with Priests and Paramedics. Am so happy Dave has kept his nerve all these years. God bless him
Just after midnight, Black Canyon freeway A man when he could no longer deal Stepped in front of 18 wheels My uncle Ray was a paramedic One of the first boots on the ground He saw the man beneath the truck in several pieces Obviously gone - Time to call for cleanup More flashing lights came The cops blocked off the road Ray's pal from another engine Came over with a gallows joke Come on Ray, we can save him Come on Ray, we can save him Come on Ray Ray's pal went closer to see the broken body Pretty quickly he came back acting queasy Sayin' "Ray, you won't believe what that man said to me:" "Get this truck off my back Don't know what I expected, but that hurt really bad Where were my people at? Coiled up like a rattlesnake Waiting to attack" Next up the female fire engine driver strolled To see the body solo when Ray declined to go Against her better judgment, her training and her plan She recognized in those pieces a brokenhearted man Compartments came apart then Compartments came apart then She gathered herself and crept back to the truck Remembering all of the times she'd nearly given up She had to be twice as human, and just as tough She knew it was never enough, never enough To get this truck off my back Don't know what I expected, but that hurt really bad Where were my people at? Coiled up like a rattlesnake Waiting to attack Tell them your stories If you carry them by yourself The gorier the details the more you walk alone in Hell
I'll hazard a guess, but lyrics being personal and poetic (and thus open to interpretation), I wouldn't know for sure. My thoughts: "where were my people at"? = indignation of feeling abandoned by friends and loved ones; left to actually carry out the suicide. "Coiled up like a rattlesnake waiting to attack" = two thoughts: could be suggestive imagery of how the victim's remains appeared beneath the truck at the accident scene. Could also regard the victim's emotional and behavioral defenses that kept his friends and loved ones at bay from helping. Maybe even a combination of both?
@@impetuousspirit9655 Very good also see the clues in the last verse. He was having to contain his gory details of life issues and "compartments came apart then" he was unsuccessful at containing them on his own which let to the truck. It appears to me when he shared his life issues with loved ones, they either didnt want to hear it or more likely told him something insensitive or critical. The issue I have is if I tell the gory details my family turns to the bible for insight which ime has been harmful and passes a lot of judgement which is the opposite of compassion or understanding. The gallows joke is "come on ray we can save him" which is sarcasm so even in death the ridicule continues.
![Pedro The Lion - My Phoenix [OFFICIAL AUDIO]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hlbzOo5Bjbk/mqdefault.jpg)
![Pedro The Lion - My Phoenix [OFFICIAL AUDIO]](/img/tr.png)
![Pedro The Lion - Powerful Taboo [OFFICIAL AUDIO]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vr9BucNfowM/mqdefault.jpg)
As a Lieutenant for a busy engine company within a career Fire Department, a lover of late 90's emo, and a man suffering depression, this track hits so very close to home.
It's true too. While we ordinarily cope pretty well with witnessing trauma and suffering, you'll have calls that will obliterate your ability to compartmentalize your work experience from your home life. Some calls just sit closer to the surface. Make sure you don't just bury everything you see. We want to make sure we reach retirement unbroken by the job.
Hope this song is as much a gem to my brothers/sisters as it was to me.
I salute you sir, Greetings from an ARFF Officer from Turkey, Stay strong.
@@kemalyldrm4633 Thank you! May you stay safe and maintain wellness on the job also!
I was casually listening to this album at work and I'm not usually attentive to lyrics but after hearing the opening and first couple lines I totally stopped what I was doing for five minutes was just completely absorbed by this narrative.
As I read your comment I was on tge 15 minute break I took so I could actually listen to this song.
Wow this is such a gem. I stopped listening to music around 2020, but this brought me back to listening to Control at 17 years old with Priests and Paramedics. Am so happy Dave has kept his nerve all these years. God bless him
Finally we’re blessed with more Pedro The Lion.
This song is powerful.
Just after midnight, Black Canyon freeway
A man when he could no longer deal
Stepped in front of 18 wheels
My uncle Ray was a paramedic
One of the first boots on the ground
He saw the man beneath the truck in several pieces
Obviously gone -
Time to call for cleanup
More flashing lights came
The cops blocked off the road
Ray's pal from another engine
Came over with a gallows joke
Come on Ray, we can save him
Come on Ray, we can save him
Come on Ray
Ray's pal went closer to see the broken body
Pretty quickly he came back acting queasy
Sayin' "Ray, you won't believe what that man said to me:"
"Get this truck off my back
Don't know what I expected, but that hurt really bad
Where were my people at?
Coiled up like a rattlesnake
Waiting to attack"
Next up the female fire engine driver strolled
To see the body solo when Ray declined to go
Against her better judgment, her training and her plan
She recognized in those pieces a brokenhearted man
Compartments came apart then
Compartments came apart then
She gathered herself and crept back to the truck
Remembering all of the times she'd nearly given up
She had to be twice as human, and just as tough
She knew it was never enough, never enough
To get this truck off my back
Don't know what I expected, but that hurt really bad
Where were my people at?
Coiled up like a rattlesnake
Waiting to attack
Tell them your stories
If you carry them by yourself
The gorier the details the more you walk alone in Hell
this is a very important song
feel this vibe
Can anyone provide insight into "where were my people at? Coiled up like a rattle snake, waiting to attack"? Im stumped by that line.
I'll hazard a guess, but lyrics being personal and poetic (and thus open to interpretation), I wouldn't know for sure. My thoughts: "where were my people at"? = indignation of feeling abandoned by friends and loved ones; left to actually carry out the suicide. "Coiled up like a rattlesnake waiting to attack" = two thoughts: could be suggestive imagery of how the victim's remains appeared beneath the truck at the accident scene. Could also regard the victim's emotional and behavioral defenses that kept his friends and loved ones at bay from helping. Maybe even a combination of both?
@@impetuousspirit9655 Very good also see the clues in the last verse. He was having to contain his gory details of life issues and "compartments came apart then" he was unsuccessful at containing them on his own which let to the truck. It appears to me when he shared his life issues with loved ones, they either didnt want to hear it or more likely told him something insensitive or critical. The issue I have is if I tell the gory details my family turns to the bible for insight which ime has been harmful and passes a lot of judgement which is the opposite of compassion or understanding. The gallows joke is "come on ray we can save him" which is sarcasm so even in death the ridicule continues.
"The Notwist is awesome"
,dan'
"Anderson Cooper, I am sorry for your loss."
I didn't know
This.
This what?