This is a crisis I knew had to come
Destroying the balance I'd kept
Doubting, unsettling, and turning around
Wondering what will come next
Is this the role that you wanted to live?
I was foolish to ask for so much
Without the protection and infancy's guard
It all falls apart at first touch

Watching the reel as it comes to a close
Brutally taking its time
People who change for no reason at all
It's happening all of the time
Can I go on with this train of events?
Disturbing and purging my mind
Back out of my duties, when all's said and done
I know that I'll lose every time

Moving along in our God-given ways
Safety is sat by the fire
Sanctuary from these feverish smiles
Left with a mark on the door
Is this the gift that I wanted to give?
Forgive and forget's what they teach
Or pass through the deserts and wastelands once more
And watch as they drop by the beach

This is the crisis I knew had to come
Destroying the balance I'd kept
Turning around to the next set of lives
Wondering what will come next


Lyrics submitted by typo, edited by Hgaudguad

Passover Lyrics as written by Ian Kevin Curtis Bernard Sumner

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Passover song meanings
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24 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    The first verse talks about problems which keep occuring and how when you are a child you are shielded from those problems and guarded. The second verse talks about events and people changing for no reason and how time passes on and its hard to deal with all of this. the rest talks abotu time passing by and how you wish it were easier to deal with things and you wish you had santuary to get away from it all. A personal fave.

    KILBYon March 05, 2003   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    When I feel like this, I don't give a damn about anything anymore. After going through another sea of pain, fear and shame. I'm dry. Just angry. No one can help, and no one can hurt me. There's no hope, no dreams, no feelings. Save for anger and desire to 'be dead'. I'm somehow untochable, numb. I feel I'm in control. Suicide thougths are stimulating and kind of pleasant. And since adrenaline is high I may be able to accomplish what would normally be much harder. Or at least make it to safety.

    Happens from time to time. I always made it. But how long I can go on with this train of events?

    Gwynbleiddon December 11, 2005   Link
  • +2
    My Opinion

    I think it has a little warning about vengeance:

    "Forgive and forget what they teach or pass through the desserts and wastelands once more and watch as the drown by the beach"

    Really obvious, vengeance can only be archived with self-inflicted damage

    Seafireon January 13, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Yes, but why passover? What's the connection?

    It isn't just a title, the theme runs through the song. "Left with a mark on the door"- the holiday of passover celebrates the rise of the Hebrew slaves from their Egyptian opressors. God supposedly asked the Hebrews to mark their doors with blood, so when he comes down to kill every firstborn he will not harm the Hebrew homes. Also "Pass through the deserts and wastelands"- exiting Egypt through the desert, wandering for 40 years.

    I think it is about change. Your life has been very bad so far, but something very big is about to happen, that will destroy the balance. Maybe that change will hurt other people (like the ones in the bible, who were not spared- the Egyptians), and you are afraid, and not sure you want it to happen. The change might be good, but it might just lead you to another barren and sad place. You aren't sure about what to do, and "Wondering what will come next".

    Just what I think.

    CommonInsanityon July 01, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    OK lets clear this up...the song hurt (The meaning)

    Is the beining and end of our life, being born again sort of speak. Jonny Cash loved God and was a firm beliver in Jesus Christ. Allow me to explain in greater detail, The song does has few metamorphs that seem to lead people that the song is about drugs..dont hardly think cash would sing, revamp,or remake a song about herion.

    The song is more a lession in life that only God can show you. a period lasttwo years. More along the lines of fate,Distiny, choices,temptations, higher purpose. wheel of fortune..sometimes for the better sometimes for the worse. Depending on how the person acts and reponse to the situation..like 33% of your actions account towards your true distiny. Those who attempt to do Gods will will be greatly rewarded sothe true meaning of the song is a period of darkness is when a powerful force will rule you. you will be given few choices most will be made for you. The dark period they talk about where everyone i know goes away in the end (evil remaines) This is a period of your life where must make it through blindy. have faith you will do fine. Like Moses doing Gods will blindly. Have you ever wondered why some businesses sky rocket and others fail, or why someone all of sudden gets promoted. Many of men owe their success to wife and and their second wife to their success( or their are those that enjoy adundance of sex and wealth,(Dont act in haste, those who do act in haste will generally loose from infidelity ruff road to glory!!!. Im sure their are few men out their know what im talking about. In short we all have a purpose if you do not recanize the gift of christ and your transformation you miss the boat. PS taking short cuts to the road of sucuess prolongs the torments of man. This indeed is the DARK period.

    Theirs a long black train coming down the line feeding off souls that are lost in time.

    Peace

    cash333on January 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    A moment, when you realise you can't go on, because things have gone too bad.

    A great change is inevitable. It's either a big step forward, something that will soothe the pain. Or kill it. Along with the sufferrer.

    Gwynbleiddon October 22, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    BTW, notice great difference in pace between Closer and Still versions of Passover. The first one is very slow and depressing, while Still vr. (probably live) is almost twice as fast, and IMO sounds more adequate to the lyrics. Misses these verses though:

    Is this the gift that I wanted to give? Forgive and forget's what they teach Or pass through the deserts and wastelands once more And watch as they drop by the beach

    Gwynbleiddon December 11, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is my second favourite JD song. It's just so eloquently written, and the music exemplifies the tone of the song so perfectly, it's just simply amazing.

    The passover connotations have always confused me, which leaves me feeling that there's more to this song than the intrinsic contempt for change that we all feel.

    jessepenceon April 01, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's a very ambiguous song, it could have both positive and negative meanings. He could be talking about going through some sort of catharsis before he changes his life for the better, but I'm more inclined to believe the passover he's talking about is indeed death. He's reluctant about whether he should go on with it as he knows he has "duties" (a wife and a child). To kill himself would be liberating but it would also mean he'd bebacking out. To stay would only bring him more suffering, so either way he loses: "Can I go on with this train of events? Disturbing and purging my mind Back out of my duties, when all's said and done I know that I'll lose every time"

    He was determined to end his life, but then the crisis came which made him doubt. It's like a discussion between the two parts of his personality, the determined one and the hesitating one. The first one asks: "Is this the role that you wanted to live? " And the second one replies: "Can I go on with this train of events?"

    We know which won. Even if we didn't know anything about how he died, it would be obvious from the way the song ends.

    Pain, guilt and death are the wastelands he has to cross before he could finally feel free to go through the "next set of lives".

    blueberryhillon May 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is one of my fav jd's songs.. amazin lyrix

    Cure.on September 26, 2007   Link

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