"Funeral" is the tenth song from the Devin Townsend album Ocean Machine: Biomech, released in 1997.
One of the oldest songs Townsend has written, it appeared on the original Noisescapes demo that got him a record deal in the mid-'90s. Its acoustic arrangement was played much more often than the album arrangement, which debuted in 2015.
Meaning[]
Taken from an interview on the Metal Hammer site:
"But the most stirring songs on Ocean Machine are those that confront that cruel plane of existence head on. Life, a sonically uplifting rumination on the preciousness of existence, and Funeral, a hymn-like address punctuated with desperate cries, were written following the death of 16-year-old schoolmate Jesse Cadman. On the evening of October 18, 1992, he was senselessly stabbed.
“He was killed walking home by a group of kids that wanted his hat,” says Devin quietly.
Though Devin and Jesse weren’t close, Devin was good friends with Jesse’s sister. He also played in local band Grey Skies, of which Jesse was a fan. When it came to organising his funeral, the Cadmans asked Devin to speak in church – something that left an indelible impact on him.
“I hadn’t experienced death in a tangible way prior to that, so when we went to the funeral and I had to speak, I remember I hadn’t anticipated they were gonna bring the body out, and I just panicked,” he says. “I couldn’t cope with it, and I wasn’t alone in that, either. It was a real heavy time for a lot of people, because it was our first experience with that sort of thing, and it was senseless. It affected my teen years profoundly.”
Jesse’s parents became involved in youth work and politics, and Devin is moved to learn that his mum, Dona Cadman, has publicly spoken alongside the mother of her son’s killer. “It’s a testament to the parts of the human condition that are worth fighting for,” he says."
Song Credits[]
- Words and music: Devin Townsend
Appearances[]
- Ocean Machine: Biomech (original studio recording)
- Unplugged (acoustic recording)
- Ziltoid Live at Royal Albert Hall (live recording)
Versions[]
Funeral[]
The original album version. It flows directly into "Bastard."
Funeral (Acoustic)[]
Available on the Unplugged promotional CD.
Funeral (Live)[]
Available on the Ziltoid Live at Royal Albert Hall blu-ray/CD.
Lyrics[]
Jesus, here lies my brother
Tortured and blown
Stretch for the heavens and go
...I watch him go
Here it comes
Jesus was a poor boy
Jesus was a poor boy
"It's just a spring clean for the May queen"
I'm coming home
And this one's for the life
This one's for the funeral in the rain
And if only for tonight
This one's for the funeral in the rain
The day's gone and the year's gone
And I don't know when I'm coming home
I can't hold on to what I've had
When what I've had
There's nothing left at all...
So this one's for the life
This one's for the funeral in the rain
And if only for tonight
Close your eyes and try to sleep again...
A world away, you turn away
I'm wide awake, and I don't need your home
Tell me why he went, it seems to be
An element to this mystery
It's so cold today, so I get away, and I'm left behind with nothing but words...