AnigmaSRachel's Crying Easy Listening

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Andy Doherty

There's a rather haunting verse in the Bible that goes: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children; she refuseth to be comforted for her children, because they are not. ~ Jeremiah 31:15 That's kind of the inspiration for this song, that's supposed to on the surface be about a couple feeling differently about whether to bring a child into the world. Rachel in the song, is the woman longing for a child. The nararator is the man attempting to ignore it's imprtance to her. But beyond that surface meaning, the woman is also the Rachel spoken of in the Bible, the woman viewed as an Israeli Matriarch who was in fact not just crying for her own literal children who had been killed, but for the children of Israel. In some Christian circles, Rachel's crying is pointed to as a harbinger of things to come, a scene that is to be re-enacted on a larger scale by Herod's slaughtering of the children to attempt to deny the prophecied coming Messiah entry into the world. In the pro life/ pro choice debate, the story of Rachel is used again, viewed by some as an even larger scale re-enactment of the story. So, I wanted to touch upon that, but at the same time, recognizing the overwhelming nature of introducing the religous aspect to the debate, I opted to give it a voice in the story via the second vocal, ...the idea was that the story could be told, and understood with or without it's inclusion in the dialogue, ...if you wanted it in, ..it's there, if you didn't, the story still worked. But we each get to choose. In the song the narrator can be seen as either warming to the idea based on it's importance to the woman he loves, ...or as coming to the realization that there is a divine will, ...either way he has a choice to make. Well, at least those were the goals!

Rachel's Crying She dreams of a child, > that who's name she never knows. Awakes with a startle, > So sad to find she's still alone. Somewhere in the darkness, > feels a heart not quite her own She dreams of a child, > name unknown. She dreams of a child, > that who's voice she can't quite hear She listens and wonders, > Not quite there, but somehow near. Somewhere in the darkness, > feels a heart not quite alone She dreams of a child, > name unknown. And she's crying that it ends, > just before it begins. In changing times, I change my mind again. > Ain't it a sin She dreams of a child > that who's face she cannot see. She weeps for the memory, > of a dream called: "Meant to be" Somewhere in the darkness, > feels a heart not quite, although... She dreams of a child, name unknown. And she's crying that it ends, just before it begins. In angry times, I close my mind again. > Ain't it a sin > Who holds the answers, > to the questions that I seek? > Spoke soft, still whispers > no louder voice shall ever speak? > Somewhere in the darkness > feels a heart not quite of stone > Who dreams of a child, > name unknown. And she's crying that it ends, just before it begins. In trying times I close my eyes again. > Ain't it a sin I Hear her crying as it ends, just before it begins. I close my eyes > while Rachel cries, > again. > Ain't it a sin. > x