What is the Meaning of the Lyrics of Samson by Regina Spektor?

Philippines
November 18, 2007 12:19am CST
You are my sweetest downfall I loved you first, I loved you first Beneath the sheets of paper lies my truth I have to go, I have to go Your hair was long when we first met Samson went back to bed Not much hair left on his head He ate a slice of wonder bread and went right back to bed And history books forgot about us and the bible didnt mention us, The bible didnt mention us Not even once You are my sweetest downfall I loved you first I loved you first Beneath the stars came falling on our heads But they're just old light They're just old light Your hair was long when we first met Samson came to my bed Told me that my hair was red Told me I was beautiful and came into my bed I cut his hair myself one night A pair of dull scissors and the yellow light He told me that I'd done alright and kissed me till the morning light the morning light and he kissed me till the morning light Samson went back to bed Not much hair left on his head Ate a slice of wonder bread and went right back to bed We couldn't break the columns down No, we couldn't destroy a single one and the history books forgot about us and the bible didn't mention us not even once You are my sweetest downfall I loved you first
1 response
• United States
25 Nov 07
These lyrics are, as far as I can discern, Regina's interpretation of the biblical story of Samson and Delilah. The theme of hair in the song deals with part of that story when Delilah was trying to determine where Samson's strength came from, and he said that he would lose all of his power if he lost his hair. In the Bible, Delilah sends servants to shave off his hair and he then, indeed, becomes powerless and ends up becoming a prisoner of the Philistines. I think that his is a beautiful song that not only applies to the story but could be applied to the complication of love in general.