"The Crowing"

Album Art by Bill Scoville.

**"The Crowing"** is a song by the American rock band Coheed and Cambria. It is the fifth track on their 2003 album *In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3*.

## Lyrics

**PART I**

**[Verse 1]**

I fed the clues of a lost day killed in motion

But I thought of it so

Like there's no other way it could've been done

Will they size my fit

For a puzzle I wish not to play part in it?

A heart stained in hate

A feeling I fear will play circles

**[Interlude]**

But you, you were my favorite

But you, you know, you were my favorite

**[Verse 2]**

I've severed my ties

To shroud this body under the streets of this city

And wait for the day

When I am summoned to walk across the face

Well, slowly but clearer, now

In visions that play and plague memories

I love them with all *(Heart)*

As a son should to mother and father

**[Interlude]**

But you, you were my favorite

But you, you know, you were my favorite

**[Chorus]**

Would I walk through the door

Shedding the light of all life?

With the rise and reform

Would I come as before?

**[Post-Chorus]**

Pray you're not the only one

Pray you're not the only...

**Part II**

**[Bridge]**

If given mistakes would I take them back?

If erasing them could, if erasing them would

**[Interlude]**

What would they be the words that I would say?

Your face and a door between

I've parted three ways

For you, the Newo that I loved

**[Pre-Chorus]**

Did you ever really know before

My face, shamed to break?

Did you ever really know before

My mind, scared to think?

Did you ever really know before

My name, son to these?

Did you, did you, did you come clean

In the end, from the start?

**[Chorus]**

Dear Ambellina

The Prise wishes you to watch over me

Dear Ambellina

The Prise wishes all to watch over me

**[Post-Chorus]**

I fought the decisions that call and lost

My park has a relevant piece in this

I will come reformed

In short, for the murders of those I court

I bless the hour that holds your fall

Sincerely, I will kill you all

**[Chorus]**

I will call you out from shelter *(I will cross you out)*

Burn your wings, you'll know no better *(Burn your wings)*

I will call you out from shelter *(I will cross you out)*

Burn your wings and learn their letters *(Burn your wings)*

Dear Ambellina

The Prise wishes you to watch over me

Dear Ambellina

To watch over me

## Story Context

This song is entirely about Claudio Kilgannon who by this time has grown into a man, albeit a troubled one, as he struggles with his role in this story. The first verse shows how he looked at his limited knowledge of what happened when he was young which essentially killed his childhood and life as he knew it, and was convinced he knew what happened. He doesn't necessarily know what he is, but he knows the Red Army wants him, and to that point, he wonders if they'll try to force or orchestrate him into doing things he doesn't want. The spirit of his father, Coheed, haunts him and he hates it. He still believes it's Coheed actions that caused his own predicament. Though his father pesters him to take up the role, Claudio doesn't want to be anyone's pawn.

The interlude mentions his "favorite" which is probably a reference to Newo Ikkin, his ex-girlfriend who he left behind in order to save her from what ever troubles followed him.

The second verse continues to recollect his actions up to this point. He severed all ties with friends, remaining family, and so forth and has been hiding here in Godder Damm. He claims he's waiting to be summoned, but he is entirely reluctant. The vision of Coheed tells him he's already been summoned, but he doesn't believe him and it only brings up the horrible vision of his sister. In one instance, he admits to himself that he misses his mother AND father, if only because he's still a child, after all this time still.

The chorus makes clear what his role is meant to be: He is meant to kill ("shed the light") of all life in The Fence. If he does this, this act which will change or reform the worlds, will he still be himself?

The post chorus is Claudio praying there's someone else who can take the role besides him, that he's not the only one.

The second half of the song switches gears a bit. In this bridge, he continues the thought of the previous chorus. He's made many mistakes, and if he considers them, he wonders if he undid them, or take them back, if he could absolve himself of this role, this fate, this whole situation.

The interlude shows his doubt that he can change his fate. Would he if he could? Probably not. The line "Your face and a door between" refers to Newo and how she is now behind a door that stands between them. This door is of his own making. The line "I've parted three ways" refers to when she first dropped him off at home that fateful day, the letter he left her that morning he left Hetricius, and this door his built that shut her out of his feelings. Of course, he's done this to protect her.

In this pre-chorus, he wonders if she ever really knew him; after all, he's covered in dirt and grim, gets drunk every day, and generally lives a shameful life, he's scared to face the future and the past, and then that he would be the son of murderers. And he wonders if Newo has secrets of her own that she never shared with him.

This chorus refers to his ultimate meeting with Ambellina who was sent to guard and guide him until he comes into his powers. This post chorus shows how he has made the decision to at least seek revenge. He changes (reforms) a bit to concede that Wilhelm Ryan and Mayo Deftinwolf have somehow had a hand in things and he will kill them.

The final, reprised second chorus starts with a bit of back story on Ambellina. The Prise have come to the decision she will be the one to go to him, but in order to do this she must burn her wings, since the Prise are not to meddle in the affairs of Humans.

## Trivia

* Additional Keyboards were provided by Danny Louis.
* The code name for this track in development was "Ambellina".
	+ A few changes were made: There was no post chorus in Part II originally.
	+ In Part I's chorus, the line "Shedding the light of all life" was originally "Holding the light of your life," and the line "With the rise and reform" was "You wondered if/or..."
	+ In Part II's pre-chorus, "My face, shamed to break" was originally "My heart, I..." and "My mind, scared to think" was "My mind, that I..." The line "My name, son to these" was "OF these" and the last line, "In the end, from the start" was simply "My only heart."
* "The Crowing" is the title of the messiah figure outlined in the Ghansgraad. Of course, this is the role Claudio desperately runs from, as outlined in this song.
	+ This role's name may derive from the 1994 movie *The Crow*.
* The line, "heart stained in hate" is featured in Issue 10 of the corresponding comic.

## References

1. ↑ Coheed and Cambria. Booklet. *In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3*, Equal Vision Records, 2003.
2. ↑ https://genius.com/Coheed-and-cambria-the-crowing-lyrics
3. ↑ https://archive.org/details/CoheedAndCambriaIKSSE3DemoCassette/03.+Ambellina.flac