Wickerman

"**Wickerman"** is track three on the **Hungry Lights** studio album "**Heavy Is The Crown**." Remember that this is a **summary**, not the entire story! It is 1-10% of what is actually going on—just the skeleton.

## Story

In this chapter, Prill is getting anxious, so he goes to a local tavern to gamble and vent his frustration. He does very well for himself and feels incredibly lucky, then quickly becomes overzealous and makes a bet he cannot afford to lose... which he does. He panics, and in his fight or flight reaction, he ends up killing a man.

## Lyrics

O’ I had just simmered and fumed!

My heyday was trimmed and was pruned

T'was soiled with the mulch of remorse

I replayed this hundreds of times in my head

And I searched for a fault or a blunder or curse to blame

-No such miscue occurred

It was my cross to bear,

And I walked with that cross on my back

My bridle and patience wore off

I'd not sink in and wait for a door

I had to get out!

-Had to flee from the scrawl in my head!

*All these starving flames inching onto me*

*Can’t be stomped out now*

*And you'd never let go*

*We’re hanging from the edge,*

*Swaying riotous*

*While candles burn away at my straw, wicker hands*

*O’ the fall’s so far down!*

From the brim of my hell, I had glimpsed an escape

So I played a few hands, and I learned a few tricks

And from ‘cross the bridge, such glowering facets turned

It seemed luck's key had found its hole

And with such merry comes great sorrow

On and on those candles burned...

This windfall would never wear off!

With a verve, I made way toward the floor!

Fate threw me the dice,

And I staked such a price—that I did!

One more game—one more chance to reclaim my crown!

*All these starving flames inching onto me*

*Can’t be stomped out now*

*And you'd never let go*

*We’re hanging from the edge,*

*Swaying riotous*

*While candles burn away at my straw, wicker hands*

*O’ the fall’s so far down!*

Then a darkness veiled the scene,

And spelled me to walk the flames

To roll and wonder—always wondering!

If time rewound itself, I'd kick myself to leave

This was defeat

Before I even hit the ground, I knew that I was smoke

A fuse made of greed had fastened into me

And it had stitched up my retreat

And I had been given one chance

Bet you'll never see me again as I burn it all away

I had betrayed me!

I didn't know if I should fight or run or beg for mercy

I knew for sure that all my common sense had turned to ash

Across from me, a dozen eyes reflected malcontent

So I stood up tall to point and aim the gun between his eyes

I couldn't figure what I felt inside

-It buzzed and pressured

Like being stabbed in the gut

And in the heat I cried,

"Get on your knees and beg me not to kill you and your family

Down on your knees,

You pray to God that I don't change my mind!”

‘Cause inside, there's a gun that's loaded

And that gun's always itching to be fired

I had my finger on it—I had my finger on it

To pull the trigger

-Problem solved and walk out pure as wine

Had I learned to bite the bullet...

Had I known my place in line...

I had my finger on it—I had my finger on it

And then I pulled it

I was charred enough to change my mind

 Trivia

* An earlier conceptualized name for this song was "From Windfall To Hell."