Norma Jean - Cemetery Like a Stage Lyrics
Lyrics
There will be no more color
Broken I stand here
A new creation
On the stage of history
Where map and compass
Mean nothing at all
The arrows are in me
My spirit drinks poison
I joined the avalanche
Just to feel alive
I remember sitting in
My mothers room
And I watched them cry
We're not supposed to be here
Tonight I will sleep on the floor
Oh, such weight
All colors rushing back
Restoring frail life
We're broken here
We're ruined here
There are strangers
In my house
Tripping over
Themselves to
White wash this
Disaster
I am young but
I'm not blind
All colors rushing back
Restoring frail life
We're broken here
We're ruined here
The Voice of Heaven
Speaks with time
A new understanding
Dedication
This will never fade
I guess the body
Means nothing, means nothing at all
Broken and unbroken
All colors rushing back
Restoring frail life
We're broken here
We're ruined here
Video
Cemetery Like A Stage
Meaning & Inspiration
Norma Jean's "Cemetery Like a Stage," unleashed upon the world on January 1, 2006, as a pivotal track on their album *Redeemer*, is far more than a collection of heavy chords and raw vocals; it is a profound spiritual lament and a declaration of persistent faith. This song delves into the depths of human suffering and disorientation, ultimately emerging with a powerful testament to divine intervention and enduring commitment, crafting a narrative that resonates deeply with the Christian experience of brokenness and restoration.
The opening lines immediately plunge us into a state of spiritual desolation, a world stripped of vibrancy where "There will be no more color." This imagery powerfully conveys a soul in distress, broken and disoriented, standing on "the stage of history" where human wisdom and direction — "map and compass" — prove utterly useless. This speaks to a profound moment of crisis, a time when our own understanding fails, echoing the wisdom of Proverbs 3:5-6, which urges us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." The personal suffering is starkly expressed: "The arrows are in me, My spirit drinks poison," illustrating the internal torment and the corrosive effects of sin or despair. This visceral depiction recalls the psalmist's cries in Psalm 38:2, "Your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down on me," painting a picture of a soul under intense spiritual attack. A desperate attempt to find meaning or escape from this pain leads to a perilous choice: "I joined the avalanche Just to feel alive." This line captures the human tendency to seek excitement or validation in destructive behaviors, rather than patiently waiting for true spiritual sustenance, reminiscent of the prodigal son's journey into the far country in Luke 15. The subsequent memory of "sitting in My mother's room And I watched them cry" roots this spiritual anguish in tangible, personal grief, highlighting the profound weight of earthly sorrow that can lead one to feel truly lost and out of place, affirming that "In this world you will have trouble," as Jesus reminds us in John 16:33.
Yet, even in this profound brokenness, the song introduces a glimmer of hope, a recurring motif that acts as a spiritual lifeline: "All colors rushing back Restoring frail life." This restoration isn't a denial of the fallen state, as the lyrics immediately acknowledge, "We're broken here, We're ruined here." This is a crucial theological point, recognizing humanity's inherent sinfulness and fallen nature, as Romans 3:23 declares, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." However, the return of color signifies divine grace at work, breathing new life into what was once desolate. It’s a powerful image of God's restorative power, bringing beauty and hope back to a life that felt drained, much like Ezekiel 36:26-27 promises a new heart and spirit. The lyrics then confront external attempts at superficial healing: "There are strangers In my house Tripping over Themselves to White wash this Disaster I am young but I'm not blind." This speaks to the frustration with shallow solutions or false comfort offered by those who do not grasp the depth of spiritual brokenness, much like Job's friends offered well-intentioned but ultimately unhelpful counsel. It's a cry for genuine understanding and a rejection of easy answers, affirming a deep-seated spiritual discernment even in youth.
The culmination of this spiritual journey arrives with the revelation that "The Voice of Heaven Speaks with time A new understanding Dedication This will never fade." This is where the *Redeemer* album's title finds its resonance. The divine voice isn't a quick fix but a patient, unfolding revelation that brings "a new understanding" – a profound clarity that replaces the earlier disorientation. This new understanding leads to "Dedication," a steadfast commitment born of genuine spiritual transformation, a covenant that "will never fade," aligning with the eternal nature of God's promises and words (Matthew 24:35). In this light, the declaration "I guess the body Means nothing, means nothing at all" is not a nihilistic dismissal of human existence, but a powerful prioritization of the eternal over the temporal. It mirrors the Apostle Paul's perspective in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, reminding us that "though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day... For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." The repetition of "Broken and unbroken" encapsulates the paradoxical truth of the Christian walk: we are simultaneously fallen and redeemed, flawed yet made new, perpetually in need of grace yet forever held by God's unwavering hand. "Cemetery Like a Stage" offers a bracing, honest look at the spiritual battleground of the human soul, ultimately inspiring a profound hope in the God who brings colors rushing back to a world once gray, restoring frail life through unwavering understanding and eternal dedication.