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Old 05-14-2009, 12:06 PM   #1
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Snake in the woodpile..

OK this has had me wondering ever since Why I Am was first played.

What is the meaning behind the snake in the woodpile line?

Excuse me if it's painfully obvious, but I want to know what it refers to, if anything. Anyone know?
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  • Old 05-14-2009, 12:11 PM   #2
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    stake in the woodfile
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:11 PM   #3
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    lake in the foodmile
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:12 PM   #4
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    rake in the hoodtile
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:13 PM   #5
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    I guess I'll just wait for the lyrics before I try to understand it
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:13 PM   #6
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    you done?

    holy quadruple post batman
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    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AntzDigger7 View Post
    u guys who insist that song is not sister are dumb. do u not know about the bonus disk or what? its obviously sister. theres no way that song is going to be called my baby blue. dave loves sister and its not like hes gonna take the same musical components and put it in a completely different song
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:13 PM   #7
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    yeah
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:13 PM   #8
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    escape if the woodfire
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:14 PM   #9
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    all i know is its on the album art
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    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AntzDigger7 View Post
    u guys who insist that song is not sister are dumb. do u not know about the bonus disk or what? its obviously sister. theres no way that song is going to be called my baby blue. dave loves sister and its not like hes gonna take the same musical components and put it in a completely different song
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:16 PM   #10
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    The Original Snake in the Woodpile

    In the garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve had been together for seven years, according to the book of Jubilees, Satan began his dastardly plot. At a time when the "seven year itch" was beginning to set in, and Adam and Eve were becoming complacent, Satan -- in the guise of a seductive serpent -- met Eve in a secret rendezvous, or tryst, and began the old "line." He led her to look away from her husband as her guide, away from the Word of God, and began to toy with her emotions, to make promises to her -- and he seduced her, causing her to commit sin.

    Interestingly, in Genesis 2:25 we read that the man and his wife were "both naked," and that they "were not ashamed." The word for "naked" here is arom which is literally translated "nude," or "naked." But the same word is used in Genesis 3:1, where we read, "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field." The word for "subtle" here is also arum. meaning "cunning, crafty, prudent." They are the same word. The literal root meaning is actually "smooth" or "slick," as in smooth or slick skin -- i.e., "naked." A "subtle" person is considered "smooth," or "slick," as in "Slick Willy," a nickname for a famous person today. There is obviously a "play on words," here, in the Hebrew language. Eve later admits that "the serpent beguiled me" (Gen.3:13). The Hebrew word is nasha meaning "to lead astray, to delude, to seduce." Says the Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, "to lead into error, to cause to go astray, to seduce, to corrupt." Paul in the New Testament says of this strange encounter, "the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty" (II Cor.11:3). The word for "beguiled" here is exapatao which means, "to seduce wholly."

    According to the Jewish Talmud, the devil copulated with Eve. The "forbidden fruit" which she partook of was not only a real, literal fruit from a forbidden tree, it was a symbol for something else -- an act of illicit sexual congress with the man-serpent, the fallen cherub, Lucifer the Adversary.

    There is much more to this story of Eve in the garden of Eden than most have ever supposed. Satan, appearing as a seductive, beautiful creature of light, captured her confidence, won her affection, and mesmerized her with his smooth line of loving attention. Perhaps she had felt a little lonely or neglected by Adam, who was out taming the jungle. In this moment of weakness, she was tempted -- seduced -- and succumbed to the charms of the master deceiver and charmer.

    Lucifer and his fallen angels did themselves one better. Not only did they rebel against God aeons ago, in the primordial mists of time, but they inaugurated a plan to cause the human race to deviate from its intended godly purpose. Satan was the first "snake in the woodpile," as the old saying goes. He was not only the first liar, and murderer (John 8:44), he was also the first adulterer, fornicator, and sexual deviate in existence!
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:18 PM   #11
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    somebody been "googling"

    I was about to say.... it's a religious reference to Satan and being considered the "snake in the woodpile"
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    Quote:
    Originally Posted by canes101190 View Post
    Carter should be on the cover of the bible at this point.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:20 PM   #12
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Pat Lovell View Post
    somebody been "googling"

    I was about to say.... it's a religious reference to Satan and being considered the "snake in the woodpile"
    amazing what the internet provides
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:22 PM   #13
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    Well that makes me feel dumb now. OK.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:22 PM   #14
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AINTLIFEGRAND View Post
    amazing what the internet provides
    No doubt, I'm soooo glad Al Gore invented it!
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    Quote:
    Originally Posted by canes101190 View Post
    Carter should be on the cover of the bible at this point.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:26 PM   #15
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    Shake me like a Cockodile
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:31 PM   #16
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    And I present "darbini"... please mark this as evidence 1a, as to why post counts on this site don't mean poop.


    If I had to wager a guess as to the "snake in a woodpile" line, I'd say he's literally saying what the phrase means... saying we (the human race) are a hidden threat. If anything, to ourselves.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:32 PM   #17
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    ask dave on his twitter.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:47 PM   #18
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by crounsa810 View Post
    OK this has had me wondering ever since Why I Am was first played.

    What is the meaning behind the snake in the woodpile line?

    Excuse me if it's painfully obvious, but I want to know what it refers to, if anything. Anyone know?

    take a read!

    http://www.authorsden.com/visit/view....asp?id=230647


    Snake in the Woodpile
    by Nan C Loyd
    Bad relationship


    I used to think the worst
    snake in the woodpile
    was the one my dad killed
    when I was a little girl,
    playing on a stack of firewood

    It was a bold memory that
    never left me.
    I still see myself dancing
    and hopping around
    squealing
    “kill it, daddy, kill it!”
    Fear is a strong memory
    making that snake the worst
    there was in my life

    Until you.

    I found there are worse
    snakes in woodpiles
    than copperheads and rattlesnakes
    and things that go bump in the night
    when I met
    you.

    1986 © Nan C

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    Old 05-14-2009, 12:47 PM   #19
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    shake me like a monkey and i'll make you squirm, then explode like a timebomb and you can taste my alligator pie seven times.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 01:10 PM   #20
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    i just thought it was a reference to something dangerous thats gonna get you, when u least expect it.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 01:18 PM   #21
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    and now i know what that means.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 01:21 PM   #22
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    The song is filled with references to the Garden of Eden (tree, apple, snake)


    It's really just another "capre diem" song. Don't always say no to tempatation, because no matter what you believe you are going to die.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 01:22 PM   #23
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rlcarr View Post
    shake me like a monkey and i'll make you squirm, then explode like a timebomb and you can taste my alligator pie seven times.
    ....and then you can Write A Song on my Beach Ball
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    Old 05-14-2009, 01:28 PM   #24
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    i thought it was stake in a woodpile...for killing vampires...and he's a vampire killer. see its all a reference to twilight.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 01:28 PM   #25
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dmbmuskie View Post
    The song is filled with references to the Garden of Eden (tree, apple, snake)


    It's really just another "capre diem" song. Don't always say no to tempatation, because no matter what you believe you are going to die.
    which makes the first line of the song ironic, it's an evolution reference ..... I grew from monkey into man.....
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    Quote:
    Originally Posted by canes101190 View Post
    Carter should be on the cover of the bible at this point.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 01:33 PM   #26
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Pat Lovell View Post
    which makes the first line of the song ironic, it's an evolution reference ..... I grew from monkey into man.....
    I think people are reading too much into the first part of the song. All of the early lines are just a fancier way of saying what he says in the bridge.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 01:41 PM   #27
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    Its def snake in a woodpile
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    Old 05-14-2009, 01:51 PM   #28
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AINTLIFEGRAND View Post
    The Original Snake in the Woodpile

    In the garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve had been together for seven years, according to the book of Jubilees, Satan began his dastardly plot. At a time when the "seven year itch" was beginning to set in, and Adam and Eve were becoming complacent, Satan -- in the guise of a seductive serpent -- met Eve in a secret rendezvous, or tryst, and began the old "line." He led her to look away from her husband as her guide, away from the Word of God, and began to toy with her emotions, to make promises to her -- and he seduced her, causing her to commit sin.

    Interestingly, in Genesis 2:25 we read that the man and his wife were "both naked," and that they "were not ashamed." The word for "naked" here is arom which is literally translated "nude," or "naked." But the same word is used in Genesis 3:1, where we read, "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field." The word for "subtle" here is also arum. meaning "cunning, crafty, prudent." They are the same word. The literal root meaning is actually "smooth" or "slick," as in smooth or slick skin -- i.e., "naked." A "subtle" person is considered "smooth," or "slick," as in "Slick Willy," a nickname for a famous person today. There is obviously a "play on words," here, in the Hebrew language. Eve later admits that "the serpent beguiled me" (Gen.3:13). The Hebrew word is nasha meaning "to lead astray, to delude, to seduce." Says the Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, "to lead into error, to cause to go astray, to seduce, to corrupt." Paul in the New Testament says of this strange encounter, "the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty" (II Cor.11:3). The word for "beguiled" here is exapatao which means, "to seduce wholly."

    According to the Jewish Talmud, the devil copulated with Eve. The "forbidden fruit" which she partook of was not only a real, literal fruit from a forbidden tree, it was a symbol for something else -- an act of illicit sexual congress with the man-serpent, the fallen cherub, Lucifer the Adversary.

    There is much more to this story of Eve in the garden of Eden than most have ever supposed. Satan, appearing as a seductive, beautiful creature of light, captured her confidence, won her affection, and mesmerized her with his smooth line of loving attention. Perhaps she had felt a little lonely or neglected by Adam, who was out taming the jungle. In this moment of weakness, she was tempted -- seduced -- and succumbed to the charms of the master deceiver and charmer.

    Lucifer and his fallen angels did themselves one better. Not only did they rebel against God aeons ago, in the primordial mists of time, but they inaugurated a plan to cause the human race to deviate from its intended godly purpose. Satan was the first "snake in the woodpile," as the old saying goes. He was not only the first liar, and murderer (John 8:44), he was also the first adulterer, fornicator, and sexual deviate in existence!
    Someone willing to sum this up in a sentence?
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    Old 05-14-2009, 01:55 PM   #29
    Jan-Willem
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    Faking the fruit file
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    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rickyh24 View Post
    I was unaware we should do things like monkeys. Need to rethink a lot of things. I shit in a toilet. Might just start shitting in my hand and throwing it around the living room.
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    Old 05-14-2009, 02:10 PM   #30
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    Re: Snake in the woodpile..

    I heard the phrase growing up in Georgia (whether or not it's a uniquely Southern expression, I have no idea). When I heard it, it referred to someone or something being a previously unknown hitch in the plans. I think in the song Dave is using the phrase to express one of his roles as an artist. All the stuff he deals with in the verses is "why he is" a snake in the woodpile, the thorn in your side bringing causes and problems to light that you'd rather avoid (think of political and social causes, and also his constant reminder to his listeners about their, and his own, mortality). At least, that's what I got from it.
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