Right On Through

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of persistent struggle against overwhelming odds, set against a backdrop of fading light and ongoing hardship. The opening lines, "Waking brow, descending sun," immediately establish a sense of weariness and the relentless march of time, suggesting a long, arduous day or perhaps a prolonged period of difficulty. The phrase "still sawing away" implies a continuous, perhaps monotonous, effort that continues despite the setting sun, hinting at a task or a life lived in constant motion and exertion. The central tension arises from the contrast between the external world's harsh realities and the internal drive to persevere. The "screed on the wall" declaring "We're all in this danger" externalizes a shared sense of peril, yet the narrator's response, repeated in the chorus, is a determined, if weary, "slog right on through." This isn't a triumphant charge, but a gritty, almost resigned continuation, fueled by "force of will and wishful thinking" rather than any guaranteed success. The second verse offers a series of somber dedications, each seeming to acknowledge a different facet of this ongoing struggle. "The string player's lament" and "the last funeral song" evoke a sense of melancholy and finality, while "a marching slow pace" reinforces the feeling of arduous, unhurried progress. These are not anthems of victory, but rather acknowledgments of the difficult, often mournful, soundtrack to enduring. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their unflinching portrayal of perseverance without glorification. The repetition of "Through it all" acts as a mantra, a simple acknowledgment of enduring whatever comes. The shift from "straggle and scrape" to "straggled and strayed" in the final chorus suggests that the path has been messy and imperfect, but the core action – to "saw right on through" – remains the defining, albeit weary, accomplishment.