Song Meaning
These lyrics paint a vivid picture of an enigmatic figure, "my man," whose arrival is both anticipated and unsettling. He's described with a mix of ancient power and predatory instinct, appearing under the cover of night. The repeated refrain, "Here comes my man," builds a palpable sense of inevitability and a strange, almost ritualistic expectation.
The initial stanzas establish a central tension: this man is formidable, perhaps even dangerous. Phrases like "Long in the teeth" and "Canine and crown" suggest an experienced, animalistic authority, while "gold from a dozen mouths" hints at wealth acquired through others. The stark declaration, "I know the devil is real!" following the description of him as "son of the morning star," injects a profound sense of moral conflict, suggesting the narrator is acutely aware of the darker implications of this presence.
Yet, the narrative takes an unexpected turn. The arrival of dawn brings a moment of serene beauty: "The light rises up and covers the ground. It calms me down." This sudden shift to peace, with "Roses on the lawn sing for the sun," offers a brief respite from the preceding tension. It suggests a complex relationship where moments of calm and natural beauty exist alongside the more unsettling aspects of this man's influence.
The abrupt final line, "Caught in a Dream!" shatters any sense of resolution. It casts a shadow of doubt over everything that came before, making the listener question the reality of these encounters or the narrator's perception of them. This sudden twist is incredibly effective, transforming a vivid narrative into something more ambiguous and psychologically resonant, leaving the true nature of "my man" and the narrator's experience tantalizingly out of reach.