Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a secluded, almost surreal escape from hardship, centered around a specific, yet unnamed, "master son." The initial invitation to a room, with a visitor arriving "off the Rio Grande" and a bottle of Nichol's, sets a scene of weary arrival and potential solace. The recurring line, "Sun down blood horizon, now it feels alright / No one feels the darkness down in the valley tonight," establishes a powerful contrast between a potentially ominous external world and a protected, perhaps temporary, sense of peace within this "valley." The core tension seems to lie in the deliberate choice to ignore or transcend external troubles. The narrator's feelings are compared to a Dutch man's gold, hidden deep and protected, suggesting a guarded emotional state. The mention of "fifty missions" and "men in poor condition" hints at past struggles or ongoing conflicts that are being set aside. This creates a feeling of temporary refuge, where the immediate present, bathed in the "blood horizon" sunset, is prioritized over any lurking darkness. The imagery of "She grew diamonds in her head and placed his straw" is particularly striking, suggesting a complex, perhaps desperate, form of self-preservation or a peculiar kind of foresight. It implies a careful construction of reality or a way to maintain stability even if everything else collapses. The "good times on our skin" during the "harbor season" further emphasizes a focus on tangible, sensory experiences as a buffer against unseen threats. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics stems from their ability to evoke a specific, almost dreamlike atmosphere of shared oblivion. The repetition of the sunset and valley lines creates a hypnotic effect, reinforcing the idea of a chosen sanctuary. It’s this deliberate shutting out of the world, this finding of temporary "alrightness" in a hidden place, that gives the song its potent, if melancholic, emotional resonance.