In an interview with The Independent , Beam sheds some light on the lyrical content: “It s not a political propaganda record, but it s definitely inspired by political confusion, because I was really taken aback when Bush got reelected.” That confusion has seeped its way deep into Beam’s songwriting. Instead of the semi-understandable narratives of past albums, we are given beautifully written lyrics with layer upon layer of meaning.
He seems to dare the listener to pull out what he/she may desire, though the tone of the song continues to dictate the mood of what the listener decides to believe. The Shepherd’s Dog is not overtly political, but Beam does seem to have a beef with the current “state” of affairs. Presidents become oligarchs: The “king beneath a borrowed car/righteous drunk and fumbling for the royal keys” might be the same “cartoon king” sporting a bleeding heart tattoo who’s “beating on a persian rug/with a bible and your wedding band.
” The war becomes a “pig with a bullet in the brain,” a “tree in a forest up in flames,” and a “black valley.” Beam isn’t sharing modernized morality fables with their banal and “once upon a time” schtick. Instead, he puts on the Brothers Grimm and dives into the bloody toe stump of the evil stepsisters.
Yet amidst the madness he still finds occasion to whisper the veiled hope that “no one is the savior they would like to be.” As if to absolve us all.
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