anonymous October 28th, 2006 11:42PM  
A sinnerman with nowhere to go. The lyrics are pleading, but the singer's voice isn't. A lesser singer would wrap it in compassion for the sinner. But nina takes sin seriously, and understands its tenacity and its abiding faith in its own resources. The voice remains composed, convinced there's a way out, until finally, all avenues exhausted, the "sinner" returns to god.
But the lord said, "go to the devil."
the lord said, "go to the devil."
he said, "go to the devil."
this shows angry, righteous god telling the sinner to go to the devil, so she eventually does, with no other place to go.

anonymous June 24th, 2007 06:36PM  
This song is about the Apocalypse and one particular man (or woman in Simone's case) who tries to convince God to spare his or her life by praying, but God says that it is too late and that she should have been praying her entire life. "That day" referred to throughout the song, is Judgment Day, evidenced by the boiling oceans, the appearance of the Antichrist (the devil) and "the rock" being unable to hide her. The rock is either the Earth or the Moon. When she cries out at the end of the song, it means either that God has decided to spare the Earth its destruction or that God has decided to destroy the world.

anonymous November 2nd, 2008 02:05PM  
I think the rock may be be Jesus.