Hi, it does sound as if she was saying "paintings burn". If it is "Patens," then that completely changes the meaning, and it actually makes a lot more sense. The word "patens" is the shallow dish that holds the white communion wafers that a priest uses to give people communion. She mentions "mama" also in this but I wonder if "brother" is not used in the religious sense. Alela obviously has very strong ties to Christianity "And I've been holding onto the gold, When lettin' go would free my hands" refers literally to holding the gold cup for communion. I get the sense that in this verse she is speaking from the perspective of a priest or someone who appears very pious to another member of the church (or maybe a monk (Brother), and when it says "And I've been tying your tongue in a knot" that the tradition and dogma associated makes it hard to speak up about anything that may appear critical of the church . "To wrap this death in a sheet" is clearly supposed to evoke again, in a literal sense that when the bread and wine sit on the alter they are covered with a white cloth.[ the body and blood of Christ] The rifle is supposed to elicit some feeling of being trapped in your home and there are bad people coming to attack. The interpretation could be "it's us against the world, let's fight" mentality that some religious people have (not necessarily in the violent sense of the word fight) which fits this rifle theme. Others may have different interpretations of the song.

The Rifle lyrics Oh I've been knocking on that door in my sleep Fight my fireplace glow I've been knocking on that door in my sleep Fight my fireplace glow to keep me away, To keep me away from home Papa gets the rifle from its place above the French doors They're coming from the woods Oh they're coming from the woods And mama you're running too Oh my mama you’re running too Mama you're running too Oh my mama you’re running too Brother I'm so sorry that you watched the Patens burn And I've been holding onto the gold When letting go would free my hands And I've been tying your tongue in a knot Oh I've been tying your tongue in a knot To wrap this death, to wrap this death in a sheet And Papa gets the rifle from its place above the French doors They're coming from the woods Oh they're coming from the woods And mama you're running too Oh, my mama you're running too Mama you're running too Oh, my mama you're running too Brother I'm so sorry that you watched the Patens burn I can't hide the dirty pads down there carpet anymore No, no I can't hide the dirty pads down there carpet anymore There were too many heavy boots There were too many heavy boots There were too many heavy boots And there were too many big black boots And there were too many little brown shoes marching though So I'm counting it to the sky Oh I'm counting it to the sky I'm counting it to the sky Oh I'm counting it to the sky And moving back Oh I'm moving back to Face the lack of home

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