Page type: lyric reference
Artist: The Residents
Canonical path: /the-residents/the-ascetic
Related lyric paths: 6
Lyric guide
The Ascetic
Read The Ascetic lyrics by The Residents on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.
person
Curated by Ethan Walker
LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot
The page facts to cite before the commentary
Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.
Lyrics
The Ascetic
The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.
Every day I go up on the mountain
Climb to the top but I don't know what for
It's quiet until I hear a voice up on the mountain
Beware of what you want
It might want you more
ashes my burned hut
but beautiful like cherry
blooming on the hill
-one of my patients just before he died
And just before I left the hospital and began to travel
If he could face death so calmly
How could I face life with so much doubt
Now I can sit on the side of a mountain
And watch the shadows slowly filling the valley floor
But not without the doubts that still linger
And constantly caress the edges of my shadowy interior
At least a catheter expels impurities in a manner of model efficiency
And my previous profession always at least offered that
Flawless vasectomies in clean and well lit places
A sterile field sealed from infection but not from disease
I often wonder if I left anyone behind
But somehow I just can't remember
Only an oddly defined drive to find a better way
But somehow I don't believe this is it
As I watch the shadows slowly creeping closer
I think about India and the Hindu concept of Maya
It took me so long to understand
The space between reality and perception
And now it seems that I live there
Quick answers
What this page can answer fast
Who performs "The Ascetic"?
The Residents performs "The Ascetic", and this lyric page sits inside the The Residents catalog on LyroVerse.
Are there related songs to explore after "The Ascetic"?
Yes. The related section below points to Hanging By His Hair and Boo Who with a short reason for opening each page next.
Where can I find more songs by The Residents?
Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through The Residents's lyric pages.
Song Room
Open Song Room
Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song
Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.
Listener comments
What people are saying
No listener comments on The Ascetic yet.
A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.
Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.