| Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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I was raised up believing I was somehow unique Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes, unique in each way you can see And now after some thinking, I'd say I'd rather be A functioning cog in some great machinery serving something beyond me But I don't, I don't know what that will be I'll get back to you someday soon you will see I think this is about the individualistic society in western civilization and how the singer is reflecting on that fact that being an unique and different individual isn't what he thinks is actually comforting. Rather he thinks the idea of being a functioning member of a society for a greater purpose is more worthy than being a special snowflake. What's my name, what's my station, oh, just tell me what I should do I don't need to be kind to the armies of night that would do such injustice to you Or bow down and be grateful and say "sure, take all that you see" To the men who move only in dimly-lit halls and determine my future for me And I don't, I don't know who to believe I'll get back to you someday soon you will see He doesn't trust the government with that greater goal though because he sees them as "the armies of night" who are injust and shadowy. Also parts of this seem sarcastic, like "whats my name, whats my station, just tell me what I should do" and "or bow down and be grateful and say "sure take all that you see"". He believes that people act like that for their government, giving them all they ask for in taxes and begging them to tell them what to do with their lives. He wants to live away from government hands. If I know only one thing, it's that everything that I see Of the world outside is so inconceivable often I barely can speak Yeah I'm tongue-tied and dizzy and I can't keep it to myself What good is it to sing helplessness blues, why should I wait for anyone else? Expressing wonder for the natural world and asking why he should be all self-pitying and feeling helpless instead of going out and doing something for himself instead of playing a victim. And I know, I know you will keep me on the shelf I'll come back to you someday soon myself Seems like he knows the girl will wait for him but wants to be better first, so when he's grown and become the sort of man he wants to be he'll come back. If I had an orchard, I'd work till I'm raw If I had an orchard, I'd work till I'm sore And you would wait tables and soon run the store Dreaming of the kind of life he'd live with this person. Good honest hard work, quaint and simple living without complications. Gold hair in the sunlight, my light in the dawn If I had an orchard, I'd work till I'm sore If I had an orchard, I'd work till I'm sore Someday I'll be like the man on the screen Dreaming of waking up to her golden hair in the mornings and the hard days of work. Saying one day he's going to be like those men in the movies he admires. I'm guessing the older ones, like westerns or little house on the prairie where men are forthright and hard working and honest. |
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| Fleet Foxes – Blue Ridge Mountains Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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"My brother where do you intend to go tonight? I heard that you missed your connecting flight. To the Blue Ridge Mountains, over near Tennessee* The singer is asking his brother where he intends to sleep since he missed his flight back home. I'm guessing something happened to the brother that made him return home in shame or defeat, feeling like he can't face his family nor be where he was. "You're ever welcome with me anytime you'd like Let's drive to the countryside, leave behind some green-eyed look-alike So no one gets worried, no. So no one gets worried, no." Reassuring his brother that he's welcome despite whatever has happened and suggesting that they leave behind some stand ins so their family doesn't worry about them missing while they drive somewhere quiet and peaceful, possibly to the cabin. "But Sean don't get careless, I'm sure it'll be fine. I love you, I love you, Oh brother of mine." Trying to give his brother advice for whatever situation he's in, warning him to take care of himself and stop beating himself up about it. Reassuring him he's loved. Chorus: I think part of it is the singer recounting memories of the cabin to his brother to remind him of how he took care of his (I get the feeling) younger brother during a night when they got snowed in. But going through it, it's also rife with symbolism about current troubles effecting the brother. "In the quivering forest, where the shivering dog rests" I think this is about the brother, his life is quivering with uncertainty and he's afraid and cold and tired. "Our good grandfather, built a wooden nest" But there's a place there thats warm and safe and home that he can go back to. "And the river got frozen, and the home got snowed in." Hardships happen, and the safe place is now snowed in and cold and closed up. He can't go home. "And a yellow moon glowed bright, Til the morning light" Despite that, the moon is bright and warm feeling and present until the dawn breaks and the thaw comes and things get better and he can return home. I also think this mirrors the first point, where the singer was taken care of by his brother during a winter storm at the cabin. It was cold out, they went to the cabin in the woods their grandfather built. But then they got snowed in and the older brother took care of his younger frightened and cold brother until the morning came. The singer is trying to remind his brother about how he's good. "Terrible am I, child. Even if you don't mind." The brother is rebuking the singer, telling him no no, I'm awful even if you don't care, I don't deserve that. The second chorus is the singer pushing his point back to the brother, that things are hard, but he has him and a place to go back to eventually. I think the song ends a little sadly, because it seems like the brother still won't accept the singers offer of a safe haven until the storm passes because he feels like he doesn't deserve it. |
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