| Bon Iver – Heavenly Father Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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As the song was released for the soundtrack to "I Wish I Was Here" one would probably need to watch the movie to understand some of the context. (having never seen the film, This might be obvious to someone who has, I apologise if that is the case) The song is a monologue/conversation about a man's feelings regarding God and a personal relationship. The singer makes mention of god "Heavenly Father", and "god". He also makes mention of a lover of some kind "baby", "Honey". Verse 1: I think he is trying to come to terms with a failed relationship in his mind. A choler (line 4), assuming it to be a person, is someone with the choleric personality i.e Someone that is short tempered, angry or irascible. He says to his dad (heavenly father) possibly in a sarcastic fashion, that his dad should lead the singer to the choleric person. He refers to someone housing sin, possibly the Father who lead the Choler to him. Another voice then says that he is free. It could be his own voice, stating that he is finally rid of the sin and negative feelings that the other person was bringing to his life. He then tells his Baby to settle down. Yet another flaw associated with Choleric people. Then he refers back to his Father, stating that it (the relationship) is definitely lava. She is hot tempered. Yet another analogy to her temperament. Verse 2 He uses many vague terms, and many personal pronouns that are difficult to unravel. He refers that they could be learning to close off from each other. He claims to be a coward and then says he can't pretend. He possibly felt overpowered by the other person in the relationship and/or felt guilty about leaving them. He then Implies that his Heavenly father brought an autumn, either to the singer's belief in god or the relationship. But the singer claims that the result is that the love is left in end. It could be that there is still love. But I take it that love is left in a place of cessation...termination. That in the end, there is no love. Verse 3: He makes an appeal to empathy (can you see now), to an emotional place where he has been. He has feeling lost and full of fear but he possibly finally finds a place of safety in the end. The last line is a question. It leaves the song open ended. He is questioning his belief in god, and more specifically, does he bring safety in the end. It seems that throughout the song he believes that god is somehow responsible for the terrible relationship he had, and he's trying to regain faith in some way. It comes back to the first verse where he states that ever since he heard the howling wind, he never needed to go to where a bible went. The wind could represent desolation and his empty feeling inside. He says that after this he never went to where bibles went. Maybe he stopped going to church after his failed relationship because he blames god for it. He blames god for his "your gifts seem heaven sent". He believed that the relationship seemed like something heavenly and good, but turned out to be hellish and "definitely lava" The man, free of the burden of a relationship is crying out, still feeling pain and wondering if god will give him safety and security. |
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