Vashti Bunyan

Against the Sky

4 Meanings

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Against the Sky Lyrics

whatever pulled the wind that night
it had it bring a tree down
untidy lime tree holding tight
to the end of my last garden
one of five aginast the sky
an elegant surrender
it broke the wall and bent the gate
and warmed us through the winter

whatever pulls the wind tonight
will have the roof slates fly
but rows of chimney pots don't wave
like trees against the sky
the hill behind the old house
I can trace it with my finger
against the sky I see it still
and draw it down on paper

whatever pulled me over here
you were the main contender
and with the tress against the sky
another life's remembered
some evening skies are yellow
and over my head they're blue
what happened to the green between
it happened to me
too

Submitted by

pink.city On Feb 08, 2006

Diamond Day

Timothy Grub

Train Song

I'd Like to Walk Around In Your Mind

If I Were

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pink.city

Submitter

2006-02-08 07:19:46

4 Meanings

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by asmita

7y ago

I read an interview with Vashti Bunyan where she talks about moving from the countryside to the Edinburgh after things ended with the father of her children, about the end of that era of 'diamond days', and starting a new phase of life in the city. I think this song is about that- she sees trees against the sky and the memory of a storm near the 'old house' in the country comes flooding back. The storm brought a tree down which they used as firewood. 'One of five against the sky' could just mean one of five trees but I think the number is significant as there were 5 in her family- one was brought down...maybe she's referring to herself, or to her ex, being 'surrendered' to the wind...which I think symbolises the way fate moves us this way or that. Later, she observes a storm in the city and remembers that night. Rows of chimney pots don't wave like trees against the sky- there is a nostalgia and a sadness when she thinks of the past and how different her life is now. 'Another life's remembered' on first listen gave me that eerie feeling someone else mentioned, but I think it's about her remembering 'another life' meaning just another stage in her life that has now passed. The song has a surreal feel to it which reflects the way memories sometimes feel like dreams... yet the way she describes the hill behind the old house, the memory of that is so concrete in her mind, she can trace and draw it on paper. 'You were the main contender' I think refers to her new relationship- the man who she went to live with in the city. I am not sure what the last two lines mean, but I think of the blurring of yellow and blue with green between, is like the blurring of time....she feels 'in between' worlds, times...where does the present end and the past begin? It's about the way that memories are more than just that- they are like imprints on our souls, and continue to live on in our minds even when our lives and circumstances have transformed.

I read an interview with Vashti Bunyan where she talks about moving from the countryside to the Edinburgh after things ended with the father of her children, about the end of that era of 'diamond days', and starting a new phase of life in the city. I think this song is about that- she sees trees against the sky and the memory of a storm near the 'old house' in the country comes flooding back. The storm brought a tree down which they used as firewood. 'One of five against the sky' could just mean one of five trees but I think the number is significant as there were 5 in her family- one was brought down...maybe she's referring to herself, or to her ex, being 'surrendered' to the wind...which I think symbolises the way fate moves us this way or that.
Later, she observes a storm in the city and remembers that night. Rows of chimney pots don't wave like trees against the sky- there is a nostalgia and a sadness when she thinks of the past and how different her life is now. 'Another life's remembered' on first listen gave me that eerie feeling someone else mentioned, but I think it's about her remembering 'another life' meaning just another stage in her life that has now passed. The song has a surreal feel to it which reflects the way memories sometimes feel like dreams... yet the way she describes the hill behind the old house, the memory of that is so concrete in her mind, she can trace and draw it on paper. 
'You were the main contender' I think refers to her new relationship- the man who she went to live with in the city. I am not sure what the last two lines mean, but I think of the blurring of yellow and blue with green between, is like the blurring of time....she feels 'in between' worlds, times...where does the present end and the past begin? It's about the way that memories are more than just that- they are like imprints on our souls, and continue to live on in our minds even when our lives and circumstances have transformed.

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by othatzsokewl

17y ago

eerie.

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by kyde

17y ago

what is this song is all about? can someone tell me?

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by b0sendorfer

16y ago

i'm not sure what it means, and i dont really mind because these lyrics are absolutely GORGEOUS

"the hill behind the old house I can trace it with my finger against the sky I see it still and draw it down on paper

whatever pulled me over here you were the main contender and with the tress against the sky another life's remembered some evening skies are yellow and over my head they're blue what happened to the green between it happened to me too "

i cant get over how beautiful they are

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