This my excavation and to
Day is Qum'ran
Everything that happens is from now on
This is pouring rain
This is paralyzed

I keep throwing it down, two
Hundred at a time
It's hard to find it when you knew it
When your money's gone
And you're drunk as hell

On your back with your racks as he stacks your load
In the back with the racks and he stacks your load
In the back with the racks and you're unstacking your load

I've been twisting to the sun
I needed to replace
And the fountain in the front yard is rusted out
All my love was down
In a frozen ground

There's a black crow sitting across from me
His wiry legs are crossed
He's dangling my keys, he even fakes a toss
Whatever could it be
That has brought me to this loss?

On your back with your racks as he stacks your load
In the back with the racks and he stacks your load
In the back with the racks and you're unstacking your load

This is not the sound of a new man
Or a crispy realization
It's the sound of me unlocking and you lift away
Your love will be
Safe with me


Lyrics submitted by J.Diddy, edited by humanitea, accountoffline, benapere

Re: Stacks Lyrics as written by Justin Vernon

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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RE: Stacks song meanings
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  • +4
    General Comment

    change of words in the chorus reminds me of shuffling of cards in poker.. he's shuffling the cards in different ways but still getting the same outcome. I think there's also a hint that self-destructive tendencies got him into that rut he became stuck in - 'i keep throwing it down two-hundred at a time' etc. The use of the present tense might indicate that he perceives this tendency to still be present. The line 'it's hard to find it when you knew it' suggests to me that having a realization of love when you find it - doesn't necessarily mean you can accept someone else's love and love them in return - particularly when he's incapacitated by self-destructive habits (i.e spending recklessly, drinking too much). I think there's an interesting theme of paralysis throughout the song - the image of being immobilised with stacks on top of you and his own self-destructive tendencies, as well as the image of his love being down in a 'frozen' ground. He then ends by talking about the 'unlocking' and the 'lift away' from this paralysis. While he hasn't changed (i.e., into a new man) or made a new or 'crispy' realisation, he has finally moved from out under the load/stack (or let go of these burdens) and lifted himself out of the rut he got stuck in. As a result, he's now free to safely deal with someone else's love, because he has the emotional space to accept it and appreciate it, which wasn't possible when he was paralyzed with the weight of troubles. I like that he's ending on a hopeful note - he's no longer burdened and is starting over - 'everything that happens is from now on'.

    dkg1on January 16, 2009   Link

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