This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
I've looked everywhere, Mr. Forbes
But I can't find the cello or yet the french horn
And I can't find the harp
I don't know where it's gone
And of course, you can't go without that
I've looked everywhere, Mr. Forbes
But I can't find your clamshells
Your file or your drill
And your sheepskin-lined coat is eluding me still
And of course, you can't go without that
I've looked in the attic, the cellar and hall
I've looked in the studio, study and all
I've looked in the chest where I thought it should be
I've looked in the greenhouses, one, two and three
I've looked everywhere, Mr. Forbes
But I can't find the dagger and oh why oh why
Can't I think what I did with that ol' skill and dye
And of course, you can't go without that
You can't possibly go without that
But I can't find the cello or yet the french horn
And I can't find the harp
I don't know where it's gone
And of course, you can't go without that
I've looked everywhere, Mr. Forbes
But I can't find your clamshells
Your file or your drill
And your sheepskin-lined coat is eluding me still
And of course, you can't go without that
I've looked in the attic, the cellar and hall
I've looked in the studio, study and all
I've looked in the chest where I thought it should be
I've looked in the greenhouses, one, two and three
I've looked everywhere, Mr. Forbes
But I can't find the dagger and oh why oh why
Can't I think what I did with that ol' skill and dye
And of course, you can't go without that
You can't possibly go without that
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More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
To me, it seems like this song is narrated from the perspective of the ghost of a servant who continually wanders around this abandoned (or maybe not?) house looking for the objects described in the song despite the fact that decades or even centuries have passed and his master and all his possessions have long since gone. But still, he can't stop his search.
Judging from the previous comments, this may not be what Grizzly Bear intended but it's how the song strikes me. It's truly haunting. (And yes, Adscititious! The lyrics, especially "I've looked in the greenhouses one, two and three" remind me somehow of Dr. Seus)
@greed22 AWESOME interpretation.
Here's mine.
The singer is this Mr. Forbes' housekeeper, assistant, mistress, or even wife - a woman who lives with him/under his roof [and is in love with him, whether overtly or secretly]. He wants to move away/leave her, so she resorts to hiding/discarding/destroying some of his belongings, in order to detain him [seeing as: 1) if she lives there and must know her way around the house; 2) the likes of a cello or harp aren't easily misplaced]. While this sounds like an impishly funny act of mischief, its utter conspicuousness actually denotes a sad sense of despair - she is basically admitting her inferiority to a bunch of inanimate objects - he could well go without her, but he "can't go without that". So we get an ironic mix of childish denial and resignation, of hopelessness and the bittersweet empty gratification of petty revenge.
Hope that makes sense.
It makes sense... but I can't see it within the lyrics. I can't see it tied together. But I do like your interpretation. Did you get this info by research? Or just your opinion?
to me this song reminds me of dr seuss literature
oh wow, every time this song begins I think it feels like a mr grinch song
----I can't find it at the moment, but I read an interview with Dan and Ed and they said that this song was originally entirely written by his aunt Marla, they just slowed it down and changed it a little bit. They said that the lyrics and the tune were the same as the original.
I wonder what her thoughts were while writing it...
Is anyone else reminded of the TV show "Dexter" whenever they hear this song?
Yes! Because of the similarity between this song and the track "Courting the night" from the Dexter's soundtrack youtube.com/watch
Yes! The beginning of the song completely reminded me of Dexter. It has that eerie tone... This song is so beautifully haunting yet peaceful. Can't get enough of this song, or Dexter! Too bad Dexter is officially over after next season (season 8)
this song reminds of me of a horror film, one that's particularly atmospheric and maybe a little experimentally symbolic. the instrumental of it is chilling and there's something about that line "i've looked everywhere, mr. forbes" that just creeps me out
it's "sheepskin-lined coat" and i have no idea what (?) is either.
i've done a tiny bit of research (=google) and found that this song is about edward droste's aunt, marla forbes, who was an aspiring musician. yellow house is the droste family estate where they recorded the album so they tried making it sound like a haunted house. if i remember well.
ps it was originally called 'mr forbes' but it was re-titled 'marla'
the (?) is "gavel".
I've looked everywhere, Mr. Forbes but I can't find the gavel and oh why oh why ...