In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Well I, own this field
And I wrote this sky
And I have no reason, to reason with you
I'd be sad that I never held your hand as you were lowered
But I'd understand that I'd never let it go
I'd be sad that I never held your hand as you were lowered
But I'd understand that the world does what it does
And you never did learn to let the little things go
And you never did learn to let me be
And you never did learn to let little people grow
And you never did learn how to see
But I whisper that I love this man
Now and for forever to your soul as it floats out of the window
To the world that you turned your back on
To the world that never really let you be
And I am Laura now, and Laura still
And you did always say that one day I would suffer
You did always say that people get their pay
You did always say that I was going places
And that you wouldn't have it any other way
But I couldn't turn my back on a world for what I like, wouldn't let me
But I couldn't turn my back on a world for what I like, I needed
And I couldn't turn my back on a world for what I like, wouldn't let me
And I couldn't turn my back on a world for what I like, I needed
And I shouldn't turn my back on the sweet smelling blackberry stone
And I wrote this sky
And I have no reason, to reason with you
I'd be sad that I never held your hand as you were lowered
But I'd understand that I'd never let it go
I'd be sad that I never held your hand as you were lowered
But I'd understand that the world does what it does
And you never did learn to let the little things go
And you never did learn to let me be
And you never did learn to let little people grow
And you never did learn how to see
But I whisper that I love this man
Now and for forever to your soul as it floats out of the window
To the world that you turned your back on
To the world that never really let you be
And I am Laura now, and Laura still
And you did always say that one day I would suffer
You did always say that people get their pay
You did always say that I was going places
And that you wouldn't have it any other way
But I couldn't turn my back on a world for what I like, wouldn't let me
But I couldn't turn my back on a world for what I like, I needed
And I couldn't turn my back on a world for what I like, wouldn't let me
And I couldn't turn my back on a world for what I like, I needed
And I shouldn't turn my back on the sweet smelling blackberry stone
Lyrics submitted by babettej, edited by uselessaffluence, ladymumford
Blackberry Stone Lyrics as written by Laura Beatrice Marling
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"I'd be sad that I never held your hand as you were lowered, but I'd understand that I'd never let it go."
I get strong imagery of a coffin being lowered into the ground on this line. Maybe it's simply a song about laying old feelings to rest. Or something deeper, such as the loss of a loved one. It really resonates a suicide to me. She seems almost angry at the person, "the world that you turned your back on." Which, of course, is a common feeling for relatives/friends of someone who has committed suicide. The line "to a world that never really let you be," is another really suggestive one for me. Perhaps this is what has driven the person to do such a thing.
Also, in relation to the lines "And I am Laura now, and Laura still," I always thought these were "And I am lower now, and lower still." It would be fitting, along with the previous imagery. If it's as I imagined the lines to be, perhaps she's having suicidal thoughts? And she feels she's inching closer to being "lower," as in lowered into the ground. However, she then goes on to mention how she could never "turn my back on the sweet smelling blackberry stone."
LOL. You are laying it on thick tonight, Sweetheart :) Just keep pulling on the heart strings and wrapping others around your little finger. Gotta admit; you're GOOOOOOOOD :)