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Jonathan Low Lyrics

Last born of the clan
First one to be free
Lived inside a house
Beneath the hanging tree
Londonderry nights
That chilled him to the bone
Words were cried at night
In unforgiving tones

Blood of his men was gone beneath snow
He picked up his knife and bow
Killer of Jonathan Low

Violence from without
And Anger from within
Crawling through the fields
Informing next to kin
They all turned their backs
But they all knew his name
And if he could return
They'd probably do the same

Blood of his friends was gone beneath snow
For all that I know, he died
Killer of Jonathan Low

The blood of his friends was gone beneath snow
For all that I know, he died
Killer of Jonathan Low
Song Info
Submitted by
silentquietsnow On Jun 23, 2010
11 Meanings

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Cover art for Jonathan Low lyrics by Vampire Weekend

I think I have to agree with Shanghai, it doesn't sound like "Loved them deadly nights". But it is a great song. I've been listening to it nonstop.

Cover art for Jonathan Low lyrics by Vampire Weekend

To me, it seems like it's about a suicide. "For all that I know, he died killing Jonathan Low." Jonathan Low= the part of him that he didn't like and wanted dead. Just sayin' :)

Song Meaning
Cover art for Jonathan Low lyrics by Vampire Weekend

LOL this lyrics are so strange with this music...

Cover art for Jonathan Low lyrics by Vampire Weekend

I assumed it was about the Irish Troubles, actually. The reference to "the clan", "Londonderry nights" (Londonderry being one of the places traditionally fought over by the British and the Irish since way before the Troubles), "words were cried at night / in unforgiving tones" = sectarianism?, from there on it's pretty self-explanatory assuming this is right. VW have written about British conflicts before (Mansard Roof = the Falklands War), so it's possible.

Cover art for Jonathan Low lyrics by Vampire Weekend

Namaskar friends, I think the song is about a person who was friends with Jonathan Low. Jonathan got killed in a battle and the killer escaped with a lot of casualties on his side too.

"Blood of his men was gone beneath snow He picked up his knife and bow Killer of Jonathan Low"

Our hero seeks revenge for his late friend. He tells or asks for (not quite certain here) help from his kins. But, even when they know the killer and want to see justice delivered, fearing the enormous power of enemy, they refuse.

"Violence from without And Anger from within Crawling through the fields Informing next to kin They all turned their backs But they all knew his name And if he could return They'd probably do the same."

Eventually, with some help from friends (those who agreed to fight by his side), hero avenges his friend's death. But, revenge costs him some more friends!

"Blood of his friends was gone beneath snow For all that I know, he died Killer of Jonathan Low"

Cover art for Jonathan Low lyrics by Vampire Weekend

I'm nearly definite that "Loved them deadly nights" should be "Londonderry nights."

Cover art for Jonathan Low lyrics by Vampire Weekend

I love this song! :) I don't quite get it though. Is Jonathan Low supposed to be a criminal, or what?

Cover art for Jonathan Low lyrics by Vampire Weekend

I believe this song is about a veteran of war or something of the like. Jonathan Low, the veteran, lost all of his friends in battle and the terribleness of the war destroyed him or what he did in the war killed him thereby in a way killing himself. Now he has nightmares about it ("words cried at night") and he goes to the families of his friends to tell them how they died. Perhaps he felt responsible for it and blamed himself to the point of emotionally killing himself...

This song is about the IRA and the British "troubles" in Northern Ireland, where Londonderry is found. Londonderry is right on the border with the Irish Republic.

Cover art for Jonathan Low lyrics by Vampire Weekend

Maybe it's about a betrayal of some kind? The person could have betrayed or "killed" a best friend and this person was identified and labeled with the betrayal from a group of people?

For all that I know, he died Killer of Jonathan Low

Words were cried at night In unforgiving tones

And I do agree with the war interpetation, but I feel that the above could have some intergration of meaning?

They all turned their backs But they all knew his name And if he could return They'd probably do the same

My Interpretation
Cover art for Jonathan Low lyrics by Vampire Weekend

It's part of the Eclipse soundtrack if that makes any difference, Hilary. The song's a little repetitive for me...but meh.

 
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