Low Light

I heard that Jeff wrote lyrics for this song. It sounds beautiful. We all try to find our way.

First off, I'd like to preface this by saying, a song is what you make of it--it only is what it means to you, that could be alot, or nothing.

Low Light was written by Jeff Ament. He was quoted as saying 'I think 'Pilate' was the question I was asking myself, and 'Low Light' was the answer.'

Pilate is about the biblical 'Pontius Pilate being all alone on a mountain with his dog. He couldn't sleep and he couldn't function. It really struck me hard, because at that point in my life I was feeling very alone.' --According to Ament.

So, personally, I look at 'Low Light' as a response to 'Pilate.' A beautiful conversation going on in the poetic mind of Ament, and an eloquent response to the questions many of us have in life. Pilate was hung up on ordering the crucification of Christ, and couldn't get this out of his head. How many times do each of us dwell on mistakes we made? He was really annoyed by the last conversation he had with Christ being cut too short. How many times have you started a prayer and stopped halfway through when you felt content? The things Pilate was going through, Ament was going through as well.

Looking at 'Low Light':

'Scent way back' could easily be a reference to Jesus having perfume poured on him in the tomb. 'Poise blows by' was most like Pilate losing his poise to yield and allow the crucifixion. 'Two birds is what they’ll see getting lost upon their way'…I think it was Peter who heard the Rooster (a bird), crow whenever he denied Jesus. 'I need the light. I’ll find my way from wrong.'–Is Pilate’s lament on the mountain with his dog. 'What’s real? The dream I see.'–Spiritual awakening? 'Can wear my mask, your first, my last'–Dealing with the tradition of an executioner wearing a mask. Like they were breaking someone in during the crucifixion, and Pilate gives him his mask, because he personally won’t be needing it anymore.

Thoughts from the Peanut Gallery?

I love this song... It will always be a favorite. It is so beautiful, it makes me want to cry...

I love the tone in Eddie's voice as he sings this song. It almost doesn't sound like him at all...

I read a short story based on this song, and it really captured it. It was about a group of friends (a woman, her boyfriend and his brother). They were fighting over what CD to play as they travelled, and eventually decided on Yield...

It was late at night and the girlfriend and boyfriend had gotten in a fight, so she was curled up into a ball in the backseat, asleep.

At the end of MFC, a truck comes out of nowhere and their car swerves off the road, diving nose down in the ditch. The boyfriend finds his brother, who was hurt, but all right, and looked in the backseat and his girlfriend wasn't there anymore.

They found her twenty feet from the car, bleeding profusely. He tried to call for help, but his cell phone died before he could give his location.

She died in his arms with "Low Light" playing from the wreckage of the car....

Sigh It was a beautiful story based on a beautiful song...

I really have no idea what this song is supposed to be about, but it doesn't really matter to me...I agree with krystonite's observation that it is a very beautiful and touching song...

OK, I'v never thought about the meaning of this song before, but I think it's just about being confused, and how you have to trust what you feel, not what you see. 1st verse- Clouds and wind are constantly changing. It's difficult to get a clear view of things. "Is it just my way"- questioning whether there is one 'right' way or if people can find their own way. 2nd- Easy. He can't see where he's come from. He's got no chance of seeing ahead. 3rd- Not sure, but it suggests panic and a loss of emotion. 4th- Books ('fact') are not helpful. Jealousy ('emotion') compromises judgement. "I will feel calm"- he can find his way if he focuses on what he knows to be true without outside knowledge (books) or emotion (jealousy). 5th- "Low light. Car crash"- the consequences of relying on what you see. Not sure about the mask bit. 6th- Repeating message of 1st and 5th verses 7th- "I need the light"- If I can see clearly, I can find my way. "What's real? The dream I see."- Dreams are seen through the spirit, not the eyes. If the trusts himself, the light will not matter.

Both at Benaroya Hall and NY, NY July 8, 2003, Eddie says "I don't need the light", and "Your dream I see" rather than what is posted here. I find it interesting and it almost adds a slightly altered meaning to the song.

To me the song is about a confused love. This couple is falling in love staring up at the clouds rolling away. And one makes the coment that "reeling" is what other people would call the feeling that they are having, then they question, "or is it just my way" It falls apart and he's really bittered by it ... "blood runs dry", but realizes "books and jealousy tell me wrong, I will feel calm," but then "poise blows by"

The regrets he feels about this girl make him wear this mask to hide. The tidbit he thinks of is that he was her first love, but she'll be his last, which I think is beautifully written. So is the next part "two birds is what they'll see, getting lost upon their way." It's probably the most powerful part of the song, to imagine this gray sky and watching two brids getting seperated from each other in a storm. It's such a simple thing, yet it feels so tragic.

The end is the guy getting his strength back, when he asks himself what is truly real? It's only the dream he has ... that's the only thing that is truly real. Beautiful song, no matter how you interpret it.

I don't know why, but to me this song has always sounded like death, but in good way (?). It just sounds like someone dying very peacefully, and this is what's going through their head at the time, looking at the clouds etc. I don't know, to be honest, its just how it sounds to me.

Am I imagining things or did Stone write the lyrics to this?

the story krystonite told was a beutiful one.

my favorite way to listen to this song is in the car, by myself, with the windows down, on a warm but cool night, as the sun is going down on an old country type road.

I think everyone needs to experience this song in the above form. it will touch you deeply

I've always liked this song... I wish I could play the acoustics from it... it's just a great song... CHAMPION song.