I think this track might be about Laura Marling. Marcus toured with her before Mumford and Sons actually formed, and he and Laura dated for a while. They broke up in '10, but apparently are still friends... which might explain why this song isn't particularly downcast like another breakup song -- he's just wondering what she's up to now.
"And the darkness can descend" could be a reference to a track off of Laura's I Speak Because I Can, too. I just love it when musicians reference their friends' work in their own songs. ((:
Laura Marling and Marcus Mumford speak back and forth a lot in songs. I am a HUGE HUGE Marling fan, and you would have to know her lyrics to catch on. She writes about him, and he replies. He references two of Marling's songs. "Alpha Shallows" and "Darkness Decends".
Laura Marling and Marcus Mumford speak back and forth a lot in songs. I am a HUGE HUGE Marling fan, and you would have to know her lyrics to catch on. She writes about him, and he replies. He references two of Marling's songs. "Alpha Shallows" and "Darkness Decends".
"Alpha Shallows"
"Alpha Shallows"
He could fall and she can weep
But as holy are my feet and hard with mention
That dear they may not speak
We feel tight when there is tension
And our eyes can make us weak
He could fall and she can weep
But as holy are my feet and hard with mention
That dear they may not speak
We feel tight when there is tension
And our eyes can make us weak
And his heart was full of...
And his heart was full of fire at the man he had become
And his soul seldom higher with the falsities of fun
Could embrace sweet desires and moments as they passed
But he feared it ever more, when he saw it didn't last
We walk up Holland Avenue
And watch the rich as they consume
Their product made our hearts exhume an emptiness unrivalled by
A hunger that I could control, he'd pray up to his God
That he might save their soul
The grey in this city is too much to bare
The grey in this city is too much to bare
And I believe we are meant to be seen and not to be understood
And I want to be held by those arms
I want to be held by those arms
You'll work your thumbs they are sore
And you'll work my heart till it's raw
And you'll call and you'll call but you'll never be told
And I'll fall and I'll fall and I'll fall
We are basic lives
We are basic lives
Mumford references the city streets and his weakness from "Alpha Shallows".
This isn't the only time he responds tho. He responds Marling's "The Beast" with "The Cave" and "Lover's Eyes". There are so many references to her songs, I feel kind of bad for his wife. ;)
I think this track might be about Laura Marling. Marcus toured with her before Mumford and Sons actually formed, and he and Laura dated for a while. They broke up in '10, but apparently are still friends... which might explain why this song isn't particularly downcast like another breakup song -- he's just wondering what she's up to now.
"And the darkness can descend" could be a reference to a track off of Laura's I Speak Because I Can, too. I just love it when musicians reference their friends' work in their own songs. ((:
Yes! I thought the same thing when I noticed the "darkness can descend" lyric.
Yes! I thought the same thing when I noticed the "darkness can descend" lyric.
Laura Marling and Marcus Mumford speak back and forth a lot in songs. I am a HUGE HUGE Marling fan, and you would have to know her lyrics to catch on. She writes about him, and he replies. He references two of Marling's songs. "Alpha Shallows" and "Darkness Decends".
Laura Marling and Marcus Mumford speak back and forth a lot in songs. I am a HUGE HUGE Marling fan, and you would have to know her lyrics to catch on. She writes about him, and he replies. He references two of Marling's songs. "Alpha Shallows" and "Darkness Decends".
"Alpha Shallows"
"Alpha Shallows"
He could fall and she can weep But as holy are my feet and hard with mention That dear they may not speak We feel tight when there is tension And our eyes can make us weak
He could fall and she can weep But as holy are my feet and hard with mention That dear they may not speak We feel tight when there is tension And our eyes can make us weak
And his heart was full of...
And his heart was full of fire at the man he had become And his soul seldom higher with the falsities of fun Could embrace sweet desires and moments as they passed But he feared it ever more, when he saw it didn't last
We walk up Holland Avenue And watch the rich as they consume Their product made our hearts exhume an emptiness unrivalled by A hunger that I could control, he'd pray up to his God That he might save their soul
The grey in this city is too much to bare The grey in this city is too much to bare
And I believe we are meant to be seen and not to be understood
And I want to be held by those arms I want to be held by those arms
You'll work your thumbs they are sore And you'll work my heart till it's raw And you'll call and you'll call but you'll never be told And I'll fall and I'll fall and I'll fall
We are basic lives We are basic lives
Mumford references the city streets and his weakness from "Alpha Shallows".
This isn't the only time he responds tho. He responds Marling's "The Beast" with "The Cave" and "Lover's Eyes". There are so many references to her songs, I feel kind of bad for his wife. ;)