Tuesday, September 6, 2011

You Were a House on Fire by Listener

I cannot tell you how much I love the Wooden Heart album by Listener. Dan Smith's lyrics are amazing. I shared a bit of what I thought about the track Wooden Heart a while back, here.

However right now, their song You Were A House On Fire is what...is what is moving me...challenging me...helping me to see and understand the world a little better. Here's the audio.



The whole song is amazing, but the parts that really get to me is in the second verse. It reads:

We all write songs about life, we just sing them different.
you sing the words but you don't know the song
and you expect us all to sing along? how selfish.
- for me it speaks about thinking my way is the only way...that for a long time I have been "selfish"...not listening to the way others sing their songs...and because they don't sing it my way, it think it's wrong...that needs to change. basically, I need to listen better.

the lengths that we go to, to put so much distance between us is staggering
- here is pretty self explanatory. crazy how much time, $, & energy we spend to isolate ourselves from each other...and then just as much of the same trying to meet others...something is not right.

I can't decide if I should knock down your door or on it
say the word and I'll take an axe to your heart or a pin prick

- this part is just full of emotion that i don't know why, but connects with me. just the conflict he is struggling with as to how to rescue this person. should he come crashing in? or wait to be invited in?

cut right through the dark, let it spill out the contents
on our knees sorting through the remnants
pour out your hate in my hands, I'll let em slip through my fingers
- i just love the the 3rd line here. beautiful.

You can find the whole song w/ lyrics here at Listener's Bandcamp Page...and while you're there you can check out the rest of their album as well!

Also, here's a live performance of the song with a little intro to the song itself. And as you'll hear Dan say, "hope you love it."

No comments: