bears and the air
i must say that spring keeps me really optimistic - there's a lot out there that makes me think things are good in the world - not the least of which is the beautiful blue sky that kept me company today - the scientific explanation of sunlight refraction in the atmosphere doesn't do the sky justice at all. it makes me think of a song that my mom and i would sing while she was pushing me on a swing when i was little (this is a memory from before i was four years old because it is from staples) - the most memorable line was: it's a beautiful day, and i thank god for the weather - it's a beautiful day, and things are gonna be swell. the song was one i sang in sunday school (or whatever the really little kids went to). and i still think about it on beautiful days (though songs by u2 and the eels are sometimes the ones closest to my mind because i have recordings of them).
when i was around that same age (3-4), i remember when they cut down the trees in our yard for dutch elm, and i was really upset - i didn't know why they would do that (and i'm sure my oldest brother fed me some story - can't remember what it was or whether it was a big lie or the truth). i didn't like that they were cutting down the trees i liked in our front yard, especially since they could be climbed (with some help from the stick ladders that someone had nailed into them) - i was too young to climb them, but i knew i would get to soon, and then the trees were gone. and then i remember there being stumps there, and then i remember them grinding up the stumps and my mom telling me not to go near the stump grinder. it wasn't quite the giving tree thing at all - we didn't get to sit on the stump when we were old and tired. i never got to grow up with those trees.
once we moved to brookings, we dug holes in our front yard and planted two silver maple trees - i remember digging holes there, watching them put the trees in. i remember how they were small and thin and not good for climbing, not even that great for shade even on a summer day - just something that i had to mow around. over the last twenty years, i've grown up with those trees - they're huge now - they make it so grass has a hard time growing underneath their canopy. the cat likes climbing them now, and i love their leaves from when they bloom to when they fall onto the ground. last fall one of the weekends i was home, i took a nap and rolled around in the leaves on the ground for a whole afternoon, and it was peaceful and comfortable. it was nice. i hope those trees don't get a disease any time soon - i hope they keep doing their thing - i hope my niece will get to climb in them - barefoot and happy like i am when i get to climb trees. i'll tell more stories about tree climbing sometime - i have more than enough of them - i have a number of important memories centered around that, especially at my grandparents' farm and saint olaf (where it was prohibited).
i won't say too much about this song - you'll get where i'm coming from - why it was in my head this morning when i woke up - why you'll probably wake up with it in your head sometime soon (i can only hope). after the instrumental buildup, the simple bass line with her vocals is a wonderful beginning. the high points of this song: (a) then we'll go to omaha to work and exploit the booming music scene; and (b) talking about executing important things (bears, air, mountains, rivers, streams, kids, neighbors, etc). no matter what song by rilo kiley i look at, there's at least one high point of the lyrics - her lyrics are generally quite good - they generally tell stories rather than focuing on describing a feeling like some lyrics focus on. i like that - i like narratives when they're good. this particular song is less of a narrative (except for the going to omaha part) - the most recent album is much more so.
i like how some lyricists (most notably from pacific bands) work environmental themes into their music without focusing purely on the environmental things. it's just one of the other normal things they care about and include in their songs - they care about the rivers, the trees, air, the animals - it's good.
the execution of all things by rilo kiley
Soldiers come quickly, I feel the earth beneath my feet.
I’m feeling badly, it’s not an attempt at decency.
And if you’re well off, well then I’m happy some for you.
But I’d rather not celebrate my defeat and humiliation here with you.
Someone come quickly, this place was built for moving out.
Leave behind buildings, the city planners got mapped out.
Bring with you history, and make your hard earned feast.
Then we’ll go to Omaha to work and exploit the booming music scene and humility.
And we’ve been talking all night….
Oh god come quickly, the execution of all things.
Let’s start with the bears and the air and mountains, rivers, and streams.
Then we’ll murder what matters to you and move on to your neighbors and kids.
Crush all hopes of happiness with disease ‘cause of what you did.
And lastly, you’re all alone with nothing left but sleep.
But sleep never comes to you, it’s just the guilt and forever wakefulness of the weak.
It’s just you and me….
The execution of all things.
when i was around that same age (3-4), i remember when they cut down the trees in our yard for dutch elm, and i was really upset - i didn't know why they would do that (and i'm sure my oldest brother fed me some story - can't remember what it was or whether it was a big lie or the truth). i didn't like that they were cutting down the trees i liked in our front yard, especially since they could be climbed (with some help from the stick ladders that someone had nailed into them) - i was too young to climb them, but i knew i would get to soon, and then the trees were gone. and then i remember there being stumps there, and then i remember them grinding up the stumps and my mom telling me not to go near the stump grinder. it wasn't quite the giving tree thing at all - we didn't get to sit on the stump when we were old and tired. i never got to grow up with those trees.
once we moved to brookings, we dug holes in our front yard and planted two silver maple trees - i remember digging holes there, watching them put the trees in. i remember how they were small and thin and not good for climbing, not even that great for shade even on a summer day - just something that i had to mow around. over the last twenty years, i've grown up with those trees - they're huge now - they make it so grass has a hard time growing underneath their canopy. the cat likes climbing them now, and i love their leaves from when they bloom to when they fall onto the ground. last fall one of the weekends i was home, i took a nap and rolled around in the leaves on the ground for a whole afternoon, and it was peaceful and comfortable. it was nice. i hope those trees don't get a disease any time soon - i hope they keep doing their thing - i hope my niece will get to climb in them - barefoot and happy like i am when i get to climb trees. i'll tell more stories about tree climbing sometime - i have more than enough of them - i have a number of important memories centered around that, especially at my grandparents' farm and saint olaf (where it was prohibited).
i won't say too much about this song - you'll get where i'm coming from - why it was in my head this morning when i woke up - why you'll probably wake up with it in your head sometime soon (i can only hope). after the instrumental buildup, the simple bass line with her vocals is a wonderful beginning. the high points of this song: (a) then we'll go to omaha to work and exploit the booming music scene; and (b) talking about executing important things (bears, air, mountains, rivers, streams, kids, neighbors, etc). no matter what song by rilo kiley i look at, there's at least one high point of the lyrics - her lyrics are generally quite good - they generally tell stories rather than focuing on describing a feeling like some lyrics focus on. i like that - i like narratives when they're good. this particular song is less of a narrative (except for the going to omaha part) - the most recent album is much more so.
i like how some lyricists (most notably from pacific bands) work environmental themes into their music without focusing purely on the environmental things. it's just one of the other normal things they care about and include in their songs - they care about the rivers, the trees, air, the animals - it's good.
the execution of all things by rilo kiley
Soldiers come quickly, I feel the earth beneath my feet.
I’m feeling badly, it’s not an attempt at decency.
And if you’re well off, well then I’m happy some for you.
But I’d rather not celebrate my defeat and humiliation here with you.
Someone come quickly, this place was built for moving out.
Leave behind buildings, the city planners got mapped out.
Bring with you history, and make your hard earned feast.
Then we’ll go to Omaha to work and exploit the booming music scene and humility.
And we’ve been talking all night….
Oh god come quickly, the execution of all things.
Let’s start with the bears and the air and mountains, rivers, and streams.
Then we’ll murder what matters to you and move on to your neighbors and kids.
Crush all hopes of happiness with disease ‘cause of what you did.
And lastly, you’re all alone with nothing left but sleep.
But sleep never comes to you, it’s just the guilt and forever wakefulness of the weak.
It’s just you and me….
The execution of all things.
posted by Brett Werner at
11:57 PM
1 Comments:
I came across your blog while searching for the song on Google that you wrote in your entry. It goes "it's a beautiful day and I thank God for the weather." Could you please tell me the title for that song? Thank you. My email is grace.ecarg@gmail.com
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