How long? Is what you asked
How long do you think it's gonna last?
You at the corner store
You were stocking up before the storm
Stacked yourself against the odds
Talking back to an act of god
You and your clever mouth
You were laughing when the lights went out

I recall it all forever
How it found us where we lay
With our arms around each other
In the latter days, in the latter days

How high? Is what you said
How high do you think it's gonna get?
You at the water's edge
On the jetty when you were a kid
Passed around a plastic cup
Passed out spinning in the house where you grew up
You in your childhood bed
And the wildest dream you ever had

You recall it all forever
How it found you where you lay
And you called out for your brother
In the latter days

I recall it all forever
How it found us where we lay
With our arms around each other
In the latter days

How high, do you?
How high, do you?

I recall it all forever
How we sheltered in our place
And we called each other lovers
In the latter days

I recall it all forever
How there was no hiding place
So we called each other brothers
In the latter days, in the latter days

Overall Meaning

The song “Latter Days” by Big Red Machine (a collaboration between Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Aaron Dessner of The National) is a reflection on memories and the passage of time. The song is divided into two stanzas, each of which deals with a different question posed to the listener. In the first stanza, the singer is asked “How long do you think it's gonna last?” and we find them at a corner store stocking up before a storm. There is a sense of vulnerability and defiance in the lyrics as the singer talks back to an act of God and laughs in the face of adversity. The second stanza begins with the question “How high do you think it's gonna get?” and finds the singer at the water's edge on a jetty filled with childhood memories.

Throughout the song, the lyrical phrases "I recall it all forever" and "In the latter days" appear repeatedly, and convey a sense of nostalgia for past experiences and relationships. The importance of human connection is highlighted in the final lines of the song when the singer remembers how they called each other "lovers" and "brothers" when there was "no hiding place" and they sheltered together.

Overall, the song speaks to the human condition of fleeting moments and cherished memories - both joyful and painful, and the importance of companionship in facing life’s challenges.

Line by Line Meaning

How long? Is what you asked
You wondered about the timeline of events

How long do you think it's gonna last?
You inquired about the expected duration

You at the corner store
You were at a shop

You were stocking up before the storm
You were preparing for an impending disaster

Stacked yourself against the odds
You were preparing for the worst

Talking back to an act of god
You were defying nature

You and your clever mouth
You were witty

You were laughing when the lights went out
You found humor in the darkness

I recall it all forever
The memories will always be with me

How it found us where we lay
How it happened when we were defenseless

With our arms around each other
We found solace in each other's embrace