Mumford & Sons have released four studio albums: Sigh No More (2009), Babel (2012), Wilder Mind (2015), and Delta (2018). Sigh No More peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and the Billboard 200 in the US Read Full BioMumford & Sons are an English folk rock band formed in London in 2007.[2] The band consists of Marcus Mumford (lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboards, piano), and Ted Dwane (vocals, bass guitar, double bass). Banjo player Winston Marshall left the band in 2021.
Mumford & Sons have released four studio albums: Sigh No More (2009), Babel (2012), Wilder Mind (2015), and Delta (2018). Sigh No More peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and the Billboard 200 in the US, with Babel and Wilder Mind both debuting at number one in the UK and US, the former becoming the fastest-selling rock album of the decade and leading to a headline performance at Glastonbury Festival in 2013. The band has also issued two live albums: Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire (2011) and The Road to Red Rocks (2012).
Mumford & Sons were formed in December 2007 by multi-instrumentalists Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane. Band members play acoustic guitar, drums, keyboard instruments, bass guitar, and traditional folk instruments such as banjo, mandolin and resonator guitar. The band name originates from the fact that Marcus Mumford was the most visible member, organizing the band and their performances. Lovett indicated that the name was meant to invoke the sense of an "antiquated family business name".
A handful of similar bands were increasing their visibility in West London around the same time, giving rise to the label "West London folk scene". Mumford downplays that characterisation as an exaggeration—Mumford & Sons and a few other folk acts just happened to be operating in the same general area at the time. In an interview with the Herald Sun, Marcus Mumford said, "It's not folk really. Well, some of it is, and it's certainly not a scene. Someone got over-excited about a few bands who live in a hundred-mile radius and put it in a box to sell it as a package. It's a community, not a scene. It's not exclusive." Having developed in the same musical and cultural environment, Mumford & Sons' sound has been compared to that of artists such as Noah and the Whale, Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling, whose backing band had included Marshall, Mumford, and Dwane.
In early 2008 the band began working with manager Adam Tudhope, who, as part of management company Everybody's, also represents Keane and Laura Marling. It was through Tudhope's connection that Mumford & Sons were exposed to their future A&R at Island, Louis Bloom, who began monitoring the band. Bloom told HitQuarters that they were still at a fledgling state and not yet ready for a label deal: "There was no one there for it, just a few friends, and they needed time to develop. Over the next six months I kept going to see them and they were literally picking up fans every time."
In February 2008, the band completed an extensive UK tour with support from Alessi's Ark, Sons of Noel and Adrian, Peggy Sue and others. June 2008 marked the band's first appearance at the Glastonbury Festival. They also toured Australia with Laura Marling, whose disinclination to interact with audiences encouraged Mumford into the spotlight. The experience helped inform his attitude towards Mumford & Sons audiences, which is to interact frequently and to try to create a comfortable, casual atmosphere. Mumford & Sons' first project was an EP entitled Love Your Ground which took a year to complete and was released in November 2008 on Chess Club Records.
The band began by using bluegrass and folk instrumentation, with the core instruments of acoustic guitar, banjo, piano and a double bass, played with a rhythmic style based in alternative rock and folk. In the documentary Big Easy Express, Marcus Mumford recognizes the Old Crow Medicine Show influence: "I first heard Old Crow’s music when I was, like, 16, 17, and that really got me into, like, folk music, bluegrass. I mean, I’d listened to a lot of Dylan, but I hadn’t really ventured into the country world so much. So Old Crow were the band that made me fall in love with country music." Mumford acknowledges that "the band inspired them to pick up the banjo and start their now famous country nights in London." Ketch Secor, Old Crow front-man, concurs: "Those boys took the message and ran with it.
Much of Mumford & Sons' lyrical content has a strong literary influence, its debut album name deriving from William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. The track "Sigh No More" includes lines from the play such as Serve God love me and mend, For man is a giddy thing, and One foot in sea and one on shore. The title of the song "Roll Away Your Stone" is an allusion to Macbeth; the song includes the line Stars hide your fires/ And these here are my desires which borrows and pares down Macbeth's line in act 1, scene 4: Stars, hide your fires,/ Let not light see my black and deep desires. Additionally, "The Cave" includes several references to The Odyssey, in particular the sirens that Odysseus encounters on his journey home. The song also contains many references to G.K. Chesterton's book, St. Francis of Assisi, in which Chesterton uses Plato's Cave as a way of explaining how St. Francis views the world from God's perspective. "Little Lion Man" appears to be a retelling in dramatic monologue form of Chretien de Troyes' Yvain, the Knight of the Lion, which is the story of a knight who goes mad after betraying a promise to his wife to return to her. Both "Timshel" and "Dust Bowl Dance" draw heavily from the John Steinbeck novels Of Mice and Men, East of Eden and The Grapes of Wrath.
The band's change in sound on their third album was described by Lovett as a "natural departure." At the end of the Babel tour Winston Marshall traded his banjo for electric guitar in sound checks and Mumford started playing more drums as the band jammed on heavy instrumentals and even some Radiohead tunes. Banjo does not feature on the record, an instrument that had become synonymous with the band. NME reported that the band's sound is "More expansive than ever and decidedly heavier, thanks to the shift in instrumentation." The group also employed a full drumkit instead of kick drum. "We've had our standard line-up of instruments for the last six years and we felt like that was our palette, [but] we started picking up other stuff," said Lovett. "It's a very natural departure from some of that rootsier stuff."
Lovett told NME that working with James Ford for Wilder Mind was part of trying something new. "We felt a need for change. Not from Markus [Dravs], but he was so closely attached to those first two records that as we had taken that time off, we wanted to try doing something new. It felt like, if we do our third record with Markus, does that mean we do our ninth and 10th records with Markus? At some point you have to try different things, as we collectively felt like it was time to try other stuff. Markus knows that we might well make the next record with him. We definitely haven't broken up [with Dravs], we're just playing the field!".
The band have won a number of music awards throughout their career, with Sigh No More earning the band the Brit Award for Best British Album in 2011 and six overall Grammy Award nominations. The live performance at the 2011 Grammy ceremony with Bob Dylan and The Avett Brothers led to a surge in popularity for the band in the US. The band received eight total Grammy nominations for Babel and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The band also won the Brit Award for Best British Group in 2013.
Babel
Mumford & Sons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
And I'll go along with everything you say
But I'll ride home laughing, look at me now,
For the walls of my tower they come crumbling down
And my ears hear the call of my unborn sons,
And I know the choices color all I've done
But I'll explain it all to the watchman's son,
I ain't ever lived a year better spent in love
'Cause I know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is fast
But I'll be born without a mask
Like the city that nurtured my greed and my pride,
I stretched my arms into the sky
I cry Babel, Babel, look at me now
For the walls of my tower they come crumbling down
You ask where will we stand in the winds that will howl
Is all we see we'll slipping to the cloud?
So come down from your mountain and stand where we've been
You know our breath is weak and our body thin
Press my nose up to the glass around your heart
I should've known I was weaker from the start
You'll build your walls, and I will play my bloody part
To tear, tear them down
Well I'm gonna tear, tear them down
'Cause I know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is fast
But I'll be born without a mask
In the song "Babel", Mumford & Sons beautifully depicts the angst of a person who realizes that time is running out, and their decisions have colored their lives. As the song progresses, the protagonist comes to terms with their fate, yet continues to find joy in the little moments of life. The walls of their tower crumble, a metaphor for their life's structure, and they hear the call of their unborn sons. The protagonist seems to acknowledge their weaknesses and accepts that their choices have shaped their life. But they believe in grace and choice, and that their heart beats fast. They also mention being born without a mask which can be interpreted as being true to oneself and not hiding behind a facade.
The song also touches on a theme of unity among people. The protagonist invites others to come down from their mountains and stand where they have been. They acknowledge that as a collective, the people are weak, and their bodies are thin. But together, they can overcome the challenges that life throws at them. The song urges listeners to break down their walls, and in doing so, they will find genuine connections with others.
Line by Line Meaning
I know the time has numbered my days,
I am aware that my time on this earth is limited.
And I'll go along with everything you say
I will submit to the authority of others.
But I'll ride home laughing, look at me now,
Despite my submission, I will find joy in my circumstances.
For the walls of my tower they come crumbling down
The structures and defenses that I have built for myself are falling apart.
And my ears hear the call of my unborn sons,
I am aware of the impact of my choices on future generations.
And I know the choices color all I've done
The decisions I have made have influenced my life's journey.
But I'll explain it all to the watchman's son,
I will account for my choices to those who come after me.
I ain't ever lived a year better spent in love
There is no greater purpose in life than to love others.
'Cause I know my weakness, know my voice
I am aware of my flaws and strengths.
And I'll believe in grace and choice
I have faith in the power of forgiveness and personal responsibility.
And I know perhaps my heart is fast
I may be prone to impulsive decisions.
But I'll be born without a mask
I am authentic and true to myself.
Like the city that nurtured my greed and my pride,
Growing up in a materialistic society has influenced my values and beliefs.
I stretched my arms into the sky
I desired success and achievement.
I cry Babel, Babel, look at me now
I have accomplished my goals, but now I question the cost.
For the walls of my tower they come crumbling down
The success and security I have built for myself is no longer sustainable.
You ask where will we stand in the winds that will howl
We question our ability to weather the challenges ahead.
Is all we see we'll slipping to the cloud?
We wonder if our aspirations will disappear without fulfillment.
So come down from your mountain and stand where we've been
Those who have achieved success are encouraged to empathize with those who have not.
You know our breath is weak and our body thin
We acknowledge our vulnerability and limitations.
Press my nose up to the glass around your heart
I desire to understand the emotions and motivations of others.
I should've known I was weaker from the start
I accept my limitations and recognize that I am not invincible.
You'll build your walls, and I will play my bloody part
Others may try to protect themselves, but I am willing to face the challenges of life.
To tear, tear them down
I am committed to dismantling barriers and breaking down walls.
Well I'm gonna tear, tear them down
I am determined to continue tearing down barriers.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Marcus Oliver Johnstone Mumford, Edward James Milton Dwane, Benjamin Walter David Lovett, Winston Aubrey Aladar Marshall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
King 0f Babylon
Lyrics
I know the time has numbered my days,
And I'll go along with everything you say
But I'll ride home laughing, look at me now,
For the walls of my tower they come crumbling down
And my ears hear the call of my unborn sons,
And I know the choices color all I've done
But I'll explain it all to the watchman's son,
I ain't ever lived a year better spent in love
'Cause I know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is fast
But I'll be born without a mask
Like the city that nurtured my greed and my pride,
I stretched my arms into the sky
I cry Babel, Babel, look at me now
For the walls of my tower they come crumbling down
You ask where will we stand in the winds that will howl
Is all we see we'll slipping to the cloud?
So come down from your mountain and stand where we've been
You know our breath is weak and our body thin
Press my nose up to the glass around your heart
I should've known I was weaker from the start
You'll build your walls, and I will play my bloody part
To tear, tear them down
Well I'm gonna tear, tear them down
'Cause I know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is fast
But I'll be born without a mask
Μπαρκας Χρηστος
'Cause I know that time has numbered my days
And I'll go along with everything you say
But I'll ride home laughing, look at me now
The walls of my town, they come crumbling down
And my ears hear the call of my unborn sons
And I know their choices colour all I've done
But I'll explain it all to the watchman's son
I ain't ever lived a year better spent in love
'Cause I'll know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is farce
But I'll be born without a mask
Like the city that nurtured my greed and my pride
I stretched my arms into the sky
I cry Babel! Babel! Look at me now
Then the walls of my town, they come crumbling down
You ask where will we stand in the winds that will howl
As all we see will slip into the cloud
So come down from your mountain and stand where we've been
You know our breath is weak and our body thin
Press my nose up, to the glass around your heart
I should've known I was weaker from the start
You'll build your walls and I will play my bloody part
To tear, tear them down
Well I'm gonna tear, tear them down
'Cause I know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is farce
But I'll be born without a mask
Lukáš Miezga
Cause I know that time has numbered my days
And I go along with everything you say
But I ride home laughing, look at me now
The walls of my town they come crumbling down
And my ears hear the call of my unborn sons
And I know their choices color all I've done
But I'll explain it all to the watchman's son
I never lived a year better spent in love
Cause I know my weakness, know my voice
I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is farce
But I'll be born without a mask
Like the city that nursed my greed and my pride
I stretch my arms into the sky
I cry Babel, Babel, look at me now,
The walls of my town they come crumbling down
You ask where will we stand
In the winds that will howl
As though the sea will slip into the cloud
So come down from your mountain
And stand where we've been you know
Our breath is weak and our bodies thin.
Press my nose up to the glass around your heart
I should have known
I was weaker from the start.
You'll build your walls
And I'll play my bloody part.
To tear, tear them down.
Well I'm gonna tear, tear them down.
Know my weakness, know my voice.
I believe in grace and choice.
I know that perhaps my heart is farce
But I know that I'll be born without a mask
Elisha Johnson
I know the time has numbered my days,
And I'll go along with everything you say
But I'll ride home laughing, look at me now,
For the walls of my tower they come crumbling down
And my ears hear the call of my unborn sons,
And I know the choices color all I've done
But I'll explain it all to the watchman's son,
I ain't ever lived a year better spent in love
'Cause I know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is fast
But I'll be born without a mask
Like the city that nurtured my greed and my pride,
I stretched my arms into the sky
I cry Babel, Babel, look at me now
For the walls of my tower they come crumbling down
You ask where will we stand in the winds that will howl
Is all we see we'll slipping to the cloud?
So come down from your mountain and stand where we've been
You know our breath is weak and our body thin
Press my nose up to the glass around your heart
I should've known I was weaker from the start
You'll build your walls, and I will play my bloody part
To tear, tear them down
Well I'm gonna tear, tear them down
'Cause I know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is fast
But I'll be born without a mask
Patrick Townsend
The banjo is an under rated instrument
WesTheSmurf
They're the only band that can pull it off, banjo is the worst instrument to ever curse this planet
Topher Nuttle
Hell Yes it is!!
Where'd my sister/mom/cousin go ffs??(sent from the rednecked billhilly land of Oklahoma)
Melody Buck
If I could like this comment 1000 times I would
Kara B
Highly under rated. Bram Morrison, of Sharon Lois and Bram is a real one. That man introduced my whole heart to string instruments in general but especially banjo, uke, and guitar. That man is an icon, 4 real for real
Chris Morgan
Not here in the south
Anni P
I love their passion as they play the instruments.
Ani. S. xuxu
🖤
David Gammon
I'm into heavy metal, grunge, thrash and alternative rock as well as blues and country. Mumford encapsulate all genres brilliantly. Great singer too.
Neubul
Also a fan of metal and alternative rock, also like folktronica, house, folk and country