Ward was previously with the band Rodriguez, which included bassist Kyle Field (of Little Wings fame) and drummer Mike Funk. They recorded and released on cassette Box Plots and Cash Crops and then the album Swing Like a Metronome in 2000. Duet for Guitars #2 was released on Howe Gelb's Ow Om record label. Ward's 2001 album, End of Amnesia, was released by Future Farmer Records, and his subsequent albums have been released on Merge Records. A collection of live recordings, Live Music & the Voices of Strangers, was a self-released disc that was sold at his shows. His next album, Transfiguration of Vincent, was released in 2003, followed by Transistor Radio in 2005. A year later, Post War was released.
In 2006, he contributed a song to, and helped produce, the John Fahey tribute album, I Am the Resurrection. He also contributed the song "Transfiguration #1" from Transfiguration of Vincent to the Brushfire Records soundtrack for A Brokedown Melody, a Jack Johnson surfing film.
His album, Hold Time, was released in 2009. The album A Wasteland Companion followed in 2012. The album title alludes to T.S. Eliot's 1922 modernist poem, The Waste Land. In 2016, he released More Rain. On June 8, 2018, M. Ward released What a Wonderful Industry.
Side Projects
In 2008 M. Ward combined forces with Zooey Deschanel and became She & Him. They have released two albums so far, Volume One in 2008 and Volume Two in 2010. He is also one fourth of the folk supergroup, Monsters of Folk, alongside Jim James from My Morning Jacket, and Conor Oberst & Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes. Their self-titled release, Monsters of Folk, was released in 2009.
* Official website
Chinese Translation
M. Ward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Climbed up a tall, tall mountain
I met a old, old man
Beneath a weeping willow tree
He said now if you got some questions
Go and lay them at my feet
But my time here is brief
So you'll have to pick just three
[Chorus]
And I said
What do you do with the pieces of a broken heart
And how can a man like me remain in the light
And if life is really as short as they say
Then why is the night so long
And then the sun went down
And he sang for me this song
See I once was a young fool like you
Afraid to do the things
That I knew I had to do
So I played an escapade just like you
I played an escapade just like you
I sailed a wild, wild sea
Climbed up a tall, tall mountain
I met an old, old man
He sat beneath a sapling tree
He said now if you got some questions
Go and lay them at my feet
But my time here is brief
So you'll have to pick just three
[Chorus]
The song "Chinese Translation" by M. Ward is a reflection on life and the experiences that come with it. In the first verse, the singer describes his journey through a "wild, wild sea" and a "tall, tall mountain" which can be interpreted as a metaphor for the struggles and obstacles one faces in life. The old man sitting beneath the weeping willow tree represents the wisdom and guidance of the older generation for those seeking answers. However, the old man states that his time is short and the singer must choose only three questions to ask. The chorus poses three important questions about life, the first being about how to deal with a broken heart, the second about remaining positive, and the third about the seeming length of the night compared to the brevity of life. The song concludes with the old man singing a song that represents the singer's own journey and the realization that he once played an "escapade" just like the singer.
Overall, "Chinese Translation" is a melancholic yet hopeful song, the lyrics of which are open to interpretation. One can view the questions posed in the chorus as a search for answers, but they could also be viewed as rhetorical questions, highlighting the unknown and uncertain nature of life. The old man's brief time on earth, as mentioned in the song, adds to the sense of transience and impermanence that is inherent to life.
Line by Line Meaning
I sailed a wild, wild sea
I went through some difficult times
Climbed up a tall, tall mountain
I overcame great challenges
I met a old, old man
I encountered a wise elder
Beneath a weeping willow tree
In a place of peace and serenity
He said now if you got some questions
He offered to help me with my queries
Go and lay them at my feet
Share your doubts with me
But my time here is brief
I won't be around for long
So you'll have to pick just three
Only ask me a limited number of questions
What do you do with the pieces of a broken heart
How do you deal with heartbreak
And how can a man like me remain in the light
How can I stay positive and hopeful
And if life is really as short as they say
Why does time seem to move so slowly
Then why is the night so long
Why does time seem to drag on when things are difficult
See I once was a young fool like you
I was once inexperienced and foolish
Afraid to do the things That I knew I had to do
Scared to confront the challenges I faced
So I played an escapade just like you
I tried to avoid my problems too
He sat beneath a sapling tree
Sitting in a place of growth and new beginnings
And then the sun went down
The day came to an end
And he sang for me this song
He shared his wisdom through music and lyrics
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MATTHEW STEPHEN WARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind