Merge a Vessel a Harbour
Great Lake Swimmers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A perfect union
Of gift and reception
Each an eye
On the same face
Loss and gain
Fly into the mouth of the ground
Six feet under
Thanks to some failure
Fly into the mouth of the ground
Six feet under
One for the night
One for the dark
Taste each other
For a moment, then goodbye
Hold her eyes
Share the same air
Oh lay it down
Oh lay it bare
I'm speechless
Naked as a fiery sunset
You turn, not fleeting
Destroyed not complete
A perfect cacophony
Rising like vapour
Solid and liquid
Awkward and trapping
Stolen but paid for
Legs and knees and ankles and toes
When it burns an old enemy flows
Legs and knees and ankles and toes
When it burns an old enemy flows
Gathered and strewn
From this altitude
To some other moon
Wearing false armour
And useless shields
Failed to exist
Crying out and into the streets
They are always prepared for the cries
Prepared for the worst
Crying out loud at the untold
They are transfixed but not transformed
Stop accommodating echoes
Into these hard-pressed streets
Into these well-travelled streets
Into these hard-pressed streets
"Merge, a vessel, a harbour" is a song by the Canadian indie-folk band, Great Lake Swimmers. The song is an emotional ballad that explores the theme of union and separation, as it depicts a relationship that did not work out as planned. The first verse talks of how the union was supposed to be perfect, symbolized by the merge of a vessel and a harbor, and the gift and the reception from both parties. The next line reaffirms this perfection by describing each partner as an eye on the same face.
The second verse starts with an unfortunate twist as it talks of loss and gain flying into the mouth of the ground. It appears that someone has died and been buried. The next line suggests some form of failure that led to this loss, leading to the person being six feet under. The chorus highlights the fleeting nature of intimacy - two people coming together to taste each other for a moment before saying goodbye. The phrase "Hold her eyes, Share the same air," conveys the intensity of the moment and how close the two people were.
The third verse paints a picture of two people who shared a lot of love but could not make it work; the intensity of feeling is described as "naked as a fiery sunset". The union may have destroyed them, but they are not completely broken; they are still there rising like vapor. The statement about stolen but paid for could refer to how the feelings may have been taken without permission but have now been paid for in a different way. The song ends with a plea to stop accommodating echoes into these hard-pressed streets, a metaphor for letting go of the past and moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Merge, a vessel, a harbour
Two entities, both capable of giving and receiving, unite to form a destination for themselves and others.
A perfect union
The coming together is without flaw, ideal.
Of gift and reception
This union is mutually beneficial, as both parties bring and receive something of value.
Each an eye
Both entities are crucial parts of the same whole, contributing a unique perspective.
On the same face
Together, they form a complete entity with shared characteristics.
Loss and gain
Both success and defeat must be experienced in order to make progress.
Fly into the mouth of the ground
Death takes all, indiscriminately.
Six feet under
Dead and buried, forgotten.
One for the night
One companion for a brief period of time.
One for the dark
One companion for lonely moments.
Taste each other
Experience one another on a basic level.
For a moment, then goodbye
A fleeting connection that does not linger.
Hold her eyes
Look into her gaze, capture a moment.
Share the same air
Exist in close proximity, bonding over a common experience.
Oh lay it down
Expose oneself, be vulnerable.
Oh lay it bare
Be truthful, revealing.
I'm speechless
Unable to articulate one's emotions.
Naked as a fiery sunset
Fully exposed, burnt by passion.
You turn, not fleeting
This moment is sustained, not just a passing fancy.
Destroyed not complete
Hurt but not broken, still able to recover.
A perfect cacophony
A beautiful discord, a mixture of sounds and experiences that come together to form something special.
Rising like vapour
Ascending, but not necessarily disappearing completely.
Solid and liquid
Physical and emotional, both present and noteworthy.
Awkward and trapping
Tense and uneasy, caught in a difficult situation.
Stolen but paid for
Gained through unconventional means, but still earned through effort.
Legs and knees and ankles and toes
Every part of the body is affected by pain and discomfort.
When it burns an old enemy flows
When hurt arises, past grievances and resentments resurface.
Gathered and strewn
Collected and scattered repeatedly.
From this altitude
From a lofty, uninvolved position.
To some other moon
To a completely different world, impossible for most to reach.
Wearing false armour
Presenting oneself as something they are not.
And useless shields
Using ineffective defense mechanisms that ultimately do not protect.
Failed to exist
Not truly living, overly defensive.
Crying out and into the streets
Desperately seeking attention and help, often in a public manner.
They are always prepared for the cries
Others are used to these outbursts and are ready to respond, but may become desensitized.
Prepared for the worst
Experiencing the worst possible situations becomes routine.
Crying out loud at the untold
Expressing the unspoken, the uncomfortable truths.
They are transfixed but not transformed
Others may be listening, but not necessarily affected or changed by what they hear.
Stop accommodating echoes
Stop perpetuating the same patterns and habits that are not benefiting anyone.
Into these hard-pressed streets
In these difficult times and circumstances.
Into these well-travelled streets
In these familiar and predictable situations.
Into these hard-pressed streets
In these difficult times and circumstances.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANTHONY DEKKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Branislav Stropkai
Lyrics:
Merge, a vessel, a harbour
A perfect union
Of gift and reception
Each an eye
On the same face
Loss and gain
Fly into the mouth of the ground
Six feet under
Thanks to some failure
Fly into the mouth of the ground
Six feet under
One for the night
One for the dark
Taste each other
For a moment, then goodbye
Hold her eyes
Share the same air
Oh lay it down
Oh lay it bare
I'm speachless
Naked as a fiery sunset
You turn, not fleeting
Destroyed not complete
A perfect cocophony
Rising like vapour
Solid and liquid
Awkward and trapping
Stolen but paid for
Legs and knees and ankles and toes
When it burns an old enemy flows
Legs and knees and ankles and toes
When it burns an old enemy flows
Gathered and strewn
From this altitude
To some other moon
Wearing false armour
And useless shields
Failed to exist
Crying out and into the streets
They are always prepared for the cries
Prepared for the worst
Crying outloud at the untold
They are transfixed but not transformed
Stop accomodating echoes
Into these hard-pressed streets
Into these well-travelled streets
Into these hard-pressed streets
Branislav Stropkai
Lyrics:
Merge, a vessel, a harbour
A perfect union
Of gift and reception
Each an eye
On the same face
Loss and gain
Fly into the mouth of the ground
Six feet under
Thanks to some failure
Fly into the mouth of the ground
Six feet under
One for the night
One for the dark
Taste each other
For a moment, then goodbye
Hold her eyes
Share the same air
Oh lay it down
Oh lay it bare
I'm speachless
Naked as a fiery sunset
You turn, not fleeting
Destroyed not complete
A perfect cocophony
Rising like vapour
Solid and liquid
Awkward and trapping
Stolen but paid for
Legs and knees and ankles and toes
When it burns an old enemy flows
Legs and knees and ankles and toes
When it burns an old enemy flows
Gathered and strewn
From this altitude
To some other moon
Wearing false armour
And useless shields
Failed to exist
Crying out and into the streets
They are always prepared for the cries
Prepared for the worst
Crying outloud at the untold
They are transfixed but not transformed
Stop accomodating echoes
Into these hard-pressed streets
Into these well-travelled streets
Into these hard-pressed streets
ThePanikka
for me this song will always be connected with Phill Harris.
Shaka Dakine
I've lost so many friends by the time I was 21. Captain Phil was a great man. The good ones don't last this song always gets me. When you've lost so many so young your scared forever man. Rip Phil
Renae Harris
Always
wattch
I so hear a Neil Young influence absolutely fantastic!
Jereme Patone
Needs to cover heart of gold!!
brightphoebus
@wattch Yeah! Yer right! That's awesome.
sleepbaby17
I remember the first time I heard this, it played on my Pandora station and I remember I didn't move the entire time it played...I was totally transfixed and I felt like I didn't rejoin the physical world until the fade out of this song
Mountain-Adventures
Amazing song and really nice video, although on the downside I don't think this video captures what I believe is the point of the song. It's beautiful anyway. This was released just after the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster and I believe that's what it's about. Correct me if I'm wrong Tony :) It's not only a haunting tribute to the lives of those that try to explore and understand our existence in this universe, but also the actions and reactions of those of us planted here on Terra firma.
NewSense
Fantastic song!
Grab a whiskey and relax, think about life and the missing ones.
/Sweden