I've looked everywhere, Mr. Forbes
But I can't find the cello or yet the french horn
And I can't find the harp
I don't know where it's gone
And of course, you can't go without that

I've looked everywhere, Mr. Forbes
But I can't find your clamshells
Your file or your drill
And your sheepskin-lined coat is eluding me still
And of course, you can't go without that

I've looked in the attic, the cellar and hall
I've looked in the studio, study and all
I've looked in the chest where I thought it should be
I've looked in the greenhouses, one, two and three

I've looked everywhere, Mr. Forbes
But I can't find the dagger and oh why oh why
Can't I think what I did with that ol' skill and dye
And of course, you can't go without that
You can't possibly go without that

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Grizzly Bear's song Marla appear to be a poem or short story about a person named Mr. Forbes who is unable to find several objects that he needs to take with him on a journey. The song mentions specific objects like a cello, french horn, and harp, as well as more mundane items like clamshells and a sheepskin-lined coat. The singer of the song has searched all over the house for the missing items, including the attic, cellar, studio, and greenhouses, but has had no luck.

The repetition of the line "And of course, you can't go without that" emphasizes the importance of these items to Mr. Forbes and suggests that he may be going on some sort of important or ceremonial journey. The line "Can't I think what I did with that ol' skill and dye" is particularly interesting, as it does not refer to a specific object but rather a skill or tool that Mr. Forbes may need in order to complete his journey. Overall, the lyrics create a sense of mystery and anticipation, leaving the listener to wonder where Mr. Forbes is going and why these objects are so important.

Line by Line Meaning

I've looked everywhere, Mr. Forbes
I've searched every possible place, Mr. Forbes

But I can't find the cello or yet the french horn
I'm unable to locate the cello or the french horn

And I can't find the harp
The harp seems to be missing as well

I don't know where it's gone
I have no idea where it could be

And of course, you can't go without that
It goes without saying that these are essential items

But I can't find your clamshells
Your clamshells are nowhere to be found

Your file or your drill
I can't locate your file or drill either

And your sheepskin-lined coat is eluding me still
I'm still searching for your sheepskin-lined coat

I've looked in the attic, the cellar and hall
I've searched through the attic, the cellar, and hall

I've looked in the studio, study and all
I've searched in the studio, study, and everywhere else

I've looked in the chest where I thought it should be
I thought it would be in the chest, but it's not there

I've looked in the greenhouses, one, two and three
I even checked all three of the greenhouses

But I can't find the dagger and oh why oh why
I'm also unable to locate the dagger

Can't I think what I did with that ol' skill and dye
I can't remember what I did with the old skill and dye

You can't possibly go without that
It's absolutely necessary to have those things with you

Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: EDWARD DROSTE, MARLA FORBES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@mahousloth6322

8y↑22

I imagine a residual haunting in an old, abandoned estate--the ghost of a maid who's stuck constantly looking for her master's instruments not knowing she'll never find them.

@starinvasion6452

12y↑6

Brilliant, dark beautiful and wonderful. It sounds like something off the Donnie Darko soundtrack, but it's instantly better because it's GRIZZLY BEAR!