Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

33 “GOD”
Bon Iver Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

(When we leave this room it's gone)

Is the company stalling?
We had what we wanted: your eyes
(When we leave this room it's gone)
With no word from the former
I'd be happy as hell if you stayed for tea
(I know so well that this is all there is)
This is how we grow now, woman
A child ignored
These will just be places to me now
The foreman is down
(When we leave this room it's gone)
We're rising the stairs

(I find God)
(And religion, too)

Staying at the Ace Hotel, if the calm would allow
Then I would just be floating to you now
It would make me pass to let it pass on
I'm climbing the dash, that skin

(Here in this room, this narrow room)
(Where life began when we were young last night)

Well we walked up on that bolt in the street
After you tied me in in the driveway of the apartment of his bede
Sent your sister home in a cab
Said I would've walked across any thousand lands
(No, not really if you can't)
I didn't need you that night
Not gonna need you anytime
Was gonna take it as it goes
I could go forward in the light
Well I better fold my clothes

(I've been looking through your mind)
(All my goodness)
(I've been looking through your mind)
(I've been looking through your mind)
(All my goodness to show)
(Why are you so far from saving me?)
(Why are you so far from saving me?)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bon Iver's song "33 'GOD'" delve into the despair and confusion that often accompany the end of a relationship. The opening line, "When we leave this room it's gone," sets the tone for the theme of impermanence throughout the song, and suggests that there is something in the room that is being lost forever. The singer finds themselves alone, grappling with the suddenness of the loss and the emptiness that results.


The company they once had is now gone, and the first verse hints at some confusion about why it ended: "Is the company stalling? We had what we wanted: your eyes.../ With no word from the former/ I'd be happy as hell if you stayed for tea." The second verse deals with the idea of growth in a relationship and contrasts it with the experience of feeling ignored as a child. The bridge of the song introduces a new perspective, with the singer declaring "I find God" before referencing a hotel stay and the idea of passivity.


Overall, the lyrics of "33 'GOD'" offer a poignant meditation on the nature of loss, the search for meaning in a changing world, and the role that spirituality can play in providing solace.


Line by Line Meaning

(When we leave this room it's gone)
The transience of our actions and the impact that they have on the world around us.


Is the company stalling?
Questioning whether or not we are making progress as a society.


We had what we wanted: your eyes
We often focus too much on what we think we want, rather than valuing the simple things that are right in front of us.


(When we leave this room it's gone)
The fleeting nature of life and the importance of making the most of every moment.


With no word from the former
Reflecting on the past and how it has shaped our present.


I'd be happy as hell if you stayed for tea
The beauty of finding joy in the company of others, regardless of the circumstances.


(I know so well that this is all there is)
Accepting the present moment and finding contentment in what we have.


This is how we grow now, woman
Acknowledging the role that women have played in shaping our world and recognizing their continued importance.


A child ignored
The damaging effects of neglect and the importance of nurturing our relationships and emotional connections.


These will just be places to me now
The idea that our experiences shape who we are and stay with us even as physical places fade away.


The foreman is down
The challenges that come with leadership roles and the weight of responsibility.


(When we leave this room it's gone)
The inevitable passing of time and the need to embrace each moment with intention and purpose.


We're rising the stairs
The journey of personal growth and the importance of taking steps towards our goals.


(I find God)
The search for meaning and the role that faith can play in shaping our lives.


(And religion, too)
Exploring the complexities and nuances of religious belief.


Staying at the Ace Hotel, if the calm would allow
Finding peace and tranquility in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.


Then I would just be floating to you now
The dream-like state of being lost in thought and lost in a moment.


It would make me pass to let it pass on
The idea of letting go of things that are no longer serving us or contributing to our growth.


I'm climbing the dash, that skin
The feeling of restlessness and desire to break free from the limitations that we put on ourselves.


(Here in this room, this narrow room)
The feeling of being trapped or confined by our circumstances.


(Where life began when we were young last night)
Reflecting on the fleeting nature of youth and how it shapes our memories.


Well we walked up on that bolt in the street
The small moments of beauty that can be found in unexpected places.


After you tied me in in the driveway of the apartment of his bede
The idea of being tethered to someone or something that we are not yet ready to let go of.


Sent your sister home in a cab
The difficult decisions that we have to make in order to move forward with our lives.


Said I would've walked across any thousand lands
The lengths that we are willing to go for the people or things that we love.


(No, not really if you can't)
The reality that we can only take on so much and that self-preservation is important.


I didn't need you that night
The recognition that we are capable of being independent and self-sufficient.


Not gonna need you anytime
The idea of self-reliance and learning to depend on ourselves.


Was gonna take it as it goes
The importance of going with the flow and being open to whatever life brings our way.


I could go forward in the light
The idea of being led by our intuition and trusting in our own path.


Well I better fold my clothes
The small, mundane tasks that make up our daily lives and the necessity of taking care of ourselves.


(I've been looking through your mind)
The complexities of human thought and the desire to understand others.


(All my goodness)
The inherent goodness of humanity and the importance of recognizing it.


(Why are you so far from saving me?)
The feeling of isolation and the desire for connection and support.


(Why are you so far from saving me?)
The idea of seeking out help and support during difficult times.




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Justin Deyarmond Edison Vernon, Willis S. Graham

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@kevincote6778

I can't get over these lyrics.

Said I woulda walked across any thousand lands
(No not really if you can't)
I didn't need you that night
Not gonna need you anytime
Was gonna take it as it goes
I could go forward in the light
Well I better fold my clothes


it gives me goosebumps every time I hear it sung or read.



@littlemetalpixie

I paused the song to find out if anyone in the comments section had explained the meaning of the number 33 in the title.

Another commenter did indeed post that information.

I took a screenshot of it, because God did that thing where he used Bon Iver to completely and totally blow my mind...

Because I'd unintentionally and randomly paused the song at exactly 33 seconds.

Jeremiah 33:3 - Call to Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knoweth not.



All comments from YouTube:

@Zvn1c

When he says "I better fold my clothes."
I felt that. I'm doing laundry right now.

@VK-pk8uz

It's a Gatsby reference.

@jproxursoxoff

😂🤣

@boastherkildsen1120

Stay strong. Doing laundry is no joke.

@runaway09

😂😂😂

@sendmommyhelp

omg same

@Wild__Jed

something about the line: 'i'd be happy as hell if you stayed for tea' Makes me so happy

@krazykat9709

Aint no happiness in hell. I pretty much can guess that there won't be any tea either. Plenty of opportunities to boil water mind.

@han5965

Krazy Kat dude wtf

@FinnaeusEasterly

Strangely that line makes me cry. I have a different connection to his music because of a friend that was murdered.

More Comments

More Versions