A Silver Mt. Zion is a band formed in 1999, in Montreal, Quebec, by Godspeed You! Black Emperor musicians Efrim Menuck, Sophie Trudeau and Thierry Amar. According to an interview with VPRO Radio in The Netherlands, originally the project was for Efrim to learn how to score music, but the idea was soon abandoned as Efrim decided that he preferred music not to be defined by rules, preferring simply what sounds best. Despite this, he continued the project out of a desire to experiment with ideas that would not work within the context of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The decision to record an album was partly inspired by the death of his dog Wanda, who had died while Godspeed You! Black Emperor was on tour. He wanted to record an album in her memory, but did not feel that he could effectively do this through Godspeed's collective, consensus format.
Unlike Godspeed You! Black Emperor, A Silver Mt. Zion's music often features vocals. The last few albums they have released contain no purely instrumental tracks. Efrim confessed that he was uncomfortable with this at first, feeling "foolish" and uncomfortable with the role of the singer in music generally. That is, he did not want to be the focus of the band's music but rather wished to use vocals as a stylistic tool. Some fans were initially ambivalent about the use of vocals, but Efrim's poetic lyrical style is now well respected among fans. Furthermore, A Silver Mt. Zion's fanbase has expanded, and they are no longer seen merely as an offshoot of Godspeed You! Black Emperor but as a unique and separate entity.
The addition of members has moved their music from a well weighted, and curiously empty (in terms of space) sound to all encompassing and complex arrangements, recently focusing more on vocal layers.
Other than the main three members, various other people joined the band for recording and touring including: Beckie Foon, Ian Ilavsky, Jessica Moss and Scott Levine Gilmore.
A Silver Mt. Zion:
2000: He Has Left Us Alone, but Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms...
The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band:
2001: Born into Trouble as the Sparks Fly Upward
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band With Choir:
2003: "This Is Our Punk-Rock," Thee Rusted Satellites Gather + Sing,
Thee Silver Mountain Reveries:
2004: Pretty Little Lightning Paw (EP)
Silver Mt. Zion:
2004: Song of the Silent Land - contributed track "Iron Bridge to Thunder Bay"
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band:
2005: Horses in the Sky
2008: 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra:
2010: Kollaps Tradixionales
2012: The West Will Rise Again (EP)
2014: Hang On to Each Other (EP)
2014: Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything
Austerity Blues
A Silver Mt. Zion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dull and young and bright and old
But thieves and liars rule everything we know
And thieves and liars rule everything that grows
All we want is what we're owed
We've all of us carried this load
Fucking high and awful low
God we've tried how much we've tried
Drunk and high we've seen the sun rise
Many sleepless nights we've seen
The sun collapsed on everything
It's only love that's worth to sing
These bells are broke but still they ring
Love and love's the only thing
Shut up awhile the birds are singing
God we've tried how much we've tried
Drunk and high we've seen the sun rise
Many sleepless nights we've seen
The sun on top of everything
Love is all that's worth to sing
We're deep in it and still we bring
The bells are broke but still they ring
The sun on top of everything
Lord let my son live long enough to see that mountain torn down
Lord let my son live long enough to see that mountain torn down
Lord let my son live long enough to see that mountain torn down
etc ...
The lyrics of Austerity Blues by A Silver Mt. Zion depict a feeling of exhaustion and frustration caused by the weight of carrying a heavy load, both physically and metaphorically. The first verse suggests that despite everyone's different backgrounds and experiences, the world is ruled by selfish and deceitful people who hold power over everything. The second verse further emphasizes the idea that all people want is what they are owed, but they have been forced to bear the burden of their struggles alone.
The chorus looks towards the idea of love as hope in the face of darkness. Despite the difficulty of life and the struggles faced, the singers of the song have persisted and tried their best, using love as their motivation. The birds singing symbolize the natural beauty and simplicity that can be found even in the midst of turmoil.
The final verse brings out a sense of urgency, begging for change to come. The mountain mentioned could represent the societal norms or institutions that hold down the people in poverty, and the desire to see it torn down represents the hope for a brighter future.
Overall, Austerity Blues is a song that expresses feelings of weariness and frustration, but also offers hope through love and the potential for change.
Line by Line Meaning
We've all of us carried our load
All of us have carried our own share of the burden
Dull and young and bright and old
Regardless of age or personality, everyone carries this load
But thieves and liars rule everything we know
The people in charge are dishonest and untrustworthy
And thieves and liars rule everything that grows
Those in power control even the things that are supposed to be natural and wild
All we want is what we're owed
All we want is what we rightfully deserve
Fucking high and awful low
Sometimes we feel on top of the world and other times we feel extremely low
God we've tried how much we've tried
We've put in a lot of effort and it feels like it's not enough
Drunk and high we've seen the sun rise
We've experienced the highs of life but also the lows of addiction and substance abuse
Many sleepless nights we've seen
We've had a lot of nights where we couldn't sleep due to stress and anxiety
The sun collapsed on everything
It can feel like everything is falling apart and the world is ending
It's only love that's worth to sing
Love is the only thing that truly matters
These bells are broke but still they ring
Even though things are broken and imperfect, they still have value and meaning
Love and love's the only thing
Again, love is the only thing that truly matters
Shut up awhile the birds are singing
Take a moment to appreciate the beauty and simplicity of nature
Lord let my son live long enough to see that mountain torn down
A plea for a better future where the oppressive structures that exist can be torn down
Contributed by Arianna S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.