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
Could've Moved Mountains...
A Silver Mt. Zion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Please believe)
And the community is blind
(In labor and hope)
Yell
(And joy)
And it's colder and pouring
And the sun is not shining
(I have destroyed)
Here
(Hope and joy)
And we're tangled in the sheet
(And lately I dream about)
Of each other's ruined
(Angels with molotovs)
Affair
Half of us are faking
(And nightly they fist me)
And the other half is tired
(Wrists like tender trucks)
And scared
And these hands could've moved mountains
These hands could've moved mountains
The song "Could've Moved Mountains" by A Silver Mt. Zion is a commentary on the state of society and the struggles that individuals are faced with. The opening lines describe the sick and blind state of the community, highlighting the need for change. The repetition of "yell" suggests a call for action and change, a need to break out of the current conditions.
The next stanza describes the bleakness of the current state, with the lack of sunshine and the feeling of destruction. The inclusion of "hope and joy" suggests that there is still a glimmer of positivity and a desire for something better. The following stanza describes the tangled and ruined affairs that people are caught up in, with half faking and the other half tired and scared. This further speaks to the need for change and addresses the struggles faced by individuals within the current system.
Line by Line Meaning
The community is sick
The community is diseased and suffering.
(Please believe)
The singer is imploring the listener to take their statement seriously and believe them.
And the community is blind
The community is ignorant and unable to see the truth.
(In labor and hope)
Despite their struggles, the members of the community continue to work and have faith in a better future.
Yell
The artist urges the listener to raise their voice and be heard.
(And joy)
Even in difficult times, there is still room for happiness.
And it's colder and pouring
The weather is harsh and unpleasant.
('Cause the light got little boy)
The reason for the poor weather is not specified, but it may be due to a loss of innocence and purity.
And the sun is not shining
The sun is not visible and the day is dark.
(I have destroyed)
The artist takes responsibility for the lack of light and warmth in their world.
Here
Despite the bleak conditions, the singer and the community are still present and persevering.
(Hope and joy)
Even in the darkest of times, there is still hope and joy to be found.
And we're tangled in the sheet
The members of the community are entwined and unable to extricate themselves from one another's problems.
Of each other's ruined
The community's troubles are caused in part by each other's past failures and mistakes.
Affair
The situation is complicated and unresolved.
Half of us are faking
Half of the community is pretending to be okay when they are not.
(And nightly they fist me)
The fakers are not only pretending, but are also causing harm to the artist, possibly through abuse.
And the other half is tired
The other half of the community is exhausted and worn out.
(Wrists like tender trucks)
They are physically and emotionally strained, with wrists that feel like they can't bear much more.
And these hands could've moved mountains
The artist is capable of great things.
These hands could've moved mountains
This line is repeated for emphasis, underscoring the artist's potential and the tragedy of their current situation.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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