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
Little Ones Run
A Silver Mt. Zion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sky's a mess and falling down
I woke up scared and stumbled out
Where day chased night the birds where shouting
The wind all night and through the dawn
So all their nests broke on the ground
Their little chests and whispering hearts
They gather up what's left to save
And leave the rest and fly away
The big one hunt, the little ones
And the little ones run
Oh little one run run run...
The song Little Ones Run by A Silver Mt. Zion tells a story about a morning where the birds' world is turned upside down. The opening line, "Wake up darling the moon is gone" suggests a feeling of disorientation and chaos. The imagery of "the sky's a mess and falling down" amplifies this feeling. The singer, who woke up scared, discovers that the wind had been blowing all night and through the dawn, causing the nests to break on the ground, along with the little chests, whispering hearts, and tiny breaths of the baby birds.
The next lines, "They gather up what's left to save, and leave the rest and fly away," show the resilience of the birds and their instinct to survive. However, they are not safe as "the big one hunt, the little ones, and the little ones run." The phrase "the big one" implies a predator or danger that the little ones must flee from.
Overall, the song depicts a world where nothing is certain, and even the smallest of creatures must fight to overcome the obstacles in their path. It highlights the fragility of life and the beauty of survival.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up darling the moon is gone
The night is over and it's time to get up and face the reality of a new day.
The sky's a mess and falling down
The world is in chaos, with everything falling apart and no clear direction or purpose.
I woke up scared and stumbled out
The singer is uncertain and anxious, not sure what to do or where to go.
Where day chased night the birds where shouting
In the midst of all the confusion, there is still activity and noise, with birds calling out and living their lives.
The wind all night and through the dawn
The weather is unsettled and tumultuous, with the wind blowing all night and into the morning.
So all their nests broke on the ground
The birds' homes and structures have been destroyed by the harsh conditions.
Their little chests and whispering hearts
The birds are vulnerable and fragile, with beating hearts and fragile spirits.
And tiny breaths all fall apart
The birds' very existence is threatened, with their ability to breathe and live in peril.
They gather up what's left to save
Despite the destruction, the birds try to salvage what they can and cling to hope.
And leave the rest and fly away
Some things cannot be salvaged or repaired, and the birds must abandon them and move on.
The big one hunt, the little ones
In the natural order of the world, the strong prey on the weak.
And the little ones run
Those who are vulnerable and powerless must flee or risk being destroyed.
Oh little one run run run...
The repeated plea to run is a desperate cry for safety and shelter from the dangers of the world.
Contributed by Miles S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.