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
What We Loved Was Not Enough
A Silver Mt. Zion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Man that's the only truth
And what we loved was not enough
Even though we wanted to
I learned it sick in bed
Mining golden vapors
Regrets like charms laid end to end
And this I learned and thus I gleaned
And what we loved was not enough
But kiss it quick and rise again
Kiss it quick and rise again
(The day has come when we no longer feel)
There'll be war in our cities
And riots at the mall
Blood on our doorsteps
And panics at the ball
All our cities gonna burn
All our bridges gonna snap
All our pennies gonna rot
Lightning roll across our tracks
All our children gonna die
All our children gonna die
All our children gonna die
Then the west will rise again
And then the west will rise again
So goodnight vain children
Tonight is yours, the lights are yours
If you'd just ask for more, then poverty and war
(The day has come when we no longer feel)
The lyrics of A Silver Mt. Zion's song What We Loved Was Not Enough represent a powerful message on the reality of life's impermanence and the need to appreciate and cherish the moments that we have. It starts by emphasizing that the world is constantly changing and consuming everything we hold dear, and despite our desires and efforts, what we love will never be enough.
The second verse further emphasizes this point, with the singer reflecting on past regrets and the sweetness of memories that have now passed. The message here is to enjoy what we have while we can, but also to learn from our losses and move forward. The chorus emphasizes the need to "kiss it quick and rise again," reminding us that although loss and pain will come, we must keep going and find new things to love.
The final verses take on a more apocalyptic tone, warning of the potential for war and destruction in our cities and the inevitable deaths of our children. The lyrics call for us to appreciate what we have, to ask for more while we still can, and to recognize the inevitability of death and destruction.
Overall, the song's lyrics are a powerful reflection on the fleeting nature of life and the importance of appreciating and cherishing what we have while we can, but also recognizing that nothing lasts forever.
Line by Line Meaning
The world itself consumed
The world has become ruined and spoiled beyond repair
Man that's the only truth
This is the undeniable truth that humans have to face
And what we loved was not enough
The things that humans cherished and held dear were insufficient to bring them happiness or alleviation from misery
Even though we wanted to
Despite the yearning for it, the previously valued possessions or experiences could not bring contentment
I learned it sick in bed
The lesson was taught to me while I was ill
Mining golden vapors
I was desperately trying to seek joy or solace in something intangible
Regrets like charms laid end to end
I was ruminating on the mistakes I had made, each one chaining to form a necklace of regret
And other sweet divinities
Yet I still searched for other things to provide comfort or salvation
And this I learned and thus I gleaned
This is what I came to comprehend and understand
But kiss it quick and rise again
Let go of the past quickly and move forward to a new day
There'll be war in our cities
There is a future of conflict and chaos coming
And riots at the mall
Even seemingly peaceful places will be in upheaval
Blood on our doorsteps
The violence and destruction will be at our doorstep
And panics at the ball
The chaos and distress will even affect the elites and privileged
All our cities gonna burn
All the cities will eventually turn into ruins
All our bridges gonna snap
The connections between people and places will fracture
All our pennies gonna rot
Even the symbols of wealth and power will decay away
Lightning roll across our tracks
The destruction will be swift and deadly
All our children gonna die
The young and innocent will suffer from the consequences of the actions of the present generations
Then the west will rise again
After the fall, a new era will emerge
So goodnight vain children
Sleep well, foolish and self-absorbed people
Tonight is yours, the lights are yours
Enjoy the temporary pleasures and distractions of the present moment
If you'd just ask for more, then poverty and war
But if you keep pursuing material wealth and power, you'll be the cause of scarcity and conflict
Contributed by Caden K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.