The songs for her album, 'The Pirate’s Gospel', were written on a trip to Europe. They were recorded in her father’s studio and were initially self-released in 2004, in paper and lace sleeves with hand lettering. The album was issued in revised form by Holocene Music in October 2006, and received widespread critical acclaim.
A new song, "Dry Grass and Shadows", was issued on a compilation of Nevada City artists, and five more new songs were issued on a limited-edition 10" vinyl pressing, Songs Whistled Through White Teeth, released in the UK in October 2006. The Pirate's Gospel was released in the UK on Names Records in April 2007, garnering favorable reviews in The Times and NME.
Alela Diane has toured in the USA both solo and with Tom Brosseau, and has also opened for the Decemberists, Akron/Family and Vashti Bunyan. She performed in the UK in April and August 2007. According to a relatively recent interview, her second album is to be expected shortly. She now lives in Nevada City, California.
She toured Europe (UK, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany) in March, April and May 2008.
Before the Leaving
Alela Diane Lyrics
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A light by the bed, stains on the floor
And it's here I will wait out the storm
Killing time on the fringes again
Before the leaving, before the leaving
There are big trucks that wind and I'd trade them for ours
Side by side, we pass through towns we'll never see
Killing time on the fringes again
Before the leaving, before the leaving
There are red velvet seats in the windowless rooms
A curtain to draw, and faces to please
And it's here I will wait out the storm
Killing time on the fringes again
Before the leaving, before the leaving
Tarmac the freight, fortress the fate
Scarlet red leaves, the cobblestone streets
The city, the field, the channel, the cape
The smell of cold smoke tunnels through slate
It's all brought us back
Now there's wood that you stacked
And it's on our front porch
And it's staring me down
And it tells me you left...
The lyrics to Alela Diane's song "Before the Leaving" narrate the experience of waiting for something to happen, whether it's waiting out a storm in a hotel room, passing through towns in a truck, or performing in a windowless room. The repeated phrase "before the leaving" suggests that the singer is anticipating some kind of departure or goodbye, which makes the waiting all the more poignant. The first verse describes the loneliness and mundanity of being stuck in a hotel room, with its sterile white walls, single light source, and stained floors. The second verse speaks to a sense of longing and restlessness, as the singer wishes for the freedom and adventure of the big trucks that pass them by. The third verse shifts to a more performative space, where the singer is trying to please an ephemeral audience by drawing curtains and putting on faces. Throughout the song, there's a sense of being caught between one thing and another, whether it's between towns, between performances, or between stages of life.
Line by Line Meaning
There are four white walls in every damn hotel
All hotels are the same and predictable, with identical characteristics that make it difficult to distinguish one from the other.
A light by the bed, stains on the floor
The basic amenities of a hotel room - a bed and a light - are present, but there are also flaws and blemishes that reveal the room's use by countless strangers before oneself.
And it's here I will wait out the storm
Staying in hotels like these is a temporary escape from the world, in which one can weather emotional and personal upheaval.
Killing time on the fringes again
The act of staying in a hotel to hide from the world is just a way of passing the time that doesn't truly address the underlying issues that are causing one to want to escape.
Before the leaving, before the leaving
The hotel stays are a way of postponing the inevitable moment of having to leave and return to one's life outside of it.
There are big trucks that wind and I'd trade them for ours
The freedom and mobility that comes with driving a personal vehicle is in stark contrast to the journey of being a passenger in a long-haul truck as a means of travel.
Side by side, we pass through towns we'll never see
The act of driving through multiple towns and cities is only a surface level experience and does not allow for deeper connections with the places and people being passed by.
There are red velvet seats in the windowless rooms
In contrast to the stark hotel rooms, there are luxurious yet claustrophobic experiences such as sitting in a red velvet chair in a windowless room that ultimately cannot satisfy one's inner desires.
A curtain to draw, and faces to please
In these types of experiences, one must perform for others and put on a facade to please them, rather than being true to oneself.
Tarmac the freight, fortress the fate
The hard work of transportation and logistics is a way of creating a sense of certainty and control in an unpredictable world.
Scarlet red leaves, the cobblestone streets
The beauty of the changing seasons and old-fashioned streets are small things that make life feel worthwhile.
The city, the field, the channel, the cape
The various geographies that one travels through on their journey of life are vast and varied, each with their own unique challenges and pleasures.
The smell of cold smoke tunnels through slate
The sensory experiences of traveling include memorable moments that can be triggered by a particular smell, such as that of smoke on slate.
It's all brought us back
Despite the transience of travel, there are certain places and people that have a way of drawing us back time and time again.
Now there's wood that you stacked
After a journey, one returns home to find things unchanged and waiting for them, like the stack of wood on the front porch.
And it's on our front porch
The familiarity of coming home and seeing something like a stack of wood in its usual place is grounding and gives a sense of belonging.
And it's staring me down
However, coming home can also be overwhelming and stir up feelings of responsibility and the need to confront the issues that caused one to want to leave in the first place.
And it tells me you left...
Seeing the stack of wood, a reminder of the person who stacked it, can be painful, as it serves as a reminder that they are no longer there with you.
Writer(s): Alela Diane
Contributed by Logan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.