is k… Read Full Bio ↴Alexander Ebert is an American singer-songwriter born May 12, 1978
is known for being the lead singer and songwriter of the American band
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
with which he composed three studio albums:
Up from Below (2009)
Here (2012)
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros (2013)
Alexander Ebert released a solo album in 2011 titled "Alexander"
In 2013 he composed the soundtrack for the movie "All is Lost" starring Robert Redford.
Also in 2013 he won a Grammy with Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros for the video / documentary Big Easy Express.
January 12, 2014 Alex Ebert was honored with a Golden Globe for best soundtrack in a movie, "All is Lost"
Previously he was the leader of the band Ima Robot
Ima Robot (2003)
Monument to the Masses (2006)
Another Man's Treasure (2010)
All Is Lost
Alexander Ebert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spiders with ancient eyes
Black dogs who come in herds
Old Man, the word
Old Man, the word
Raised on golden days
God love the USA
Young men today
He heard them say
Amen, Amen, Amen
I'll never say goodbye
I'll never tell you lies
I'm never gonna die
Amen, Amen, Amen
Became the power man
Raised on the ocean
His hands, wrinkled brown
Melt with the sound, melt with the sound
Heros in silver scenes
Real men never scream
Old man I heard you dream
Old man, the sound
Amen, Amen, Amen
Young man's memories
Stay with the summer leaves
Old man, we can not see
Old men decay
Slip slow away
Old man, we'll hold your face
The suns danced for your song
Old man looked around
Heard but the sound
Amen, Amen, Amen
I'll never say goodbye
I'll never tell you lies
I'm never gonna die
Amen, Amen, Amen
Amen, Amen, Amen
The song 'All Is Lost' by Alexander Ebert seems to be an introspective look into the life of an old man who has lived a long life and is now on the verge of death. The first stanza of the song describes how the old man is 'hypnotized' and has 'ancient eyes.' He has seen and experienced a lot in his life and it seems that he may have had to deal with some dark experiences, like the 'black dogs who come in herds.' However, it seems that the old man has learned something from these experiences and has become wise, hence the reference to him as 'Old Man, the word.'
The second stanza talks about the old man's youth that was full of 'golden days', 'purple haze' and love for America. It seems like the old man is from an older generation, one that was patriotic and had a strong sense of national identity. However, the stanza ends with the young people of today saying 'Amen,' which could be seen as a sign of acceptance of the old man's beliefs or a mocking of them.
The last stanza seems to be a tribute to the old man and his legacy. The memories that he has created will 'stay with the summer leaves' long after he is gone. The stanza ends with 'Amen' being repeated thrice, which could signify acceptance, closure or a final goodbye.
Line by Line Meaning
Old Man hypnotized
The old man is in a trance-like state
Spiders with ancient eyes
There are spiders with eyes that are aged
Black dogs who come in herds
Herds of black dogs appear
Old Man, the word
The old man is able to communicate in a special way
Raised on golden days
The person was brought up during a time of prosperity and happiness
God love the USA
The person has a deep appreciation for the United States of America
Fed on the purple haze
The person has consumed substances that have altered their perception of reality
Young men today
Present-day youth are being observed
He heard them say
The person is listening to what others are expressing
Amen, Amen, Amen
The person affirms their belief
I'll never say goodbye
The person will never leave
I'll never tell you lies
The person will always be truthful
I'm never gonna die
The person believes that they will live forever
Became the power man
A person has become very influential
Raised on the ocean
The individual has been moulded by the sea
His hands, wrinkled brown
The individual has weathered skin on their hands that is slightly darker than their normal skin tone
Melt with the sound, melt with the sound
There is an emotional connection to the music being played
Heros in silver scenes
There are individuals who have been successful in trying circumstances
Real men never scream
True men are always strong and quiet
Old man I heard you dream
It is stated that an elderly individual might have dreamt something
Old man, the sound
The old man is very knowledgeable and his speech carries weight
Young man's memories
The recollections of a youngster remain with them
Stay with the summer leaves
As long as the summer leaves are around, memories persist
Old man, we can not see
An elderly individual's future is unknown to us
Old men decay
As people get older, their bodies begin to break down
Slip slow away
As time goes on, everything becomes hazy and distant
Old man, we'll hold your face
As time goes on, people will support the old man
The suns danced for your song
The imagery of the sun 'dancing' for the person's song is very powerful
Old man looked around
The old man examined his surroundings
Heard but the sound
The only sensation left to him was hearing
Contributed by Violet P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.