After playing in New York and touring the US and Europe from 2009–2010, in the summer of 2010 McMahon released the Murder Dull Mind EP, a collection of the apartment recordings made while in Beijing, on Sacred Bones. This past January, he began recording for his second full length, Through Donkey Jaw, his first proper recordings in almost five years. Where Murder Dull Mind was sparse, mostly acoustic and almost all first-take improvisation, this new work contains many more fully-realized sounds and songs; it is very much the winter to Murder Dull Mind’s summer.
White Child
Amen Dunes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sand to the sky
Lean back and I close my eyes
Everything I do is almost right
When I play the White Child
Some days when I don't feel right
Some days when my coat don't fit right
In Bath I had separation
Everyone was stoned white
If it's not enough
If everything did agree
If my mother could stand up
I think she would agree
Now where can I hide
Nowhere feels right
Lean back and I close my eyes
Saw the film and I cried all night
When you played the White Child
Your face, I can see at night
Lipstick and your hair just right
If you put me in the situation
I'm scared to make the wrong decision
Everything is stoned white
Cause if it's not enough
And everything did agree
If my mother could stand up
I think she would agree
The lyrics to Amen Dunes’ song White Child are enigmatic and dreamlike, conveying a sense of uncertainty and longing for acceptance. The first stanza imbues the sense of someone trying to escape reality and their emotions, as they “lean back and close” their eyes, trying to find solace in the “White Child”. This escape is characterized by feelings of lament, as the person feels everything they do is “almost right” but not quite. In the second stanza, the lyrics take a turn towards introspection, as the person realizes that sometimes they feel inadequate and that their expectations don’t always match up with reality, resulting in “degradation”. The setting in Bath, where everyone was “stoned white”, refers to the homogeneity of society and how people can lose their individuality in a crowd.
In the final stanza, the person is grappling with their identity, asking “where can I hide” and feeling disconnected from everything around them. The memory of a lost love returns, as the person recalls the image of their face at night, with “lipstick and your hair just right”. This nostalgia, coupled with fears of making the wrong decision, conveys a sense of uncertainty and desperation as the person seeks a sense of belonging. The repeated refrain of “if it’s not enough / and everything did agree / if my mother could stand up / I think she would agree” serves to underscore the overarching theme of longing for connection and validation.
Line by Line Meaning
From my hands to my eyes
I am raising my hands to look towards the sky with my eyes to see the vastness of it all.
Sand to the sky
The sand below me and the sky above me stretch infinitely.
Lean back and I close my eyes
I lean back and close my eyes to appreciate the view before me.
Everything I do is almost right
I feel like I am on the right path in my life, but not quite there yet.
When I play the White Child
I find solace in playing music.
Some days when I don't feel right
There are days when I feel a bit uneasy or anxious.
Some days when my coat don't fit right
There are days when everything just feels off or uncomfortable.
That's when I get degradation
In these moments, I start to feel less confident or capable.
In Bath I had separation
During my time in Bath, I felt disconnected or separated from others.
Everyone was stoned white
The environment around me seemed cold and sterile.
If it's not enough
If what I am doing or feeling is not enough for me to find happiness.
If everything did agree
If everything in my life was working harmoniously and in agreement with one another.
If my mother could stand up
If my mother were still alive and well enough to see the person I have become.
I think she would agree
I believe she would be proud of me and what I have accomplished.
Now where can I hide
I am searching for a place of safety or comfort.
Nowhere feels right
I cannot find a place that feels like home or that offers me peace of mind.
Saw the film and I cried all night
I watched a movie that moved me deeply and caused me to feel emotional for an extended period of time.
When you played the White Child
The music you played brought me a sense of comfort and safety.
Your face, I can see at night
Your face appears in my dreams and keeps me company at night.
Lipstick and your hair just right
I remember how beautiful you looked with your lipstick and hair fixed perfectly.
If you put me in the situation
If you were to place me in a difficult or uncertain situation.
I'm scared to make the wrong decision
I am afraid of making choices that will lead me down the wrong path.
Everything is stoned white
The world around me feels cold and unfeeling.
Contributed by Luke A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kaitlin Morgan
From my hands to my eyes
Sand to the sky
Lean back and I close my eyes
Everything I do is almost right
When I play the White Child
Some days when I don't feel right
Some days when my coat don't fit right
That's when I get degradation
In Bath I had separation
Everyone was stoned white
If it's not enough
If everything did agree
If my mother could stand up
I think she would agree
Now where can I hide
Nowhere feels right
Lean back and I close my eyes
Saw the film and I cried all night
When you played the White Child
Your face, I can see at night
Lipstick and your hair just right
If you put me in the situation
I'm scared to make the wrong decision
Everything is stoned white
Cause if it's not enough
And everything did agree
If my mother could stand up
I think she would agree
Kaitlin Morgan
From my hands to my eyes
Sand to the sky
Lean back and I close my eyes
Everything I do is almost right
When I play the White Child
Some days when I don't feel right
Some days when my coat don't fit right
That's when I get degradation
In Bath I had separation
Everyone was stoned white
If it's not enough
If everything did agree
If my mother could stand up
I think she would agree
Now where can I hide
Nowhere feels right
Lean back and I close my eyes
Saw the film and I cried all night
When you played the White Child
Your face, I can see at night
Lipstick and your hair just right
If you put me in the situation
I'm scared to make the wrong decision
Everything is stoned white
Cause if it's not enough
And everything did agree
If my mother could stand up
I think she would agree
Nicholas DeVries
Thank you!
Norm LeBus
Wonderful to be able to be able to preview the whole album before buying on iTunes. muchas gracias (and, what a slanting and enchanting, dope release!)
Luis Daniel Lupercio Macias
Esta canción es una de mis más escuchadas últimamente, la primera fue durante un viaje en bus, era la 1:24 de la mañana mientras veía el paisaje oscuro del camino, nunca olvidaré la impotencia que sentí con la misteriosa desolación que el ambiente nocturno invadía mientras la melodía avanzaba
Adrian Casado
Que puta pasada de disco.
Folks Around
Beautiful
Woof Dog
I think the chord progression in one section is slightly similar to ‘Shes Electric’ by Oasis..very subtle
Valentina Fernandois
Glad this is in yuotube thanks!
DM R
Valentina F. G. Sure no royalties. I'm here for comments thank you
Gbrainy
I'm looking for a song by an artist I don't know, from a Discover Weekly playilst that I unfortunately lost. I can't recall anything about the song, but I remember the album art was extremely similar to this. The album art had two women on it though, running toward the camera, I want to say one was holding a lantern, and it was twilight blue like this blue only maybe more royal blue, anyway...if anyone has any ideas. It's a shot in the dark....but worth a try.