Farewell to Iron Bastards
Banner Pilot Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Settle in 'cause the road going west got drowned
A river's running through this town
It picks me up that for a few more days you'll stick around
'Cause alone I'm sick, get sad quick, hate no sound

We're inside while their cars are stalling, drying out with the raindrops falling down
And tonight, tonight you've opened up my world, so thank you
Smiling hard like my face was frozen, I figure out what I can't when you're not around

And tonight, tonight you've opened up my world, so thank you

Told you once that if life got too grim, I'd coast
To Common Bay, become a ghost
I'd tie some weights on and think about what I'd loved the most
You in Minnesota air, alone and standing there, I've been so close

We're inside while their cars are stalling, drying out with the raindrops falling down
And tonight, tonight you've opened up my world, so thank you
Smiling hard like my face was frozen, I figure out what I can't when you're not around
And tonight, tonight you've opened up my world, so thank you

In the midst of enough, how'd I end up starving?
It's a foreign country that never felt like home

Took a storm and a drink, washing out pretense, puddled up on the floor, soaking up defense
Squinting eyes makes the world make a bit more sense, you know?

Overall Meaning

The song "Farewell to Iron Bastards" by Banner Pilot is a heartfelt ballad about the struggles of life and the importance of having someone to hold onto during tough times. The opening lyrics, "Settle in 'cause the road going west got drowned, a river's running through this town," set the scene for a journey through difficult paths, symbolized by the drowning road and the river. The singer then talks about how just having someone around for a few days can provide a sense of comfort and help ease the pain of loneliness.

The chorus of the song refers to the singer's significant other, who has opened up their world and made everything feel brighter. The line "And tonight, tonight you've opened up my world, so thank you" is a simple but powerful statement of gratitude, highlighting the importance of having someone to lean on when life gets tough.

The second verse takes a darker turn, as the singer talks about their willingness to end their life if things ever got too grim. However, they also express their deep love for their partner, evoking the image of them alone in the Minnesota air. The contrast between these two ideas emphasizes the importance of having someone to live for and how love can provide hope even in the bleakest of times.

Overall, "Farewell to Iron Bastards" is a deeply emotional song that speaks to the human need for connection and the power of love and gratitude to provide comfort in difficult times.

Line by Line Meaning

Settle in 'cause the road going west got drowned
Get comfortable because the path towards the west is flooded and inaccessible.

A river's running through this town
There's a river that flows through this place.

It picks me up that for a few more days you'll stick around
I'm glad that you'll be here for a few additional days.

'Cause alone I'm sick, get sad quick, hate no sound
When I'm alone, I feel unwell, become unhappy, and hate the silence.

We're inside while their cars are stalling, drying out with the raindrops falling down
We're indoors while their cars are having trouble and it's raining outside.

And tonight, tonight you've opened up my world, so thank you
You've significantly changed my perspective tonight, and I am grateful.

Smiling hard like my face was frozen, I figure out what I can't when you're not around
I am grinning very broadly, I finally realize what I can't when you're not here.

Told you once that if life got too grim, I'd coast
I previously told you that if things got too hard, I'd give up and leave.

To Common Bay, become a ghost
I'd go over to Common Bay and become invisible.

I'd tie some weights on and think about what I'd loved the most
I'd attach some weights to myself and reflect upon what I cherished the most.

You in Minnesota air, alone and standing there, I've been so close
When you were standing alone in the Minnesota air, I was very close to you.

In the midst of enough, how'd I end up starving?
Despite having enough, why am I still unsatisfied?

It's a foreign country that never felt like home
It's a land far away that never felt like home.

Took a storm and a drink, washing out pretense, puddled up on the floor, soaking up defense
I became emotional after experiencing a storm and having a drink, causing me to remove my pretensions and become vulnerable.

Squinting eyes makes the world make a bit more sense, you know?
Squinting my eyes helps me to comprehend the world a little better, don't you agree?

Contributed by Asher I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS