“Nothing happens to shatter the perfect surface,” The Guardian said in a review of Beach House’s fourth album, Bloom. It wasn’t meant as a compliment. But that bright, mirror-like surface is what makes “Myth” one of the Baltimore dream-pop band’s most powerful songs to date and places it among the purest versions of the enveloping sound they’ve refined for almost a decade.
(3/23/12): "’Myth’ was the first thing that as a band we presented directly on the internet.” ~ Victoria, La Luna de Metrópoli (El Mundo) (translated from Spanish)
(4/27/12): “We thought ‘Myth,’ as a first song, it's not so much as a single as it is a first song. It was a gateway. It was just a very beautiful gateway to the record. It is also the first song to the record itself. I think it was more about the feeling of it.” ~ Victoria, Miami New Times
(7/11/12): {i]Myth was put together largely on the road, touring after Teen Dream came out, right? “I wouldn't say ‘put together,’ but the genesis of a song, where the melody starts to come out, a lot of that did spring out during the sort of epic amount of touring we did after that record.” ~ Alex, Pittsburgh City Paper
(6/11/19): “We wrote this song in 2011, but it still vibrates in the ‘right’ way, so we keep its light burning.” ~ Alex, Baltimore
Myth
Beach House Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It came rolling down the cheek
Say just what you need
And in between, it's never as it seems
Help me to name it
Help me to name it
You'd know just what to give
What comes after this
Momentary bliss
Consequence of what you do to me
Help me to name it
Help me to name it
Found yourself in a new direction
Arrows falling from the sun
Canyon calling, would they come to greet you?
Let you know you're not the only one
Can't keep hanging on
To all that's dead and gone
If you built yourself a myth
You'd know just what to give
Materialize
Or let the ashes fly
Help me to name it
Help me to name it
The lyrics of Myth by Beach House are written in a metaphoric language that talk about self-discovery, finding one’s purpose in life and dealing with one’s past. The song suggests that sometimes we build our own mythology and narratives as a defense mechanism to get through difficult times. The first two lines “Drifting in and out, you see the road you're on, it came rolling down the cheek” can be interpreted as the struggle to find a balance between the present and the past. The singer is trying to find their bearings on the road they are on and how they got there. The road that comes rolling down the cheek might also refer to the tears shed while thinking about the past.
The chorus of the song is a plea to be helped in naming the narrative, myth or story that we have built for ourselves. This speaks to the idea that sometimes we can become lost in our own narratives and need someone to help us reflect and reevaluate our life story. The line “If you built yourself a myth you'd know just what to give” could be interpreted as a reference to how knowing one’s purpose and path in life can help give direction to one’s actions and make them purposeful. The singer also acknowledges that sometimes, moments of happiness or “momentary bliss” can come at a cost, hence the line “consequence of what you do to me”.
Line by Line Meaning
Drifting in and out, you see the road you're on
You are aware of the path you're on but your mind is not focused
It came rolling down the cheek
Tears roll down your cheek because you're troubled
Say just what you need
Express your desires, only what you need
And in between, it's never as it seems
What lies between isn't reality
Help me to name it
Assist me in identifying my current state
If you built yourself a myth
If you create your own mythology
You'd know just what to give
You would understand what to offer
What comes after this
What happens after the current state
Momentary bliss
Short-lived happiness
Consequence of what you do to me
Outcome of your actions towards me
Found yourself in a new direction
Discovered a fresh path
Arrows falling from the sun
Sunlight piercing through foliage
Canyon calling, would they come to greet you?
Wonders if nature will acknowledge your presence
Let you know you're not the only one
Informs you that you're not solitary in this experience
Can't keep hanging on
You can't cling to the past anymore
To all that's dead and gone
To everything that has passed away
Materialize
Become a reality
Or let the ashes fly
Or allow the remains to go away
Help me to name it
Assist me in identifying my current state
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Alex Kristian Scally, Victoria Garance Alixe Legrand
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@wcs9727
Drifting in and out
You see the road you're on
It came rolling down your cheek
You say just what you mean
And in between it's never as it seems
Help me to name it
Help me to name it
If you built yourself a myth
You'd know just what to give
What comes after this
Momentary bliss
The consequence of what you do to me
Help me to name it
Help me to name it
Found yourself in a new direction
Arrows falling from the sun
Canyon calling would they come to greet you
Let you know you're not the only one
Can't keep hanging on
To what is dead and gone
If you built yourself a myth
You'd know just what to give
Materialize
Or let the ashes fly
Help me to name it
Help me to name it
@superhans7989
listening to beach house during a car ride late at night is the best feeling ever
@edwarde5452
u suck noob I couldn't agree more. My car only has a cassette player so I play 'Depression Cherry' on tape.
@1f.0n1y
MF DOOM while being high
@brain8484
MF DOOM pathetic
@Vapingaftersex
or during the day while it rains
@briaormead4239
Or when it's 5 am and you are watching the sea rushing to shore in a balcony while taking a sip from your tea...
@AnnaMorgenstern
The lyrical climax to this song will blast your soul open.
@Bix12
This particular Beach House record is pure bliss. I think they are much better than most people give them credit
@macewinduhugs3036
Them being depressing shouldn't be a criticism.
@aiemiiyo4244
@@macewinduhugs3036 I mean it can because it can give bad vibes idk lol