Bodies of Water are a band from the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angel… Read Full Bio ↴Bodies of Water are a band from the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, signed to independent record label Secretly Canadian. The core group consists of married couple David and Meredith Metcalf. However, the band often plays LA shows with five or more additional musicians, such as horn players, an additional drummer, and strings. All members of the band sing, including players added for local shows.

Under The Pines
Bodies of Water Lyrics

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We all went out underneath the alder tree
And in alder shade we spoke so carefully
But way back against the knotted pines
It was dim, and things grew honest then

Under the pines

Now all of the tendons of the world are loosed

And in the dark light of pine we spoke the truth
Yes way back, oh things grew honest then
Paths diverge into the boring mist

Under the pines

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Bodies of Water's "Under The Pines" paint a vivid picture of a moment in time where people convened underneath an alder tree and had a meaningful conversation. The use of the phrase "in alder shade we spoke so carefully" suggests that the conversation was one that required caution and tact. However, it was when they moved "way back against the knotted pines" that the conversation became more honest and intimate. The dim light of the pine trees created a safe and reflective environment where the tendons of the world were loosed and people were able to speak the truth. It seems that the natural setting of the pine forest was an essential ingredient in creating this moment of openness and sincerity. The final line, "paths diverge into the boring mist" suggests that the moment passed and people went their separate ways, but the memory of that honest conversation will endure.

Line by Line Meaning

We all went out underneath the alder tree
We went outside and stood beneath the alder tree together

And in alder shade we spoke so carefully
In the shade of the alder tree, we spoke with caution and care

But way back against the knotted pines
Further back, near the tangled pine trees

It was dim, and things grew honest then
It was dark, and that's when we started to speak truthfully

Under the pines
We were all gathered under the pine trees

Now all of the tendons of the world are loosed
All the constraints of the world have been removed

And in the dark light of pine we spoke the truth
In the dim light of the pine trees, we were honest with each other

Yes way back, oh things grew honest then
Back when we were near the pine trees, we were truthful

Paths diverge into the boring mist
We are now going our separate ways into an unexciting future

Under the pines
Once again, we were standing together under the pine trees

Contributed by Alaina W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.