8
Bon Iver Lyrics
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What I have and haven't held
You called and I came, stayed tall through it all
Fall and fixture just the same thing
Say nothing of my fable, no
What on earth is left to come
Who's agonized and gnawed through it all
I'm standing in your street now, no
And I carry his guitar
And I can't recall it lightly at all
But I know I'm going in
Too much for me to pick up, no
Not sure what forgiveness is
We've galvanized the squall of it all
I can leave behind the harbor
I will run (all around it)
Have to crawl (still can't stop it)
Along the fires
One more time just pass me by
I'ma make it half the night
Hall light wishes
To walk aside your favor
I'm an Astuary King
I'll keep in a cave, your comfort and all
Unburdened and becoming
I will run (all around it)
(Sailing off and on, you're on your honor)
Have to crawl
(Carry off and up your seize) still can't
I will run (carry up love along unfettered time)
Now Mona, now Mona
Haven't I locked up my failure (sailing off and ore your odd, your honor)
From the core to the sky
Wouldn't I be last to see? (Carry off and up your seize)
From the door 'til we die
Deny with love my labor (carry up with love a long)
Was it all I could find (we live outside)
Keep waking up high
The song "8" by Bon Iver is a complex poem that speaks of profound thoughts that are hard to comprehend but also makes you feel lost. It opens with the line "philosophize your figure," which can be understood as staring at oneself and figuring out who we are on the inside. The next line speaks about what we've had in our hands and what we haven't. It's about the moments we've lived and those that we've missed. The verse goes onto portray a person who is always there when needed, always upright, no matter what comes their way. But sometimes falling hard, which would consistently build them up again - it’s the same thing.
The chorus begins with a plea to not speak about their past, mainly their failures. There's a feeling of loss of hope and questioning what's left of everything in life. The second line of the chorus talks about how everyone has struggled and suffered through life, but the singer is underneath the person's tongue. The tongue is an intimate part of one's body, and being there could mean being something uncomfortable or unpleasant. The singer stands in the person's street and carries another man's guitar, and it's not easy to remember lightly, but the singer knows they must go on with their life, even though it doesn't make sense.
The second verse begins with the singer explaining how there's way too much to pick up, and they don't even know what forgiveness is. They feel like they've lived through a storm, but the storm is energized by everyone, and they can leave it behind. The next lines are about crawling and running through the fire and have an underlying sense of urgency. The singer says that they will run around it.
Overall, the song is a reflection of the complexities of life, and how even though we may fail, we must keep going, and keep living life with our heads held high. It’s about understanding and accepting our emotions and thoughts, but also pushing through to continue to grow and live.
Line by Line Meaning
Philosophize your figure
Contemplate and ponder on the essence of who you are and what you embody.
What I have and haven't held
Reflecting on what I've gained and what I've missed out on in life.
You called and I came, stayed tall through it all
I answered your call, remained steadfast and strong despite the difficult circumstances.
Fall and fixture just the same thing
Change and stability are two sides of the same coin.
Say nothing of my fable, no
Do not speak of my story, it is not worth mentioning.
What on earth is left to come
There is nothing left to happen in my life.
Who's agonized and gnawed through it all
Who has suffered and struggled through everything.
I'm underneath your tongue
I am deeply ingrained in your thoughts.
I'm standing in your street now, no
I am present in your immediate environment.
And I carry his guitar
I carry his legacy with me.
And I can't recall it lightly at all
I remember it vividly and with intensity.
But I know I'm going in
But I know I am moving forward in life.
Too much for me to pick up, no
It is too overwhelming for me to handle.
Not sure what forgiveness is
I am uncertain about the concept of forgiveness.
We've galvanized the squall of it all
We've strengthened and united ourselves during the chaos of everything.
I can leave behind the harbor
I can move away from this place of safety and embark on a journey of adventure.
I will run (all around it)
I will run all over the place in search of answers.
Have to crawl (still can't stop it)
Sometimes I have to slow down and move slowly despite the urge to go faster.
Along the fires
I will travel alongside danger and temptation.
One more time just pass me by
I will get through this one more time.
I'ma make it half the night
I will make it through half the night.
Hall light wishes
Hoping for a way out and a better tomorrow.
To walk aside your favor
To journey beside your kindness and compassion.
I'm an Astuary King
I am a ruler and master of my own destiny.
I'll keep in a cave, your comfort and all
I'll hide in a cave and keep your comfort with me, so I can feel more secure.
Unburdened and becoming
I am becoming free from the weight of the past and the stress of the present.
Now Mona, now Mona
Addressing someone named Mona, possibly as a plea for help.
Haven't I locked up my failure (sailing off and ore your odd, your honor)
Haven't I kept my failures safely locked away, despite the difficulty.
From the core to the sky
From the deepest part of my being to the furthest reaches of the universe.
Wouldn't I be last to see? (Carry off and up your seize)
Wouldn't I be the last one to notice or be aware of something, despite being there.
From the door 'til we die
From birth until death.
Deny with love my labor (carry up with love a long)
I will deny my work and effort with love and kindness towards others.
Was it all I could find (we live outside)
Was this all I could discover in life, or is there more out there.
Keep waking up high
To keep waking up excited and hopeful for each new day.
Lyrics © SECRETLY PUBLISHING, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Justin Deyarmond Edison Vernon, Michael L. Lewis, Ryan Olson, Brandon Burton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@greatwanna
Since everybody is doing it, let me share with my personal experience with this song here.
Three years ago, I had a surgery and removed my gallbladder. I was 21 years old at the time. Gallstones are common disease and many people had ruptures with it.
But at that age, young people think that they are invincible, or at least that they are far from unhelthiness and unwellness of your body. I used to drink a lot, eat a lot, yet i was in a good shape, and never considered of my health. I'd never had any disease, ever. Then several ruptures happened and I was taken to the hospital. It was ground breaking for me because I never had any idea of a pain that comes from the result of my bad lifestyle. That was for sure painful. I had several surgeries eventually and ate bland hospital food for several weeks.
The freedom I had was suddenly disappeared. Then during the "imprisonment" in the hospital, I thought about many things of my future. Some people think that gallstone is nothing of pain because many people go through it, but to the people who actually experienced it, that's a life-changing event. Being able to experience at the mere 21 years old was one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me. This changed my perspective.
When I got out the hospital after the surgery, I played the latest Bon Iver album at the time. And this song hit me and my soul. I remember the sky was blue as cobalt, the sun was cheerful as it's been. The hospital was located in the sub-urban area of a Japanese city. It was after noon on a week day, there were many elderlies walking on the street. And I specifically remember wondering what life these people had gone through. And every time I play this song, I have that vision in my head
@stevestiles4091
After my wedding, my wife and I choose to have everyone leave the venue while we stayed and danced alone to this song as a newly married couple in an empty venue. We both had tears running down our faces.. probably the best moment of my entire life
@mangofree
This is so beautiful. Congratulations to you two!
@jasonsilva9654
Sounds like a beautiful moment! Blessings to your family
@furiousstyles7998
Lemme guess
you both fell asleep while dancing to this boring ass song
@abcd00004
Man, that is what I want if I ever get married. Congratulations to the both of you ❣️❣️❣️
@christianbuddie1630
Steve Stiles, you're awesome.
@spacemanbassman1608
I think this is the closest Vernon's ever got to converting his literal soul to audio.
@DR_anks
And what did it profit this man?
@mikemcm
Possibly nothing. But it has brought some beauty to millions of people's lives.
@TheOtherDeimos747
Faith just came pretty damn close as well