The name 'Bon Iver' (pronounced "bon ee-VAIR") is a play on the French phrase 'bon hiver' meaning 'good winter'. Vernon independently released Bon Iver's debut album For Emma, Forever Ago in 2007, most of which was recorded during a four-month stay in a remote cabin in Wisconsin.
While in high school and college Vernon founded the indie-rock bands Mount Vernon and DeYarmond Edison in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he still resides.
According to the For Emma Songfacts, after the break-up of De Yarmond Edison, Vernon retreated to his father's log cabin, out in the woods of north-east Wisconsin to hibernate for three snowy months. There he collected his thoughts and formulated them into a suite of songs, For Emma, Forever Ago . The album was originally self-released in late 2007 in a run of 500 copies and sold out instantly.
The album garnered critical acclaim, and was picked up by the indie-rock label Jagjaguwar, which gave the album a proper release on February 19th, 2008. The album was released in the UK and Europe by iconic indie 4AD on May 12, 2008.
When released in the UK, For Emma, Forever Ago received 5/5 and "Album of the Month" reviews in both MOJO and Uncut magazines. It is currently the third highest rated album of 2008 on review-aggregator site Metacritic, with accolades from publications including The Village Voice, The Hartford Courant and The A.V. Club.
The group's second album Bon Iver, Bon Iver was released on June 17, 2011 to universal acclaim. It was named by Pitchfork Media as the best album of 2011 on their annual list. At the 2012 Grammys, the album won Best Alternative Album and the group was awarded Best New Artist, despite having debuted in 2007.
www.boniver.org
Michicant
Bon Iver Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Melic in the naked, knew a lake and drew the lofts for page
Hurdle all the waitings up, I know it wasn't wedded love, why?
Four long minutes end and it was over, it'd all be back
And the frost took up the eyes
Pressed against the pane, could see the veins and there was poison out
Resting in a raze, the inner claims I hadn't breadth to shake
Searching for an inner clout, may not take another bout, why?
Honey in the hale could fill the pales of loving less with vain
Hon', it wasn't yet the spring
Aiming and it sunk and we were drunk and we had fleshed it out
Nose up in the globes, you never know if you are passing out
No, it wasn't maiden-up, the falling or the faded luck, why? (Ooh, ooh)
Hung up in the ivory, both were climbing for a finer cause
Love can hardly leave the room
With your heart
The lyrics of Bon Iver's song Michicant describe the reminiscences of a person who, in his childhood, was unafraid and innocent. The person had a love for the beauty of nature and had drawn pictures of it on paper. However, as he grew up, he discovered love that was not genuine, and after just four long minutes, it all ended, leaving him feeling cold and lifeless. The person looks outside his window and notices the tree branches covered with frost, which symbolizes the numbing effect of heartbreak on his emotions.
The second verse continues the theme of heartbreak, with the singer being unable to shake off the inner doubts and fears that have taken over him. He is searching for an inner voice to help him overcome his pain, but he fears that he may not be successful. He remembers the time he was with his partner, but even then, he couldn't find happiness, and secretly hoped for something more.
Overall, Michicant is a melancholic and emotional song, sung in the unique voice of Bon Iver, that delves deep into the themes of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery. The lyrics are symbolic and poetic, with an underlying meaning that is left for the listener to interpret. The song is a beautiful depiction of the complex emotions that humans can feel and how love can have an impact on them.
Line by Line Meaning
I was unafraid, I was a boy, I was a tender age
I was fearless and naive, just a young boy in my tender years.
Melic in the naked, knew a lake and drew the lofts for page
I felt pure and free in nature, knowing a lake and finding inspiration to create art.
Hurdle all the waitings up, I know it wasn't wedded love, why?
I tried to overcome the obstacles and uncertainties, knowing deep down that it wasn't true love.
Four long minutes end and it was over, it'd all be back
Our brief moment together ended, but I knew we would repeat our mistakes eventually.
And the frost took up the eyes
The coldness and detachment we felt towards each other was reflected in our eyes.
Pressed against the pane, could see the veins and there was poison out
As I looked out the window, I noticed the veins in my hand and felt the toxicity of our relationship.
Resting in a raze, the inner claims I hadn't breadth to shake
I felt lost and stuck in a daze, unable to shake off the inner turmoil of our relationship.
Searching for an inner clout, may not take another bout, why?
I was looking for inner strength to break free, unsure if I could handle another round of pain and heartache.
Honey in the hale could fill the pales of loving less with vain
Even though there was sweetness in the deal, it wasn't enough to make up for the emptiness and vanity of a loveless relationship.
Hon', it wasn't yet the spring
Even though things weren't quite right, we were still in the winter season of our relationship and not ready for the new beginnings of spring.
Aiming and it sunk and we were drunk and we had fleshed it out
We had high hopes for our relationship, but it failed and we ended up getting drunk and intimate as a way of escaping reality.
Nose up in the globes, you never know if you are passing out
We were so caught up in the moment that we didn't realise we were losing ourselves and potentially passing out.
No, it wasn't maiden-up, the falling or the faded luck, why? (Ooh, ooh)
Our love wasn't innocent or pure, and it wasn't just a matter of luck or timing that things didn't work out.
Hung up in the ivory, both were climbing for a finer cause
We were both stuck in our own ivory towers, trying to climb higher and achieve our own goals.
Love can hardly leave the room
Even though our love had diminished, it was still present in the room and hard to ignore or forget.
With your heart
Ultimately, it all comes down to matters of the heart and what we truly feel.
Lyrics Ā© Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Justin Deyarmond Edison Vernon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marco2597
I was unafraid, I was a boy, I was a tender age
Melic in the naked, knew a lake and drew the lofts for the page
Hurdle all the waitings up, know it wasn't wedded love
Four long minutes in and it was over it'd all be back
And the frost took up the eyes
Pressed against the pane could see the veins and there was poison out
Resting in a raze the inner claims I hadn't breadth to shake
Searching for an inner clout, may not take another bout
Honey in the hale could fill the pales of loving less with vain
Honey, it wasn't yet the spring
Aiming and it sunk and we were drunk and we had fleshed it out
Nose up in the globes, you never know if you are passing out
No it wasn't maiden-up, the falling or the faded luck
Hung up in the ivory, both were climbing for a finer cause
Love can hardly leave the room
With your heart
@brandonylion
I was unafraid, I was a boy
I was a tender age
Melic in the naked, knew a lake
And drew the lofts for page
Hurdle, all the waiting's up
Know it wasn't wedded love
4 long minutes end and it was over
It'd all be back
And the frost took up the eyes
Pressed against the pane, could see the veins
And there was poison out
Resting in a raze, the inner claims
I hadn't breadth to shake
Searching for an inner clout
May not take another bout
Honey in the hale could fill the pales
Of loving less with vain
Hon, it wasn't yet the spring
Aiming and it sunk and we were drunk
And we had fleshed it out
Nose up in the globes, you never know
If you are passing out
No, it wasn't maiden-up
The falling or the faded luck
Hung up in the ivory, both were
Climbing for a finer cause
Love can hardly leave the room
With your heart
@kodaliner
listening to bon iver when you're travelling, the best thing ever.
@elkabalci
totally agree!!!! makes u feel like you're in a movie
@kimceyoumse1462
ellikaĀ or makes you feel your life has a meaning, or you've got to find one for it, makes you wanna leave everything and just travel, play music, talk with people and think of all that really matters.
@xarzroth2298
oml agreed especially when ur going to a place surrounded by nature š
@---nobody---
I totally agree! I listened to him a bunch when I ran away and drove three states away to Washington and Oregon. It was amazing.
@jorgeordc
Totally agreeee with this...
@jarbear
Hearing this in Nine Perfect Strangers during Episode 3 was... fucking magical. And with the suicide story. Wow. Just wow.
@brennahendricks9466
Agreed
@sergiomendesaguila3694
I came here for the same reason
@jarbear
@@sergiomendesaguila3694 Michael Shannon knocks it out of the park agaIn eh? Haha what an amazing, incredible actor š§āāļøš¬šæšæš½ļø