Naeem
Bon Iver Lyrics

More love
Expressing the need for more love

All along 'em I can hear me
The singer is hearing their own voice throughout their experiences

I go for the caste
The singer pursues their identity and place in society

I fall off a bass boat
The artist experiences a sudden fall from a seemingly secure position

And the concrete's very slow
The artist is overwhelmed with feelings of stagnation and confinement

All along the sideline's bigger
The singer perceives that the things happening around them are more important

I'm over the dash
The singer is pushing boundaries and taking risks

I'm having a bad, bad toke
The artist is experiencing negative effects from drug use

But the berries still to come
The artist still has hope for good things to come

All along 'em I can hear you
The artist can hear the voice of someone important to them

I can hear crying (crying)
Repetition of the line emphasizes hearing someone crying

I'd occupy that
The artist would like to take control of something or someone

Can't sit back long while you're forming that
The singer is impatient and wants to take action immediately

Oh, my mind, our kids got bigger
The singer reflects on the growth of their children and the passage of time

But I'm climbing down the bastion now
The singer is giving up their defensive stance

You take me out to pasture now
The artist is ready to let go and move on

Well, I won't be angry long
The artist recognizes that their anger will dissipate quickly

We burnt up in my bed
The singer experienced a passionate and intense relationship

Standing on the mattress, Laul
The singer is standing on a symbolic foundation of their relationship

Laul, can't we just patch this up?
The artist still has hope for reconciling with their partner

And I cannot seem to carry it all
The artist is overwhelmed with the weight of their emotional burden

All around me I can hear 'em
The artist feels surrounded by other voices and influences

So what is gonna happen now?
The singer is uncertain about the future

If you don't look away
The artist pleads with the listener to pay attention and not ignore their situation

What's there to pontificate on now?
The singer questions the value of discussing their situation

There's someone in my head
The singer is struggling with intrusive thoughts

Tell them I'll be passing on
The singer is preparing to move on from their current state of mind

Tell them we're young mastodons
The artist and the listener are similar in their youth and strength

And it can't be that it's all
The artist insists that there must be something more to life

I'm telling you that I do feel you
The singer expresses empathy towards the listener

It's suddenly paths, mama
The singer acknowledges that life can take unexpected turns

It ain't about class, mama
The artist rejects the idea that social class determines worth or value

And it won't be very long
The artist is optimistic that positive change will come soon

Hey-hey, hey-hey
Repetitive musical interlude

I can hear (crying, crying)
Continuation of the repetition from earlier lines