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.
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Bon Iver Lyrics
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The jackal proud and tight
In search of you I feel my way
Through slowest heaving night
Whatever fear invents
I swear it makes no sense
I reach out through the border fence
Come down, come talk to me
In the swirling curling storm of desire
Unuttered words hold fast
With reptile tongue, the lightning lashes
Towers built to last
Darkness creeps in like a thief
And offers no relief
Why are you shaking like a leaf?
Come on, come talk to me
Oh please talk to me
Won't you please talk to me
We can unlock this misery
Come on, come talk to me
I did not come to steal
This all is so unreal
Can't you show me how you feel?
Now come on, come talk to me
Come talk to me
Come talk to me
The earthly power sucks shadowed milk
From sleepy tears undone
From nippled skin as smooth as silk
The bugles blow as one
You lie there with your eyes half closed
Like there's no-one there at all
There's a tension pulling on your face
Come on, come talk to me
Won't you please talk to me?
If you'd just talk to me
Unblock this misery
If you'd only talk to me
Don't you ever change your mind
Now your future's so defined
And you act so deaf, so blind
Come on, come talk to me
Come talk to me
Come talk to me
I can imagine the moment
Breaking out through the silence
All the things that we both might say
And the heart, it will not be denied
'Til we're both on the same damn side
All the barriers blown away
I said please talk to me
Won't you please come talk to me?
Just like it used to be
Come on, come talk to me
I did not come to steal
This all is so unreal
Can you show me how you feel?
Now come on, come talk to me
Come talk to me
Come talk to me
The song "Come Talk To Me" is about a person who is trying to reach out to someone they care about deeply, but the other person seems hesitant to communicate. The lyrics describe a sense of desperation and frustration as the singer tries to break through the barrier that the other person has put up. The desert, jackals, lightning and storm are all metaphors for the emotional turmoil that the singer is experiencing. The singer begs the other person to open up to them so that they can alleviate the misery that both are experiencing.
The line "The earthly power sucks shadowed milk from sleepy tears undone" seems to be a reference to the idea that our physicality is directly connected to our emotions. The singer is trying to get the other person to open up and show their vulnerable side.
The lyrics of "Come Talk To Me" are particularly poignant because they are relatable to almost everyone. Most people at some point in their lives have reached out to someone they loved, only to feel that their efforts were in vain. The song encapsulates the sense of frustration one feels when someone they love is emotionally unavailable.
Line by Line Meaning
The wretched desert takes its form
The harsh, unforgiving environment shapes itself before me
The jackal proud and tight
The cunning predator is bold and confident in its territory
In search of you I feel my way
Navigating blindly, I grope towards my soulmate
Through slowest heaving night
Enduring the long, agonizing darkness of my loneliness
Whatever fear invents
All the anxieties and worries my mind conjures up
I swear it makes no sense
None of it seems rational or logical
I reach out through the border fence
Reaching through the barriers that keep us apart
Come down, come talk to me
Please come to me and communicate with me
In the swirling curling storm of desire
Caught up in the tumultuous whirlwind of passion
Unuttered words hold fast
Unspoken thoughts linger and weigh heavily on the mind
With reptile tongue, the lightning lashes
The fierce lightning strikes like a serpent's tongue
Towers built to last
The impressive structures that withstand the test of time
Darkness creeps in like a thief
The darkness slowly covers everything like a thief approaching unnoticed
And offers no relief
Unfortunately, it provides no comfort or succor
Why are you shaking like a leaf?
I am concerned about your nervousness and trembling
Come on, come talk to me
Please, let us talk
Oh please talk to me
My desire for communication with you is deep and urgent
Won't you please talk to me
Please, open up and speak with me
We can unlock this misery
Together we can escape this unhappiness
Come on, come talk to me
Please make the effort and come to me to converse
I did not come to steal
I have no intention of taking anything from you
This all is so unreal
Everything feels surreal, almost dreamlike
Can't you show me how you feel?
Please demonstrate your emotions to me
Now come on, come talk to me
Let's talk right now
The earthly power sucks shadowed milk
The corrupt powers that be extract the essence of our existence
From sleepy tears undone
From the tears shed during our vulnerable moments
From nippled skin as smooth as silk
From the soft, sensitive skin of our bodies
The bugles blow as one
The horns sound together in unison
You lie there with your eyes half closed
You appear half asleep with your eyes barely open
Like there's no-one there at all
As if you're completely alone and abandoned
There's a tension pulling on your face
I can see the tension and stress written all over your face
Come on, come talk to me
Please come to me and speak with me
Won't you please talk to me?
Please communicate with me
If you'd just talk to me
If only you would open up and express yourself
Unblock this misery
Together let us escape this despair
If you'd only talk to me
If you would only communicate with me
Don't you ever change your mind
Please do not have a change of heart
Now your future's so defined
Your prospects for the future are clearly defined
And you act so deaf, so blind
You seem to ignore and disregard everything
Come on, come talk to me
Please come communicate with me now
I can imagine the moment
I can picture the exact moment in my mind
Breaking out through the silence
Breaking through the silence that hangs between us
All the things that we both might say
The things we might express to each other when we finally communicate
And the heart, it will not be denied
Our hearts will not be silenced or ignored
'Til we're both on the same damn side
Until we both find ourselves on the same page
All the barriers blown away
Breaking through the barriers that keep us apart
I said please talk to me
I beg you, open up and communicate with me
Won't you please come talk to me?
Please come and speak with me
Just like it used to be
Just like we did in the past
Come on, come talk to me
Come and communicate with me now
I did not come to steal
I have no intent to steal anything from you
This all is so unreal
Everything seems so surreal
Can you show me how you feel?
Can you express your emotions to me?
Now come on, come talk to me
Please, let us talk right now
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Peter Gabriel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@89eyes
For someone who sings mostly in head voice, dude has a real resonant chest.
@kimseniorb
Ian Thomas he is singing in chest voice plenty
@josephbastidas3561
I've seen a few interviews of his and it still kinda surprises me lol. His video with Aaron Rodgers is another really good one.
@nicktyrrel3921
Check out his song “I Won’t Run From It” it’s on his side project ‘Big Red Machine’ it’s not under Bon Iver he sings low and it’s amazing
@delcim
And what strikes me is how he can sing in a low pitch falsetto, I guess that's because of his resonant chest.
@leonardoleal5092
His deep low voice is so powerful too
@noelsplectrum9
His talking voice is even world class.
@tbaily246
"were you high?" "Oh yeah, yes sir, the whole time"
@ravnosfdm
Last concert they did here in Lisbon at NOs Alive I was high the whole time, sir! Thanks, Justin! :)
@jordansuits5781
Lol the one and only Bon Iver show I’ve been to I was stoned outta my mind. It’s a must for the experience 😎