The Wreath and the Follower
Capstan Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You belong in Austin
It's where your heart's always been
You said I never paid attention but I was listening

Every word still resonates
Your sense of fear, your sins and faith
And all you wish you could embrace
Were we a step or an escape?

Well maybe I was wrong
But maybe you were too
It's just the self-destructive system that we both fell into
Symbiotic in nature with nothingness to give
Blind eyes see no perspective

Left yourself in Portland
Or what portions you had left
So damaged and it's obvious
Destruction craves an audience
And I swear that you need help but won't accept it
Though it kills to know I can't give it
I've done everything but admit that
It's just as much on me

Maybe I was wrong
Maybe I was wrong
But we both know you were too
It's the fucked up situations that you always pulled me into

Symbiotic in nature with nothingness to give
Blind eyes see no perspective

But that night you lit up my eyes like a field of fireflies
And in that brief moment I could see
That I was blinded by my inconsistencies

I felt my chest decompress
I laid the old me to rest
And as he haunts my dreams I'm not obsessed




I'm enlightened not blessed
I'm enlightened not blessed

Overall Meaning

The song “The Wreath and the Follower” by Capstan is a reflection on a complicated relationship that has ended in disappointment and despair. The singer expresses his confusion and regret about the way things have turned out with his former lover. The song speaks to the idea that sometimes relationships can be toxic, with both people contributing to their own self-destruction. The lyrics suggest that despite their best efforts, both the singer and his partner were unable to escape the cycle of pain and emotional turmoil that defined their relationship.


The song starts with the singer acknowledging that his partner always wanted to be in Austin, and he was aware of this fact. The following line suggests that their conversations and her words stay with him, and he has not forgotten anything that she ever said. The singer reflects on their sense of fear, sins, and faith, and how these issues were always present in their relationship. He questions whether they were there for each other, or was their relationship just an escape from reality. The chorus summarizes the fact that both of them were wrong and that they were sinking into a self-destructive mode, with nothing to give each other.


The second verse shifts from present tense to the past and describes how the former partner has moved on to Portland and left many issues behind. The singer acknowledges that there was a problem and that their partner needs help but is unwilling to accept it. The chorus summarizes their relationship’s problematic nature and how their blindness prevented them from looking at the larger picture. The song concludes on a hopeful note, with the singer recognizing his past mistakes and accepting the new life ahead of him.


Line by Line Meaning

You belong in Austin
Austin is where you feel most at home


It's where your heart's always been
You have always had a connection to Austin


You said I never paid attention but I was listening
You once accused me of not paying attention, but I was always listening to you


Every word still resonates
I still remember everything you said


Your sense of fear, your sins and faith
I knew your fears, your flaws, and your beliefs


And all you wish you could embrace
I know there were things you wanted to accept, but couldn't


Were we a step or an escape?
Did being with each other serve as a stepping stone or a way out?


Well maybe I was wrong
Perhaps I was mistaken


But maybe you were too
Or maybe you were also wrong


It's just the self-destructive system that we both fell into
We were caught up in a self-destructive pattern


Symbiotic in nature with nothingness to give
We relied on each other in a way that had no real substance


Blind eyes see no perspective
We were too blinded by the situation to see it objectively


Left yourself in Portland
You left a part of yourself behind in Portland


Or what portions you had left
Or the parts of you that were still intact


So damaged and it's obvious
It's clear that you were hurt and struggling


Destruction craves an audience
Destruction wants to be seen and recognized


And I swear that you need help but won't accept it
I think you need help, but you won't acknowledge it


Though it kills to know I can't give it
It's painful to realize that I can't be the one to help you


I've done everything but admit that
I've tried to help you in every way except for admitting that I can't


Maybe I was wrong
Perhaps I was still wrong


Maybe I was wrong
I could still be mistaken


But we both know you were too
But we both know that you were also at fault


It's the fucked up situations that you always pulled me into
You always seemed to get us caught up in messed-up situations


But that night you lit up my eyes like a field of fireflies
But that one night you made me feel alive like never before


And in that brief moment I could see
I was able to see clearly for a moment


That I was blinded by my inconsistencies
My own flaws prevented me from seeing things clearly


I felt my chest decompress
It felt like a weight had been lifted from my chest


I laid the old me to rest
I was able to let go of my old self


And as he haunts my dreams I'm not obsessed
Even though I still think of my past, it doesn't consume me


I'm enlightened not blessed
I've gained knowledge and wisdom, but it wasn't a blessing




Writer(s): Anthony Demario, Harrison Bormann, Joseph Mabry, Scott Fisher

Contributed by Joseph J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

ForeverADTR

Like I said earlier, capstan is the most lyrical and instrumentally talented band I have ever heard. Fucking fantastic mates, unbelievable song.

austin bike courier

i agree symbiotic in nature

JoshTheRipp3r Official

If you are looking for something a little harder with some lyrical brilliance listen to Starset

Testing my Audio Addiction

I got chills when Boz's vocals came in the first time. Then his stand alone part killed me. Anthony's vocals, as always, are stellar! How in the world to people not know about this band?

Meredith Grubb

Im ashamed I hadn't found them till a few days ago.

Enellie Juliette

❤❤❤

scottishfrogstudios

It starts getting good around 0:00

DrFreduck17

I'd say from there to about 3:02 is the best part

Broleemac

The actual good part is at 2:00

Myotic Tesseract

I found this band on my Spotify Daily Mix a year or two ago

One of the best discoveries I've made

More Comments