The band's founder and singer Craig Minowa has a degree in Environmental Science, and his environmental, political, and social awareness is reflected in much of Cloud Cult's music. (Note: Craig Minowa actually has stated he intentionally doesn't sing about environmental awareness because he lives it...he doesn't need to preach it) The band's self-created non-profit record label, Earthology Records, uses the most environmentally friendly methods available to ensure minimum damage to the environment.
After two solo LP's, The Shade Project (1995), and Who Killed Puck? (2000), Minowa's sudden loss of his two-year-old son and subsequent separation from his wife, Cloud Cult emerged with They Live On The Sun in 2003, combining concepts of Minowa with performances by cellist Sarah Young and drummer Dan Greenwood, who shortly became members of the band. This album was deeply personal and painful album for Cloud Cult and you don't often hear songs from it in concert.
Minowa continued to use music to cope with the loss of his son on the following album Aurora Borealis. This album did begin to branch out more into exploration of pain and loss instead of just feeling it.
Minowa reunited with his wife, and the next album is widely considered their crowning achievement. Advice From The Happy Hippopotamus involved collaboration from a variety of musicians and has garnered praise from critics, even being acclaimed as "a work of insane genius". This album is capped off with the "happy-go-lucky" song, Lucky Today. This album was selected by esurance to be animated into a commercial. This was a contest for the most environmentally sound band because esurance labels themselves as the paperless insurance provider.
On April 10th 2007 Cloud Cult officially released their sixth LP, The Meaning of 8 (although it was available for sale online in late January): the first single was titled "Take Your Medicine." In April 2008, the band followed it with Feel Good Ghosts.
In 2009 band announced a break till 2010, though they released limited re-releases of their albums Lost Songs from the Lost Years, They Live on the Sun and Aurora Borealis (the last two as a double-disc).
Their concerts are certainly a sight to be seen. Along with Minowa on Guitars (and other fun things), they have got bass, drums, violin and cello. There are two official band members who actually do very little music during the shows; Minowa's wife Connie and Scott are painters. They create original works of art during the show (breaking only occasionally to sing or sometimes Scott plays Trumpet). Then, at the end of the show, they silent auction these paintings off to the highest bidder.
Their official website is www.cloudcult.com.
Took You For Granted
Cloud Cult Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You had eyes made of candles,
And your body was a medicine bag
That all the world could heal from -
I couldn't help but be mystified by you.
And I'm living all alone,
With just a bag of burned bones,
And I'm only half a man without you, my friend,
Fuckin' A! fuckin' a! fuckin' a!
And I can't wait
Cause I really need
You to come back
You to come back
And I can't wait
Cause I really need
You to come back
You to come back
I took you for granted, but now I understand -
I always thought you'd be there.
I can't help but say they've taken away the biggest thing I care for.
I live in the black; it's a simple fact:
I'm here but I'm not aware.
I took you for granted but now I understand -
I always thought you'd be there.
I miss you.
I miss you.
I miss you.
I miss you.
I miss you.
It's all that a movie
I love you for being
It's beautiful
you're perfect
you're everything
I love you
I can't see you there
I can't see you there
I can't see you there
I cannot see you there
The song Took You For Granted by Cloud Cult is a deeply emotional and introspective exploration of mourning, loss, and regret. The lyrics are steeped in grief and longing, with the singer expressing an intense desire for the return of a person who had a profound impact on their life. The verses convey a sense of awe and reverence towards the individual, with vivid imagery describing their physical and spiritual qualities. The opening lines, "I could see all the universe inside you; You had eyes made of candles, And your body was a medicine bag That all the world could heal from" paint a vivid picture of this person's luminosity and the healing energy they exuded.
As the song progresses, the singer reveals that this person is no longer with them, and they are overcome with a sense of emptiness and loss. The repeated line "I miss you" further drives home the intensity of their grief. The chorus "I took you for granted, but now I understand - I always thought you'd be there" speaks to the regret and remorse the singer feels about not fully appreciating this person while they were alive. The bridge, with its uplifting chord progression and repeated phrases "It's all that a movie, I love you for being, It's beautiful, you're perfect, you're everything, I love you" can be interpreted as a ruminative reflection on how memories and experiences with this person are now the only thing the singer has left.
Overall, Took You For Granted is a powerful and poignant tribute to the people we cherish and the importance of cherishing them while they are still with us.
Line by Line Meaning
I could see all the universe inside you;
You were awe-inspiring and contained infinite possibilities, like the universe itself.
You had eyes made of candles,
Your eyes were warm and comforting, like the flicker of a candle's flame.
And your body was a medicine bag That all the world could heal from -
You had the ability to heal and bring comfort to anyone who came into your presence, like a medicine bag for the whole world.
I couldn't help but be mystified by you.
I was fascinated and enchanted by you, unable to fully understand your wonders.
And I'm living all alone, With just a bag of burned bones, And I don't even know if you can hear me.
I am now alone and broken, with nothing but the memories of what once was. I do not know if you can hear my cries for help.
And I'm only half a man without you, my friend, Fuckin' A! fuckin' a! fuckin' a!
Without you, I feel incomplete and lost. I am struggling to come to terms with the deep sense of emptiness that you left behind.
And I can't wait
I am deeply impatient and desperate for your return.
Cause I really need
I depend on you and cannot exist without you in my life.
You to come back
I am asking and praying for your return, as I cannot fathom living without you anymore.
I took you for granted, but now I understand -
I did not appreciate you enough while you were here, but now I realize the immense value you brought to my life.
I always thought you'd be there.
I wrongly assumed that you would always be present, but this tragic event has made me see differently.
I can't help but say they've taken away the biggest thing I care for.
Your loss has left a huge void in my life, and I cannot fathom how to fill it.
I live in the black; it's a simple fact: I'm here but I'm not aware.
I am alive, but I feel like I am dead inside. I find myself unable to connect with the world around me, and my entire existence now seems meaningless.
I miss you.
This is a simple yet profound statement of how much I long for you and your return.
It's all that a movie
The memories we shared feel surreal and as if they only existed in a fantasy or movie.
I love you for being It's beautiful you're perfect you're everything I love you
I love you wholeheartedly and unconditionally for who you were, and you always appeared to be perfection in my eyes. You were everything to me, and my love for you is infinite.
I can't see you there
I am unable to see you physically present by my side anymore, and it is deeply unsettling to me.
I cannot see you there
The fact that I cannot see you anymore is a painful thought that is hard for me to reconcile with.
Contributed by Jordyn B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kyle Young
such an intimate song
K.O Kitty Punch
this is a sad song u.u