Describing themselves as “string-rock”, the band started up in 2009 and quickly took hold of New England’s musical imagination. Playing over 100 shows during their first year of touring, the band created a seamless, exhilarating sound at the intersection of rock, classical, and folk music. Their self-produced six-song EP 1 earned high praise for its craftsmanship and originality, and their brand new subscription album Pilot Machines was released in 2012.
Ocean bed
Darlingside Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the churned up under of the ocean bed
No, I'm not running and I never have been
To the true blue bottom where the light ends
Old growth forest and the sun in your veins
At the daily dawning of a green new age
No, no one changes with a snap in the air
And you can't repurpose what was never there
Restart in the old familiar dark we're swimming through
Long view into the blue
It's day I think, but we might be underwater
In a sea creature's dream, in a dreaming drink
No, there's no time for the end over end
And everything to do before dying again
Long view into the blue
Ghost dog running
To the churned up under of the ocean bed
No, I'm not running
To the true blue bottom where the light ends
Restart in the old familiar dark we're swimming through
Long view into the blue
The lyrics to Darlingside's song "Ocean bed" are mysterious and difficult to deeply understand. It seems to paint a picture of a vast and infinite ocean, with a sense of timelessness and continuity. The image of a "ghost dog" running down the rocky edges to the ocean floor suggests a certain kind of energy or spirit that is constantly moving, even in the midst of the vastness of the ocean. The idea of a "true blue bottom" where the light ends seems to convey the idea of a place where there is no more light, no more life - a place of total darkness and emptiness. This is contrasted with the idea of the "daily dawning of a green new age" in the old growth forest, suggesting the possibility of regeneration and renewal. The line "no one changes with a snap in the air / and you can't repurpose what was never there" suggests that change is gradual and that one must work with what one has.
The song seems to be exploring the idea of the ocean as a metaphor for life and death. The lines "it's day I think, but we might be underwater / in a sea creature's dream, in a dreaming drink" suggest a kind of disorientation, perhaps the feeling of being lost or uncertain. The idea that "there's no time for the end over end / and everything to do before dying again" reinforces this sense of continuity and the inevitability of death. The song returns to the image of the "ghost dog" at the end, suggesting that there is always movement and energy even in the midst of darkness and emptiness.
Overall, Darlingside's "Ocean bed" presents a complex and elusive picture of life, death, and the natural world. Through its use of poetic language and vivid imagery, it invites listeners to contemplate the mysteries of existence and the cycles of life and death that shape our experience of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Ghost dog running down the rocky edges
A ghostly dog runs along the rocky shores
To the churned up under of the ocean bed
And disappears into the murky ocean depths
No, I'm not running and I never have been
The singer clarifies that they are not running towards the ocean bed
To the true blue bottom where the light ends
And they never have been attempting to reach the deepest, darkest parts of the ocean
Old growth forest and the sun in your veins
The artist evokes a vivid image of a forest and the warmth of the sun
At the daily dawning of a green new age
Symbolizing the beginning of a new era, full of life and growth
No, no one changes with a snap in the air
The singer emphasizes that change doesn't happen instantly
And you can't repurpose what was never there
Nor can you make something out of nothing
Restart in the old familiar dark we're swimming through
Starting again in the dark waters the artist is already familiar with
Long view into the blue
Looking out into the vast expanse of the ocean
It's day I think, but we might be underwater
The singer is unsure whether they are above or beneath the surface of the water
In a sea creature's dream, in a dreaming drink
The surreal environment seems like a dream or hallucination
No, there's no time for the end over end
There is no room for hesitation or repetition
And everything to do before dying again
As there is much to accomplish before the inevitable end
Long view into the blue
Once again, staring out into the vast, mysterious ocean
Ghost dog running
Returning to the ghostly image of a dog running on the rocky shores
To the churned up under of the ocean bed
And the dark, murky depths that await beneath the waves
No, I'm not running
The singer reiterates that they are not following the ghost dog
To the true blue bottom where the light ends
Nor trying to reach the deepest, darkest parts of the ocean
Restart in the old familiar dark we're swimming through
Finally, the artist returns to the idea of beginning anew in the familiar dark waters
Writer(s): Donald Lewis Mitchell, Auyon Mukharji, Harris Andrew Paseltiner, David Culver Senft
Contributed by Thomas M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.