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.
The God of Loss
Darlingside Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My mother she died young
I'm the eldest of my brothers
You're the trouble in my blood
Trouble in my blood
I swore that I'd stay humble
Like my father was before
Of sand and mud and smoke
Sand and mud and smoke
Yes, we will leave here without a trace
Take a new name and an old shape
I'll be no outlaw, no renegade
Just your faithful god of loss
So meet me by the river
On a boat-shaped piece of earth
We press our bones together
And the spider does its work
With flakes of garlic
And petals from a rose
If it's small enough to carry
You and I can call it home
You and I can call it home
Yes, we will leave here without a trace
Take a new name and an old shape
I'll be no outlaw, no renegade
Just your faithful god of loss
The song "The God of Loss" by Darlingside is a hauntingly beautiful piece of music with lyrics that are evocative and full of meaning. The first verse speaks about the singer's family and his roots. His father was a carpenter and his mother died young. He is the eldest of his brothers and the trouble in his blood. The second verse talks about how the singer wants to stay humble like his father was before. His father had built the home they live in using sand, mud, and smoke. These materials are symbolic of a transient and temporary nature, as they are easily washed away or blown away. The singer wants to stay grounded and humble like his father and not forget his roots.
The chorus speaks of leaving without a trace, taking on a new identity while retainng old values. The singer refers to himself as the god of loss, somebody who is faithful and stalwart in the face of adversity, thereby assuming the symbolic mantle of an all-powerful deity. The bridge suggests a sense of journeying and escaping with somebody significant. They meet by the river on a boat-shaped piece of earth, and they press their bones together - a metaphor for being close to one another. They use small items to build a new home, which references the importance of finding comfort in the little things.
Line by Line Meaning
My father was a carpenter
My dad was a skilled worker who built and fixed things with his own hands
My mother she died young
My mom passed away at a young age
I'm the eldest of my brothers
I'm the oldest child in the family of boys
You're the trouble in my blood
Your presence creates excitement and disruption within me
I swore that I'd stay humble
I promised to remain modest and not become arrogant
Like my father was before
Just as my dad was humble
He built the home I live in
My father constructed the house where I currently reside
Of sand and mud and smoke
Using simple and readily accessible materials, he constructed the house with basic design
Yes, we will leave here without a trace
We are going to leave this place without leaving any evidence of our existence
Take a new name and an old shape
We will adopt a new identity but we will keep our basic personalities and characteristics
I'll be no outlaw, no renegade
I'm not going to be a criminal or a rebel
Just your faithful god of loss
I'm your loyal protector who will be with you during your difficult times of loss
So meet me by the river
Let's rendezvous by the bank of the stream
On a boat-shaped piece of earth
Let's sit on a patch of land that looks like a boat
We press our bones together
We interlock our bodies and lean against each other
And the spider does its work
We allow the spider to weave its web around us like a protective barrier
With flakes of garlic
We add some garlic seasoning to our food
And petals from a rose
We use rose petals to add some visual beauty
If it's small enough to carry
If the object is light and portable
You and I can call it home
We can consider that place as our home
Contributed by Elijah P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Y.
My father was a carpenter
My mother, she died young
I’m the eldest of my brothers
You’re the trouble in my blood
Trouble in my blood
I swore that I’d stay humble
Like my father was before
He built the home I live in
Of sand and mud and smoke
Sand and mud and smoke
Yes, we will leave here without a trace
Take a new name and an old shape
I’ll be no outlaw, no renegade
Just your faithful god of loss
So meet me by the river
On a boat-shaped piece of earth
We press our bones together
And the spider does its work
With flakes of garlic
And petals from a rose
If it’s small enough to carry
You and I can call it home
You and I can call it home
Yes, we will leave here without a trace
Take a new name and an old shape
I’ll be no outlaw, no renegade
Just your faithful god of loss
Soumalya Mukherjee
My father was a carpenter
My mother, she died young
I’m the eldest of my brothers
You’re the trouble in my blood
Trouble in my blood
I swore that I’d stay humble
Like my father was before
He built the home I live in
Of sand and mud and smoke
Sand and mud and smoke
Yes, we will leave here without a trace
Take a new name and an old shape
I’ll be no outlaw, no renegade
Just your faithful god of loss
So meet me by the river
On a boat-shaped piece of earth
We press our bones together
And the spider does its work
With flakes of garlic
And petals from a rose
If it’s small enough to carry
You and I can call it home
You and I can call it home
Yes, we will leave here without a trace
Take a new name and an old shape
I’ll be no outlaw, no renegade
Just your faithful god of loss
Justin Woo
My god this is beautiful. Unbelievable. There are actually tears in my eyes.
iknowyouarebutwhatami
Pussy
Liam Anderson
It's beautifully simple. The lack of pretentiousness is so welcome and refreshing. Oh, and the harmonies are magical.
John Thompson
Aye, this is beauty bountiful and sweet.
Michael Memmelaar
Literal tears. Both the song and the imagery are brreathtaking, overwhelming. Easily among the best the current music scene has to offer.
Eibond
Me too, incredible
David Jacob
I weep everytime I watch this. So beautiful it hurts, and yet so true that I am drawn back and find deeper meaning every time.
Daniel Manley
This is such a powerful song. The imagery of our experiences in life being etched into us, and then how the two at the end hold and comfort each other through everything. Honestly I'm making it sound dumb, but the end is so beautiful that it hurts.
cuchelo1
This is one of the most beautiful music videos I have ever seen, and it fits the song perfectly. Well done to everyone involved.
Lua Veli
I love this animator! Truly a genius. If you want to see another great work by him on youtube, watch the video: " The seven deadly sins" from The School of Life channel.Thank you for this wonderful song! Everything about it is beautiful.