DeYarmond Edison is a band of young men with a propensity for sounding old. Their modern elucidation of the singer-songwriter style comes from having soaked up the soul of the past, as well as a vision of the limitless potential for the future of Americana music. They ring it out on their audiences with a mature variety of instrumentation, including piano, banjo, blues harp, vibraphone, pedal steel guitar, organ, an array of electric and cross-acoustic guitars, fretless bass, and a drum set from the 1930's.
The songs are born from seasoned songwriter Justin Vernon (a Bug Music Nashville-published writer), and expanded, colored and filled in by brothers Phil and Brad Cook (who have been with Vernon for nine years), Brian Moen, Joe Westerlund, and Christopher Porterfield. Their stunning list of influences bleed through into their music without ever taking over DYE's own handle on originality. With feet in the grave of the blues, ala Muddy Waters and Mississippi John Hurt, through to the birth of new Americana music from composers such as Bill Frisell and singers like Richard Buckner – without ever leaving behind the gospel of Mahalia Jackson, the high lonesome sounds of Ralph Stanley, the wickedness of Tom Waits, the sensibility of Bonnie Raitt, the R and B of Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, the rock of Springsteen, tenderness of Jackson Browne and the hidden existentialism of John Prine. - From Volume One Mag
The band dissolved in 2006, with the Cooks and Westerlund going on to form Megafaun, and Justin Vernon leading Bon Iver. The band reunited to play two shows in their hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin in October of 2007.
The Unseen
DeYarmond Edison Lyrics
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You're on the road driving by
You're the golden light on the leaves
And love is a sturdy tree
I've never watched your face
And I've never felt your brace
And maybe I never will
A company I would keep
And be the sacred heart I'd reap
The day is strong as it is long
And I love you when I sleep
But you haven't come to me
Do I wait or do I see thee
Life is certainly not short
And I will not report that I'm nothing
I can feel the you inside
Scratching underneath my hide
And I know you're around
But I'll have to take it in stride
I'm coming around a corner
And I'm not sure whats behind
And the landscapes unravel
And I'm on that train they call time
And I take the words that come to me
And fire them from the tops of trees
Never asking where they come from
Just where they're gonna be
When you find them
The song "The Unseen" by DeYarmond Edison is a ballad that reflects on feelings of longing and absence. The song speaks from the perspective of someone who is separated from the one they love, and unable to see them physically. The first stanza sets the scene; the person is aware of their loved one's presence in some capacity, but can only perceive them through the things they affect, such as the golden light on leaves. The lyrics are soft and dreamlike, with a sense of melancholy that is reflected in the slow pace of the melody.
The second stanza expresses a sense of acceptance and gratitude for the moments of connection that the singer has shared with their loved one in the past. They've never seen their face or felt their embrace, but they've held onto the memory of those experiences to sustain them. The third stanza is a meditation on time and uncertainty. The singer grapples with the question of whether they should continue to wait for their loved one to return or move on. They acknowledge the vastness of life and the unknown, but hold onto the hope that their loved one is still out there somewhere. The final stanza evokes a sense of moving forward, but also of surrendering control. The singer is on a journey, and the landscapes are constantly shifting. They speak of the words that come to them, but acknowledge that they don't know where they come from or where they will end up. The song ends with a sense of open-endedness and mystery.
Line by Line Meaning
You're somewhere where I can't see you
You're in a place that I'm unaware of
You're on the road driving by
You're traveling on a path that's unknown to me
You're the golden light on the leaves
You're a source of warmth and beauty, just like sunshine filtering through leaves
And love is a sturdy tree
Love has roots that go deep and strong, just like a tree
I've never watched your face
I've never seen you in person
And I've never felt your brace
I've never experienced your physical embrace
And maybe I never will
It's possible that we may never meet
But at least I've had them with me to keep me filled
But I have memories of your love and affection that help me feel complete
A company I would keep
I desire your companionship
And be the sacred heart I'd reap
I want you to be my tender and kind-hearted partner
The day is strong as it is long
The day is full of opportunities
And I love you when I sleep
You're always on my mind
But you haven't come to me
We haven't met yet
Do I wait or do I see thee
Should I be patient or actively seek you out?
Life is certainly not short
Life is long and unpredictable
And I will not report that I'm nothing
And I won't ever say that I'm worthless
I can feel the you inside
I can sense your presence within me
Scratching underneath my hide
Stirring emotions inside me
And I know you're around
I feel like you're close to me
But I'll have to take it in stride
But I have to accept that things happen as they do
I'm coming around a corner
I'm approaching a new stage in my life
And I'm not sure what's behind
I'm unsure of what the future holds
And the landscapes unravel
My surroundings are changing
And I'm on that train they call time
I'm moving forward in time
And I take the words that come to me
I use the words that are inspired in me
And fire them from the tops of trees
And express my emotions to the world
Never asking where they come from
I don't question the source of my inspirations
Just where they're gonna be when you find them
I just wonder where they will end up and if you will ever hear them
Contributed by Elizabeth L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ari Wilde
You're somewhere where I can't see you
You're on the road driving by
You're the golden light on the leaves
And love is a sturdy tree
I've never watched your face
And I've never felt your brace
And maybe I never will
But at least I've had them with me to keep me filled
A company I would keep
And be the sacred heart I'd reap
The day is strong as it is long
And I love you when I sleep
But you haven't come to me
Do I wait or do I see thee
Life is certainly not short
And I will not report that I'm nothing
I can feel the you inside
Scratching underneath my hide
And I know you're around
But I'll have to take it in stride
I'm coming around a corner
And I'm not sure whats behind
And the landscapes unravel
And I'm on that train they call time
And I take the words that come to me
And fire them from the tops of trees
Never asking where they come from
Just where they're gonna be
When you find them
xt952
''I've never watched your face and I've never felt your brace and maybe I never will but at least I've had them with me to keep me filled''
Fern Mackenzie
I still think this about this lyric almost a decade later