Their last album (Cago) dates from 2002. This album was recorded in Chicago and produced by Steve Albini.
According to their site, they are holding an introspective break and will restart creativity throughout 2006.
Woods
Dead Man Ray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We've been in these woods
Since i don't know when
Now my axe is blunt
Though there's nothing cut
If you want me to
I will show you
Where to go to
In these woods
It's been wonderfull
Like a struggle should
I've got no bitter thoughts
Yes my stay's been good
We'll go barefoot
Alien blisters from walking to rome
Give me my tongue back
I'll wipe off the dirt of your songs
Soprano
Organ
Drums
Guitar
We spent a lot of time
In a hallow heartache
Breading in the pine
With a pile of footage
But there came a day
When i shook my head
Like a wind-up toy
Shiny cherry red
We grew up in woods
Defining
What broke down in woods
By denying
Either dusk or dawn
On my shoestrings
All the rabbits hung in a cold rain
Heaven of the sorry kind
Wisdom from a runner's mind
We fell down in woods
As united doves
Lumberjacks in mist
Warming up to stoves
If i weren't a wood
I would wrap you in with drifting wood
I'd take you down like a river would
We grew up like trees
Leaving shades behind
Cruising noman's land
We were weak plants
If you want me to
I will hold you
I will rock you
In these woods of mine
The song "Woods" by Dead Man Ray begins with the singer stating how they have been in the woods for so long that they have lost track of time. Though they have been in the woods for an unknown amount of time, they have not achieved much because their axe is blunt, and nothing has been cut. The singer offers to lead someone through the woods if they need direction. The singer then speaks positively about their time spent in the woods, even though it has been difficult. They have no negative thoughts about their experiences and have enjoyed it. They mention some physical pain they've endured from walking barefoot through the woods, but they have no regrets.
The following verse talks about spending a lot of time in a sad state, "hallow heartache," while surrounded by pine trees. However, one day, something changed, and they "shook" themselves out of that state, becoming a "wind-up toy." They then speak about growing up and maturing in the woods, and how they learned to overcome their obstacles by denying them. The chorus repeats, and the song ends with the singer saying that if the listener needs comfort, they will offer it in the woods.
Line by Line Meaning
Piano
The instrumental opening
We've been in these woods
We've been lost in these unfamiliar environments for some time
Since I don't know when
It's been so long that I can't recall when we entered these woods
Now my axe is blunt
My means for survival is scarce and ill-equipped
Though there's nothing cut
Even with the insufficient means, there's no accomplished feat
If you want me to
If I can, I will
I will show you
I'll lead you
Where to go to
Which direction to move towards
In these woods
In these surrounds
It's been wonderful
It's been an unexpected experience
Like a struggle should
It's been difficult in a predicted manner
I've got no bitter thoughts
I hold no grudges
Yes my stay's been good
My time here has been satisfactory
We'll go barefoot
We'll move confidently, without hesitation
Alien blisters from walking to Rome
The unanticipated suffering investing on a long journey to a seemingly unimportant destination
Give me my tongue back
Let me speak the truth, unobstructed
I'll wipe off the dirt of your songs
I'll cleanse the grime fouling your words
Soprano
An instrumental break accompanied by a high-pitched female voice
Organ
An instrumental break accompanied by organ music
Drums
An instrumental break accompanied by drum music
Guitar
An instrumental break accompanied by guitar music
We spent a lot of time
We invested a considerable amount of time
In a hallow heartache
In an empty, soulless misery
Breading in the pine
Thriving through the many struggles of life
With a pile of footage
With many experiences accumulated
But there came a day
However, the happy times came to an end
When I shook my head
In disbelief of the unwanted circumstance
Like a wind-up toy
Being trapped in the feeling of helplessness
Shiny cherry red
The bright, intense feeling of the situation
We grew up in woods
We've matured while in these unpredictable surroundings
Defining
Identifying and characterizing
What broke down in woods
What events brought us to this point while in these surroundings
By denying
Refusing to believe or accept
Either dusk or dawn
The end or the beginning, it's either of those two
On my shoestrings
As the smallest, but an essential component
All the rabbits hung in a cold rain
All the small things, affected by uncontrollable circumstances
Heaven of the sorry kind
A serene, but bleak paradise
Wisdom from a runner's mind
The experience of a fleeting, transitory life
We fell down in woods
We stumbled, lost control while in these unpredictable surroundings
As united doves
As one peaceful unit
Lumberjacks in mist
Orderly but creating chaos in a warm gloom
Warming up to stoves
Growing to appreciate the small comforts of life
If I weren't a wood
If I was never exposed to these surroundings
I would wrap you in with drifting wood
I would cocoon you within safe but aimless comfort
I'd take you down like a river would
I'll drag you hard into the river of life's experiences
We grew up like trees
We've matured like the trees around us
Leaving shades behind
Discarding our youthful naiveté and leaving it behind
Cruising noman's land
Journeying through the unknown of life's twilight zone
We were weak plants
We started as unsure sprouts, not knowing which direction to grow
If you want me to
If I can, I will
I will hold you
I will embrace you
I will rock you
I will cradle you
In these woods of mine
In my surroundings
Contributed by Chase E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kai0was
Inderdaad, dikke schijf :) Hoog tijd om mijn oude Dead Man Ray cd's nog eens te beluisteren.
VendettaMadame
Merci! Als een nummer na meer dan 10 jaar nog niet gaat vervelen...dan heb je gewoon een goed nummer te pakken...
Nigel Dubois
Super nummer! Van A tot Z klasse!
GerSHAK
Thanks for the upload :)
stef d
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