Upon moving to New York in 2001, Bartlett soon began performing with Chocolate Genius and Elysian Fields, and also worked as Salon.com's music critic, writing first a weekly "Wednesday Morning Download", and later the daily "Audiofile" feature.] In recent years, Bartlett has performed and toured extensively with artists like The National, Antony and the Johnsons, Martha Wainwright, Glen Hansard and Bebel Gilberto.
Aftermath
Doveman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Silence freeze and starts to disappear
And what happened and the rain stopped
Cause it's been raining now for years
And, oh, my silent one
I can't stand to watch you fall
And what happened in the way we were
And I know
That it's a better life
Stone by stone
I build my castles in the sky
I have a better life
By and by
So I made myself some promises
I told myself I wouldn't care
I took a bath, I took a pill, I went to sleep
I felt my promises disappear into the air
And, oh, my silent one
I can't stand to watch you fall
What happened was not your fault
It could have happened to anyone at all
And I know
That it's a better life
Stone by stone
I build my castles in the sky
And it's a better life
Stone by stone
I build my castles in the sky
I have a better life
By and by
The song "Aftermath" by Doveman is a melancholic and reflective piece that explores the aftermath of a traumatic event. The first verse talks about how everything freezes and goes silent after something traumatic happens, but eventually, the silence disappears. The rain serves as a metaphor for the sadness and pain that have been present for years. The chorus speaks to the singer's desire for a better life, one where they can build their castles in the sky, stone by stone. The second verse shows the singer trying to make promises to themselves to avoid being hurt again, but those promises disappear into thin air, symbolizing how hard it is to move on after a traumatic experience.
The song's mood is sad and introspective, and the lyrics are metaphorical yet relatable. The singer seems to be addressing someone who is struggling, watching them fall but feeling powerless to help. They reassure the person that what happened was not their fault, and it could have happened to anyone. Ultimately, the song is about finding a way to rebuild and create a better life after experiencing trauma.
Line by Line Meaning
And what happened in the aftermath
The singer is questioning the events that took place after a certain incident
Silence freeze and starts to disappear
The awkward silence that followed the incident is gradually dissipating
And what happened and the rain stopped
The rain that had been pouring down for years has finally ceased
Cause it's been raining now for years
Metaphorically, the artist is referring to a prolonged period of struggle or hardship in his life
And, oh, my silent one
The artist is addressing someone who has been quiet or unresponsive
I can't stand to watch you fall
The singer is unable to bear watching the person he cares about suffer
And what happened in the way we were
The singer is reflecting on how things used to be between him and the person he is addressing
And what happened to us all
The artist is wondering how the incident has affected everyone involved
And I know
The artist is making a confident statement
That it's a better life
The artist believes that life will improve
Stone by stone
The singer approaches life's challenges slowly and carefully
I build my castles in the sky
The artist is optimistic and dreams of a better life
I have a better life
The singer's life is improving
By and by
Gradually, over time
So I made myself some promises
The singer has set some personal goals
I told myself I wouldn't care
The artist is trying to detach himself emotionally from the situation
I took a bath, I took a pill, I went to sleep
The artist is attempting to escape from his problems through self-medication and rest
I felt my promises disappear into the air
The singer's commitments prove to be fleeting and ineffectual
What happened was not your fault
The singer reassures the person he is addressing that they are not to blame
It could have happened to anyone at all
The artist suggests that anyone could have experienced the same difficult circumstances
Contributed by Kaitlyn C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.