Their commercially successful sophomore album E&A (released 2004) became a staple of the Twin Cities hip hop community, although following hectic touring the release of Eyedea & Abilities next album By The Throat would take several years, with Eyedea and DJ Abilities touring separately.
After a productive hiatus they returned with the critically acclaimed By The Throat (released 2009). Sonically divergent from their earlier work, By The Throat would showcase the their individual development along with the talents of Jeremy Ylvisaker, J.T. Bates & Graham O'Brien.
Eyedea (Born Micheal Larsen on November 9, 1981 – October 16, 2010) who also performed under the name Oliver Hart became widely known because of his battle and freestyle skills. The Many Faces of Oliver Hart prominently features the obliterating lyrical speed of a young Carnage the Executioner aka Terrell Woods along with Slug (of Atmosphere). Eyedea was best known for his victory at the Blaze Battle, which was aired on HBO, showing some of the best underground battlers in action. Eyedea largely toured with Slug aka Sean Daley during his early career, and would continue to collaborate with his mentor.
Numerous posthumous releases regularly appear since his passing, including Face Candy Waste-Age Teen Land and Eyenine Afraid to Dream on Crushkill Recordings, along with dedications from Kristoff Krane aka Christoffer Keller, Sadistik aka Cody Foster, No Bird Sing, Sage Francis, Brother Ali, Carnage XXXL, Murs among others. His mother Kathy Averill maintains an official dedication site www.micheallarsen.com.
DJ Abilities aka Maxx Keltgen is known for winning three DMC awards and for his work on his mixtapes and 1200 Hobos. He continues to tour, and is currently signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment.
By The Throat
Eyedea & Abilities Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cut the blood supply and hope the heart beats itself to death
My ribcage is not my own it still feels like your arms neck clothed in salt
How'd I let it go this far?
It happens faster than you could ever think
From always and forever to never again in less than a blink
The river runs until it's dry
But I die spitting my last drip into it's mouth to keep it alive
You dance I drink, let's waste the night away
They say you always know right away
But you can't foresee your sand being pulled into the sea under a tidal wave
Secrets leak out when you're asleep
Coming from a queen's mouth, talk isn't all that cheap
I'm now a lone flame searching for a purpose
Setting fires everywhere I go, can't avoid the burns
We shared pain
You took me by the throat and made me understand the world as if I were you and I couldn't breathe
Now you can lead a horse to fresh water but you can't teach it how to be okay when you decide to leave
I'm lost, there's no one to protect
I got so used to being shelter from the rain that always followed you
It's not my first time, actually it's nothin new
But that doesn't make it any easier to get through
The snow won't melt, smoke won't clear
Turned hope inside out a thousand times trying to see if it was ever anything more than dressed up fear,
But the two go hand in hand you can't have one without the other being there
I'm barely breathing waiting for the spins to end
Begging a god I don't believe in to let me sleep so I can dream again
We went through thick and thin
Came out separate on the other end
But please know no matter what you'll always have me as a friend
And I finally know
Your crime is your pride and your past is my only ghost
I'm going crazy out of my control
But there's nothing I can do, I have no choice but to let it go
Each day gets a little less intense
I no longer feel like there's someone standing on my chest
You made me more me, and I won't forget the times you helped my find my feet
When I was buried in my head
Thank you, for giving what you had to give
Taking what you had to take,
And making me believe in you.
Even though I might be gone forever there will always be a place in my brain that will think of you.
You look so graceful when you're flying
Keep going, there's a lot of world that you haven't seen,
You have my best wishes, even if only in silence, you deserve everything that you've ever dreamed.
The snow melted right when the smoke cleared,
I turned love inside out a thousand times trying to see if it was ever anything more than the will to persevere,
But the two go hand in hand, the clouds surrounding you eventually will clear.
I can breathe I found contentment in the end,
Telling a god I don't believe in to go to sleep so I can think again.
We went through thick and thin,
Came out separate on the other end,
But please know no matter what you'll always have me as a friend.
The lyrics of "By the Throat" by Eyedea & Abilities portray the aftermath of a relationship that has ended, leaving the singer lost and struggling to find their way. The opening lines suggest that the person who left had no ties to the past and has left the singer adrift. The vivid imagery of "cutting the blood supply" conveys that the relationship was a lifeline, and without it, the singer is left to die. The metaphor of the ribcage not belonging to the singer but feeling like the arms of their lost love highlights the extent to which this individual has taken over the singer's life.
The song then goes on to describe the speed at which a relationship can fall apart, leaving one person alone and struggling to make sense of their feelings. The bridge highlights the fragility of passion and how quickly it can disappear. The chorus then reminisces about happy moments together, yet they are now things of the past. The metaphor of the river running dry implies that the relationship has reached an end, but the singer refuses to give up and continues fighting to keep it alive.
The second verse explores the secrets that emerge when one is asleep, indicating that the relationship ultimately fell apart due to hidden truths. The singer is now lost and searching for a purpose, a sense of direction, and an anchor in their life. They can't stand the thought of being alone, and their survival instincts push them to set fires everywhere they go because they are so used to being in the midst of chaos. Overall, the lyrics paint a portrait of a relationship that has ended, leaving the singer lost, alone, and struggling to find their way in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh how easily they forget no anchor to the past
People tend to forget everything that has occurred in the past due to the lack of a meaningful connection to it.
Cut the blood supply and hope the heart beats itself to death
The act of separating yourself from the past can leave you feeling lifeless and hopeless.
My ribcage is not my own it still feels like your arms neck clothed in salt
The pain of a past relationship can linger in the present and feel like a constant reminder of what was lost.
How'd I let it go this far?
Reflecting on a relationship and wondering how it was allowed to continue for so long when it wasn't meant to be.
It happens faster than you could ever think
The end of a relationship can occur suddenly and without warning.
From always and forever to never again in less than a blink
A promise of eternity can shatter in an instant without warning.
The river runs until it's dry
Life goes on until it eventually fades away.
But I die spitting my last drip into it's mouth to keep it alive
Despite the end being near, one continues to fight to keep things going even if it's futile.
Long drives, wide eyes, and your smiling face
Memories of happy times in a relationship can bring a mixture of emotions.
You dance I drink, let's waste the night away
Trying to make the most of what little time is left with a partner before the end.
They say you always know right away
Sometimes it's clear from the start that a relationship won't work out.
But you can't foresee your sand being pulled into the sea under a tidal wave
Even if you can sense a relationship is going to end, you can't prevent it from happening.
Secrets leak out when you're asleep
Subconscious thoughts and feelings can come out when you're not fully conscious.
Coming from a queen's mouth, talk isn't all that cheap
Words coming from someone of importance can hold extra weight and significance.
I'm now a lone flame searching for a purpose
Feeling lost and searching for meaning after a relationship ends.
Setting fires everywhere I go, can't avoid the burns
Trying to find meaning and purpose can result in making mistakes and getting hurt.
We shared pain
Both partners in a relationship experienced emotional pain and suffering.
You took me by the throat and made me understand the world as if I were you and I couldn't breathe
A partner's impact on one's life can feel suffocating and overwhelming.
Now you can lead a horse to fresh water but you can't teach it how to be okay when you decide to leave
It's difficult for someone to cope and move on from a relationship ending even if they were prepared for it.
I'm lost, there's no one to protect
Feeling vulnerable and alone after a relationship ends.
I got so used to being shelter from the rain that always followed you
Being someone's emotional support can become a habit that is hard to break even after the end of a relationship.
It's not my first time, actually it's nothin new
Experiencing heartbreak is not a new feeling and has happened before.
But that doesn't make it any easier to get through
Despite having been through it before, heartbreak still hurts and is difficult to cope with.
The snow won't melt, smoke won't clear
Feeling stuck and stagnant, unable to move on from a past relationship.
Turned hope inside out a thousand times trying to see if it was ever anything more than dressed up fear
Trying to hold onto hope for the future but ultimately realizing it was just a mask for underlying fear.
But the two go hand in hand you can't have one without the other being there
Hope and fear are intertwined and can't exist without each other.
I'm barely breathing waiting for the spins to end
Feeling overwhelmed and anxious, waiting for the emotions to subside.
Begging a god I don't believe in to let me sleep so I can dream again
Desperately wanting to escape reality and find solace in dreams.
Thank you, for giving what you had to give
Expressing gratitude for what was shared and given during the relationship.
Taking what you had to take,
Acknowledging that both partners had to make sacrifices and compromises.
And making me believe in you.
Despite the end of the relationship, the partner was able to leave a positive impact and make the other believe in them.
Even though I might be gone forever there will always be a place in my brain that will think of you.
Even after the relationship has ended and one person may be gone, memories and thoughts of them will always remain.
You look so graceful when you're flying
Complimenting a partner and acknowledging their strengths and positive qualities.
Keep going, there's a lot of world that you haven't seen,
Encouraging a partner to keep moving forward and experiencing new things.
You have my best wishes, even if only in silence, you deserve everything that you've ever dreamed.
Wishing a partner the best in their future endeavors and acknowledging their worth and dreams.
The snow melted right when the smoke cleared,
Finally starting to move on and heal after a difficult period.
I turned love inside out a thousand times trying to see if it was ever anything more than the will to persevere,
Analyzing and examining the true meaning and value of love.
But the two go hand in hand, the clouds surrounding you eventually will clear.
Love and perseverance go hand in hand, and eventually the hardships and obstacles will disappear.
I can breathe I found contentment in the end,
Finally feeling at peace and content after a period of difficulty and struggle.
Telling a god I don't believe in to go to sleep so I can think again.
Reaching a state of clarity and wanting to move forward with a clear mind.
We went through thick and thin, Came out separate on the other end, But please know no matter what you'll always have me as a friend.
Despite the end of the relationship, still offering friendship and support to the former partner.
Contributed by Avery H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.