The band began when McCarthy left the bands and sideshows of New York City, traveling abroad and singing solo. With an open ticket and two phone numbers in her purse, she set out hoping to find her voice and new inspiration to write from. The songwork from this time period was captured on the first Faun Fables CD EARLY SONG (1999), and captured the attentions of Nils Frykdahl (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum), a musician and voice artist whose work she'd admired in a theatrical rock show called 'Idiot Flesh.' They began collaborating in 1998, sharing an instinct to weave theater into music and learning from each other's contrasting approaches to songmaking.
Since that time, the couple has built an eclectic following circling the roadways of North America in a sturdy pickup truck and touring abroad on foot, train and plane. The culmination of their longstanding partnership --a work that combines their writing and showcases their range of character-- is Faun Fables' new & sixth full-length album, LIGHT OF A VASTER DARK, released by Drag City in the winter of 2010. Previous releases include THE TRANSIT RIDER, MOTHER TWILIGHT (2001), FAMILY ALBUM (2004), and A TABLE FORGOTTEN (an EP).
In addition to Frykdahl, McCarthy has also collaborated with several other musicians, namely Will Oldham, multi-instrumentalist Kirana Peyton, violinist/thereminist Meredith Yayanos, reed player Cornelius Boots, harmonica player Mark Stikman, and Dawn's sister, Sheila McCarthy.
Captured by the heart of oral tradition, McCarthy draws inspiration from anywhere: Polish art songs, Icelandic volcanoes, The Singing Nun, recovery theater, etc. Recent studies include Wlodziemierz Staniewski's Gardzienice Theater, Cassie Terman's action theater training, narration work with Elaine Clark and a primitive technology workhop called Rabbitstick.
In 2004, Faun Fables signed to Drag City records and finally climbed Hanging Rock in Australia. They are currently based in northern California.
Subsequent albums include The Transit Rider (2006), Light of a Vaster Dark (2010), Born of the Sun (2016)
Live Old
Faun Fables Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time will slow you down
If you're lucky
A chance to be ground
Into the earth
The wind playing with your sands
Before you leave this land
Slow down
Slow down
Slow down
Better not count on winning
There may be no race
Better not scorn the old
Wisdom may need a slower pace
When the pressure of youth are gone
Sing a vaster song
What mattered so much
Time seeded with it's touch
Something age brings
With invisible things
Freed from broken dreams
Grow old
Grow old
Grow old
Better not kill it in youth
You might pass through that portal
Better not count on dying
You just might be immortal
It seems a long wait
For treasure beyond the gate
And your looks and prizes aren't worth taking with you
The trumpet blares
Of youthly cares
Might obscure that view
Theres more
Theres more
Theres more
Something age brings
With invisible things
Freed from broken dreams
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The song "Live Old" by Faun Fables is a beautiful contemplation on the virtues of aging and slowing down. The opening lines "Time will slow you down, If you're lucky" set the tone for the rest of the song, emphasizing that the passing of time can often be a blessing in disguise. The lyrics advise listeners to not count on winning, and not to scorn the old, suggesting that wisdom may need a slower pace. The pressure of youth is highlighted as something that can obscure one's view, and the song encourages the listener to sing a "vaster song" once this pressure is gone.
As the song continues, the lyrics become more introspective. The chorus repeats the mantra "Slow down, Better not kill it in youth, Grow old," as if to remind the listener to appreciate the present moment and not to rush through life. The line "Something age brings with invisible things, Freed from broken dreams" suggests that aging can bring a certain freedom that comes with letting go of past disappointments and embracing the present.
The final verse is perhaps the most poignant of all, as the song suggests that looking beyond one's own mortality can lead to new insights and perspectives. The line "You just might be immortal" implies that death is not necessarily an end, that there is a "treasure beyond the gate" that is waiting for each of us. Overall, "Live Old" is a beautiful meditation on the value of aging and the importance of embracing each moment.
Line by Line Meaning
One two three
Counting to begin the song
Time will slow you down
As you age, time feels slower
If you're lucky
Not everyone gets the chance to age
A chance to be ground
Being buried in the earth when you die
Into the earth
Death and burial
The wind playing with your sands
Nature manipulating your remains
Before you leave this land
Dying and leaving the world behind
Impatience kills good chance
If you rush, you might miss a great opportunity
Slow down
Advocating for a slower pace of life
Better not count on winning
Winning isn't always guaranteed
There may be no race
Life isn't a competition
Better not scorn the old
Respect and learn from the elderly
Wisdom may need a slower pace
Experience and knowledge require time
When the pressure of youth are gone
When you no longer feel obligated to keep up with being young
Sing a vaster song
Find deeper meaning in life
What mattered so much
Reassessing priorities
Time seeded with its touch
Time affects and changes us
Something age brings
Aging brings a certain wisdom and perspective
With invisible things
Not material things
Freed from broken dreams
No longer burdened by unfulfilled ambitions
Grow old
Embracing the natural process of aging
Better not kill it in youth
Don't waste your youth by ignoring the future
You might pass through that portal
There's a chance you'll survive to old age
Better not count on dying
Life is fragile and unpredictable
You just might be immortal
Death is not necessarily the end
It seems a long wait
Longing for treasures beyond earthly life
For treasure beyond the gate
Seeking greater meaning beyond the constraints of earthly existence
And your looks and prizes aren't worth taking with you
Material possessions hold no value after death
The trumpet blares
Celebrating the joys and pressures of youth
Of youthful cares
The worries and anxieties of being young
Might obscure that view
Can hinder from seeing the bigger picture
There's more
Life holds greater mysteries and possibilities
Theres more
Repeatedly emphasizing endless potential
Theres more
To live for, learn from, and discover
Contributed by Colton K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.