Michigan-based Northern Rock collective the Great Lakes Myth Society declar… Read Full Bio ↴Michigan-based Northern Rock collective the Great Lakes Myth Society declared itself a proper entity on January 1st 2003. The groups' previous incarnation as the "Original Brothers and Sisters of Love" yielded two critically-lauded albums (1999s The Legende of Jeb Minor and 2001's H.O.M.E.S.) for the Brooklyn, New York indie label The Telegraph Company (Kelley Stoltz, Stew, Finishing School) and successful appearances at New York City's Knitting Factory, CMJ, SXSW and Bostons NEMO Festival, but by 2002 the amicable departure of violinist and native New Zealander Elisabeth Auchinvole and the record company's untimely financial collapse had left the band with two gaping holes in its side and a mammoth completed record with no home. Rather than fold up their maps and head inward, Timothy Monger (accordion, guitar & vocals), James Monger (guitar & vocals), Gregory McIntosh (guitar & vocals), Scott McClintock (bass & vocals) and Fido Kennington (drums & vocals) adorned themselves in the most affordable black suits available, changed their name to reflect the region from which they drew their power and began to shop what would eventually become their formidable debut. It wasn't long before the newly minted "Great Lakes Myth Society" began sharing stages both locally and regionally with artists as diverse as Andrew Bird, Danielson, The Gourds, Saturday Looks Good to Me, The Hidden Cameras and The High Strung, eventually breaking through into the often impenetrable Detroit music scene with key shows at the Magic Stick, Lager House, Comerica TasteFest and finally a headlining slot at the first annual "Motor City Music Conference". Their eponymous debut, an alternately brooding and nostalgic blend of muscular English folk-rock, pine-kissed Northern Americana and Midwest Carny grit was released in April 2005 on the Boston-based label Stop, Pop & Roll (Paula Kelley, Ad Frank, Cathal Coughlan). Within weeks it had broken into the CMJ Top 200 and the band hit the road, bringing their consistently engaging and occasionally brutal live show to New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, even putting in an appearance on NPR's "All Things Considered". The GLMS signed with Southeast Michigan-based publishing house, record label, web developer and video/television production company Quack!Media in 2006 with plans to release their second album, "Compass Rose Bouquet", in the Summer of 2007. An eponymous single followed in early 2008 featuring "Brablec Farms" and "She's Come Home To Steal Her Rainbows".

Eastern Birds
Great Lakes Myth Society Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Blue ship sail me,
Lost in the slipper of the night.
Full steam daily,
Puffing like a fisherman's pipe.

Walking up the main streets
Smiling, seeing things.
Far away a season is zipping up.

Green lights changing,
Cold Appalachian towns.
Dead strings breaking,
A snowstorm is going to come down.

Walking out of clubs, lame
Bound to the earth again.
A parliament of ravens too drunk to fly.

The Massachusetts Turnpike

Puritan, stock and still.
Headed for the heart of the Sunday night

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Great Lakes Myth Society's song "Eastern Birds" paint a picture of a traveler journeying through the night, full steam ahead with a sense of purpose and direction. The "blue ship" is a metaphor for the journey, as the traveler navigates through the darkness with a steadfast determination. The mention of the "slipper of the night" is a nod to the idea of the night sky being like a slipper-shaped canopy over the earth. The imagery of a fisherman's pipe adds a sense of nostalgia and traditionalism to the journey.

As the traveler walks up main streets, they are observing their surroundings with a sense of joy and wonder, noting that in the distance, a new season is fast approaching. The changing of green lights and the mention of cold Appalachian towns adds to the sense of movement and progress, as the journey continues on. The mention of "dead strings breaking" and the impending snowstorm signals a sense of tension and potential danger, as the traveler is pushed forward by forces beyond their control.

As the traveler exits clubs, they are once again grounded in reality, returning to the earth with a newfound appreciation for their journey. The mention of a "parliament of ravens too drunk to fly" is an interesting twist on the phrase "a murder of crows," and adds a sense of whimsy to the song. Finally, the mention of the Massachusetts Turnpike and the "heart of the Sunday night" indicates that the traveler's journey is almost at an end, and that perhaps they will soon find the inner peace they have been seeking.

Line by Line Meaning

Blue ship sail me,
Take me away like a ship sailing over blue waters.

Lost in the slipper of the night.
Lost in the darkness and mystery of the night.

Full steam daily,
Going at full speed every day.

Puffing like a fisherman's pipe.
Breathing heavily and laboriously like a fisherman smoking his pipe.

Walking up the main streets
Strolling through the main streets of a town.

Smiling, seeing things.
Enjoying the sights and taking in the surroundings with a smile.

Far away a season is zipping up.
A season is quickly coming to a close far away.

Green lights changing,
Traffic lights changing from green to red.

Cold Appalachian towns.
Small towns in the Appalachian mountains, with a chilly climate.

Dead strings breaking,
Broken guitar strings, no longer able to make music.

A snowstorm is going to come down.
A snowstorm is imminent and will soon arrive.