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".

march
Great Lakes Myth Society Lyrics

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Time would stop and in silence shake when I'd shape my arm around your waist. And though nighttime brought your heaviest freight, some did never sleep, some did never wake. The portrait curled in violets and blues carried all my best from my brush to you. Framed on your wall in the daybreak hush, it saw all our troubles come alive with us.

Move on, move on! It's been so long and I don't have the tears for that now. Move on, move on! It's been so long and I don't have the tears for the years you've had so many tumbling down.

Oh, my breath is all but dead; no, alcohol won't cure no head. Lying on my back as the daylight grew; the portrait helped me see the worst in you. So, I'm your secret locked up in the box where you keep your hopeless serenades and your knives with my name on them? Who's now your soldier standing starboard aboard the ship you keep trapped inside the bottle of your discontent amid your fears and allegations?

Overall Meaning

The song "March" by Great Lakes Myth Society is a lyrical reflection on the pain and hopelessness of a broken relationship. The first stanza describes the physical intimacy that the singer once shared with his partner, before the relationship took a turn for the worse. Despite the closeness they once shared, the nighttime now brings only darkness and sadness. However, the portrait of the couple that the singer painted and gave to his partner remains on the wall, bearing witness to the trials and tribulations of their relationship.

In the second stanza, the singer comes to terms with the fact that he must move on from this failed relationship. He no longer has any tears to cry over the past, though it is clear that the memories still haunt him. He acknowledges that alcohol will not provide a cure for his pain, and instead lies in bed with the portrait as company. As he reflects on the worst parts of his partner and their relationship, he realizes that he has become little more than a secret locked away in a box. The partner has moved on to new relationships and new experiences, while the singer is left to bear witness to the aftermath of their failed relationship.

Overall, "March" is a dark and haunting song that evokes the pain and sadness of a lost relationship. Through vivid imagery and heartfelt lyrics, the song captures the emotional rollercoaster of love and heartbreak.

Line by Line Meaning

Time would stop and in silence shake when I'd shape my arm around your waist.
I had a powerful and immediate connection with you, so strong that time seemed to freeze and silence shook, as I wrapped my arm around your waist.

And though nighttime brought your heaviest freight, some did never sleep, some did never wake.
Even though you were burdened with heavy emotions and troubles during the night, some people never sleep or wake up from their own struggles.

The portrait curled in violets and blues carried all my best from my brush to you.
The painting I made for you, using shades of violet and blue, represented my best artistic ability and conveyed my feelings for you.

Framed on your wall in the daybreak hush, it saw all our troubles come alive with us.
As it hung on your wall in the quiet of dawn, the painting witnessed all the struggles and issues we faced together.

Move on, move on! It's been so long and I don't have the tears for that now.
I urge you to move forward and forget the past, as it has been a long time and I am emotionally drained from dwelling on it.

Oh, my breath is all but dead; no, alcohol won't cure no head.
I feel like I can barely breathe, and drinking alcohol won't solve the mental or emotional pain I am experiencing.

Lying on my back as the daylight grew; the portrait helped me see the worst in you.
As I lay on my back and watched the sunlight gradually fill the room, seeing the painting helped me realize the negative aspects of our relationship and your character.

So, I'm your secret locked up in the box where you keep your hopeless serenades and your knives with my name on them?
Am I the secret that you hold onto, locked away in a box alongside your hopeless love songs and any dangerous thoughts or feelings you have towards me?

Who's now your soldier standing starboard aboard the ship you keep trapped inside the bottle of your discontent amid your fears and allegations?
Who is the person that you rely on for emotional support, standing strong on the ship of your life that is trapped inside a bottle of your own frustration, fear, and unfounded claims?

Contributed by Emma L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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