Isakov has been described by Boulder Weekly, "Strong, subtle, a lyrical genius" and has been compared to his influences; Bruce Springsteen, Kelly Joe Phelps, Iron & Wine and Gillian Welch. Isakov's humble presence and his overwhelming voice and guitar style has been treasured by an ever-growing and captivated fan base.
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Isakov immigrated to the States with his family and grew up in the Philadelphia area. He started touring at the age of 16 with his first band. In 1999 he sought out his solo acoustic roots and moved to Colorado where he now resides.
Isakov has been taking on the folk music scene with his 2003 release "Rust Colored Stones" LP and his 2005 release "Songs For October". Isakov's song-craft lends to the deepest lyrical masterpieces, and his live performance has been known to quiet and shake the biggest rooms.
Isakov has shared the stage with numerous touring artists such as Rodrigo y Gabriela, Alexi Murdoch, and Fiona Apple. He has performed throughout the United States, playing numerous music festivals such as Falcon Ridge Folk Fest, Rocky Mountain Folks Fest and Southpark Music Festival. Isakov has toured solo and with his band "The Freight".
In 2007, Gregory was named "Best Male Singer-Songwriter" by Westword Magazine.
Subsequent albums have included That Sea, The Gambler (2007), This Empty Northern Hemisphere (2009), The Weatherman (2013), Evening Machines (2018).
Garden
Gregory Alan Isakov Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are just trees
Wave in the windstorm
We are slow wheels
We are potholes
And it passes
Just like lightning
And it's over
Bury me in the garden
Bury me in the garden
So that I can feed you
Bury me in the garden
And night rang live beneath the skin (??)
On a long road
We are tall weeds
Misplaced and misconceived
We are windblown
I want to grow old with you
And there's too many streets and avenues from me to you
Bury me in the garden
Bury me in the garden
So that I can feed you
Bury me in the garden (x6)
(There is too many streets and avenues)
Bury me in the garden
(From me to you)
Bury me in the garden (x3)
The lyrics in Gregory Alan Isakov's song Garden are poetic and introspective. The first verse depicts the transience of life, where humans are compared to trees that wave in the windstorm and slow wheels that create potholes. Life is passing by, and it's like a fast thunderbolt, and in the end, we remember nothing. The second verse shows the vulnerability of humans, where they are compared to tall weeds that are misplaced and misconceived. There are too many streets and avenues from the singer to the person he wants to grow old.
But amidst all of this, there's a glimmer of hope in the chorus, where the singer desires to be buried in the garden so that he can feed it. Death is a natural cycle of life, and by returning to the soil, he will be able to provide life to the garden. The line "night rang live beneath the skin" is unclear, but it could allude to how despite the darkness that is within us, life continues to live and thrive like plants in a garden. The song invites listeners to reflect on the impermanence of life and appreciate the beauty of death as a process of passing the baton of life to the next generation.
Line by Line Meaning
On a long road
We are all traveling through life towards a destination that seems far away.
We are just trees
We are all roughly similar but still unique in our own way.
Wave in the windstorm
Our lives are constantly unpredictable and we must learn to adapt to new situations.
We are slow wheels
Our progress towards our destination may be slow and steady, but it is still progress nonetheless.
We are potholes
As much as we try to avoid them, obstacles are always there to challenge us and make our journey more difficult.
And it passes
Life is constantly moving and changing, and we have to learn to let go of the things that we cannot control.
Just like lightning
Life can seem short and fleeting, but it is still full of beauty and wonder.
And it's over
Eventually, our journey will come to an end and we will have to let go of everything we know and love.
We remember nothing
In the grand scheme of things, our individual lives may not be very significant, and we will eventually be forgotten.
Bury me in the garden
After I am gone, I want to be buried somewhere where I can still contribute to the growth and sustenance of life.
So that I can feed you
Even in death, I want to be useful to those who remain behind, and help sustain the world in some small way.
On a long road
We are still on our journey through life, and must continue to face its challenges and uncertainties.
We are tall weeds
We may seem out of place and unwanted, but we can still find ways to grow and thrive.
Misplaced and misconceived
We may not always be understood or valued by others, but that does not mean we are without worth.
We are windblown
Our lives can be unpredictable and chaotic, but we can still try to find some sense of direction and purpose.
I want to grow old with you
Even in the face of all life's uncertainties, there are still things we can hold onto and cherish.
And there's too many streets and avenues from me to you
Despite our desire to be close to those we care about, the world can sometimes feel vast and insurmountable.
Contributed by Hailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mike Modelle
on Time Will Tell
A Kansas wheat farmer wonders and worries about the price he will get for his bushels as they pour into some commercial silo.