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).
lIvIng prOOF
Gregory Alan Isakov Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh we broke on up to hill country, the air was thin and sweet
Lord, the air was thin and sweet
She held onto my coat that night, like a kid lost in her sleeves
Oh we warmed the ground, we hushed our sound
We slept on walking feet
Lord, we slept on walking feet
Oh Darlin, pardon me
Can you help me remember
When we were all flying free
We were dust from our bodies
And we were flicker and flame, yeah we burned till the morning
Darlin, pardon me
Off in the night, you can hear 'em bright,
The Sirens of the Sea
Oh and city birds and alley girls, they all just sing for free
Oh they all just sing for free
Oh Darlin, pardon me
But do I look familiar
When we were just larkspur and leaves
We were strung through the tether
And we were all silver and stone
We were the lust of the miners
Darlin, pardon me
That sky glowed all calico like phosphor in the sea
To the ground we fall, she owns us all
Kings and boys and beast
Kings and boys and beast
Oh Darlin, pardon me
But do I look familiar
When we were just flying free
And we burned from a freight train
And we were some flicker of truth in the smile of a salesman
And we were all buried jewels 'neath the grass in the suburbs
And we were all living proof
Oh Darlin, pardon me
The lyrics of Living Proof by Gregory Alan Isakov paint a picture of a time long gone, with wistful nostalgia for the freedom and simplicity of the past. The opening lines describe a night with the sound of bicycle bells and a darkness that has "wooden teeth." The two protagonists "broke on up to hill country" where the air was thin and sweet, and they slept on walking feet. The song's chorus implores a lover to help the singer remember a time when they were "all flying free" and they were little more than "dust from our bodies" and "flicker and flame."
The second verse refers to the sounds of the city and its inhabitants. The Sirens of the Sea can be heard off in the distance, and the birds and girls all sing for free. The singer again asks the same question of his lover, hoping to remember the past. The third verse describes the beauty of the stars and the sky, and how everything on the ground is insignificant in comparison. The chorus repeats, this time adding the lines "And we burned from a freight train And we were some flicker of truth in the smile of a salesman And we were all buried jewels 'neath the grass in the suburbs And we were all living proof."
Overall, the song seems to be a meditation on how we lose our sense of freedom and life's simple pleasures as we grow older and become wrapped up in the trappings of modern society. The chorus suggests that there was a time when our lives were more meaningful, more free and more full of joy. The lyrics ask us to forgive ourselves for losing that, and perhaps to try and capture a little bit of that lost magic once again.
Line by Line Meaning
The night fell with bicycle bells, the dark had wooden teeth
The night came with a unique sound of bicycle bells, and it was so dark that it seemed like the darkness had teeth made of wood.
Oh we broke on up to hill country, the air was thin and sweet
We travelled uphill to the hilly region, where the air was rarefied and refreshing.
She held onto my coat that night, like a kid lost in her sleeves
She clung onto my coat tightly that night, like a helpless child seeking security in her sleeves.
Oh we warmed the ground, we hushed our sound, We slept on walking feet
We settled down for the night by warming the ground, keeping our voices low, and slept while standing on our feet.
Oh Darlin, pardon me, Can you help me remember
Excuse me, my love, can you assist me in reminiscing.
When we were all flying free, We were dust from our bodies
During a time when we were uninhibited and free-spirited, we were akin to disintegrating dust.
And we were flicker and flame, yeah we burned till the morning
We were like a flicker of fire that burned throughout the night until morning.
Darlin, pardon me
My love, please forgive me.
Off in the night, you can hear 'em bright, The Sirens of the Sea
During the night, you could hear the bright sound of the sirens of the sea.
Oh and city birds and alley girls, they all just sing for free
In the city, birds and girls in alleys all sing for free.
But do I look familiar, When we were just larkspur and leaves
Do I look familiar to you, back when we were merely larkspur and leaves.
We were strung through the tether, And we were all silver and stone
We were restricted by a linked tether and were similar to silver and stone.
We were the lust of the miners
Miners longed for us.
That sky glowed all calico like phosphor in the sea
The sky lit up with various colours like phosphor in the sea.
To the ground we fall, she owns us all, Kings and boys and beast
Eventually we all come back to the earth, which controls everything including kings, boys and animals.
Darlin, pardon me
My love, please forgive me.
And we burned from a freight train, And we were some flicker of truth in the smile of a salesman
We burnt because of a moving train and were a glimpse of truth in the smile of an advertiser.
And we were all buried jewels 'neath the grass in the suburbs, And we were all living proof
We were all hidden gems beneath the suburbian grass, and we were all indisputable evidence of something.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@letmehavanickname
the night fell with bicycle bells, the dark had wooden teeth
oh we broke on up to hill country, the air was thin and sweet
lord, the air was thin and sweet
she held onto my coat that night, like a kid lost in her sleeves
oh we warmed the ground, we hushed our sound
we slept on walking feet
lord, we slept on walking feet
oh darlin, pardon me
can you help me remember
when we were all flying free
we were dust from our bodies
and we were flicker and flame, yeah we burned till the morning
darlin, pardon me
off in the night, you can hear ’em bright,
the Sirens of the Sea
oh and city birds and alley girls, they all just sing for free
oh they all just sing for free
oh darlin, pardon me
but do I look familiar
when we were just larkspur and leaves
we were strung through the tether
and we were all silver and stone
we were the lust of the miners
darlin, pardon me
that sky glowed all calico like phosphor in the sea
to the ground we fall, she owns us all
kings and boys and beast
kings and boys and beast
oh darlin, pardon me
but do I look familiar
when we were just flying free
and we burned from a freight train
and we were some flicker of truth in the smile of a salesman
and we were all buried jewels ‘neath the grass in the suburbs
and we were all living proof
oh darlin, pardon me
@ananyabajpai5055
The night fell with bicycle bells, the dark had wooden teeth
Oh we broke on up to hill country, the air was thin and sweet
Lord, the air was thin and sweet
She held onto my coat that night, like a kid lost in her sleeves
Oh we warmed the ground, we hushed our sound
We slept on walking feet
Lord, we slept on walking feet
Oh Darlin, pardon me
Can you help me remember
When we were all flying free
We were dust from our bodies
And we were flicker and flame, yeah we burned till the morning
Darlin, pardon me
Off in the night, you can hear 'em bright,
The Sirens of the Sea
Oh and city birds and alley girls, they all just sing for free
Oh they all just sing for free
Oh Darlin, pardon me
But do I look familiar
When we were just larkspur and leaves
We were strung through the tether
And we were all silver and stone
We were the lust of the miners
Darlin, pardon me
@idontneedaname318
FULL LYRICS
The night fell with bicycle bells, the dark had wooden teeth
Oh we broke on up to hill country, the air was thin and sweet
Lord, the air was thin and sweet
She held onto my coat that night, like a kid lost in her sleeves
Oh we warmed the ground, we hushed our sound
We slept on walking feet
Lord, we slept on walking feet
Oh Darlin, pardon me
Can you help me remember
When we were all flying free
We were dust from our bodies
And we were flicker and flame, yeah we burned till the morning
Darlin, pardon me
Off in the night, you can hear 'em bright,
The Sirens of the Sea
Oh and city birds and alley girls, they all just sing for free
Oh they all just sing for free
Oh Darlin, pardon me
But do I look familiar
When we were just larkspur and leaves
We were strung through the tether
And we were all silver and stone
We were the lust of the miners
Darlin, pardon me
That sky glowed all calico like phosphor in the sea
To the ground we fall, she owns us all
Kings and boys and beast
Kings and boys and beast
Oh Darlin, pardon me
But do I look familiar
When we were just flying free
And we burned from a freight train
And we were some flicker of truth in the smile of a salesman
And we were all buried jewels 'neath the grass in the suburbs
And we were all living proof
Oh Darlin, pardon me
@NarrowChutes
Sometimes I feel like an oddball for being so affected by his music, seeing as almost no one in my life has even heard of him. But then I read the comments on one of his videos and see how many others have also connected to his music so deeply. It’s cheesy to say but it warms the heart.
@meganellsworth1065
It makes me so happy to think that some people in this world have yet to discover this music and it will change their life. It's so exciting
@samanthacruz7029
And I agree!!!!! His music is beautiful and soothing
@temporaryalia
it's 2021 I just discovered him and I'm already in love
@peteWxM1970
I met him once in Manchester.wonderful singer.very nice he was.I was starstruck.he was humble.my wife had to speak for me as I pointed him out then became mute and mumbling.he shook hands and introduced his friend.we were their to go to his concert that night but we’re mikes from the venue 6 hours earlyabd I tried to say I’d been listening to him for 9 years.a great moment in my life.great guy.great singer… I’m mumbling again🤪but true true true I promise
@GSWoody
It happened to me today all these years later. He is supporting the lumineers in 2022 when I go and see them. I always check out the openers. Second chances is a beautiful piece of music
@MrSir-sc1ej
I've been listening to his music for a year now and I've been so much calmer and kinder since
@HoodyBoy85
I feel like Gregory has two types of songs: those that cut deep, and then these fun poetic gems--All gold.
@parkerjohnson3122
When I found Gregory, I didn’t feel as depressed. Favorite by far is probably master and a hound.
@voiceofmanywaters3720
G.A. I 's music is a buried jewel...we who know it can see it sparkling just under a layer of Earth. The reason he is not huge is because he will not sell himself / his soul.