The end of 2008 saw Grieves enlisting the help of friend and collaborator Budo to co-produce Together/Apart bringing his signature swiss-army knife, multi-instrumental backdrop to Grieves' hauntingly poignant narrative. The album began taking shape in New York as the two built off the success 88 Keys and Counting had generated and paired it with the intensity they developed from their live performances. The recording process began to shadow the theme of the album as it saw tracks recorded in Colorado and Washington in addition to New York, infusing it with a mixture of regional influences while still maintaining a cohesive sound. As the album neared completion the title took on a double meaning for Grieves as he explored new subject matter in the absence of trust, refuge in addiction, acceptance and honesty in self-reflection, and trying to find his place in the world without forgetting his roots.
Blood Poetry
Grieves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And everybody started running round in circles tryin to figure it out
I could feel it
Wedged in my ribs it felt freezin
As my cold air blew out
Dance through the evening, paranormal
Slowly being called to the green
Where the ghosts gather nightly and sell the devil their dreams, i observe
Hold the concrete notepad
Scribble down my words in the limelight
This is what it's like to bleed ink
Put your fingers in it paint me a picture of what you think
Make it beautiful and make it look like love
Make it hang from the heavens
Make it break my trust
Make it real
Make it dangerous
Make it out of the rust
Make it passionate and impossible to touch
It's forever
Slowly resurrected from the dust
When you understand its everything inside of you, its us.
You're all I've ever known
So to my sleep
You always got me running home
Count for the roses
You're my blood and brittle bones, my soul and open throne
You're all I know
Ive spoke a whisper in the dark one night
Watch it take form in front of me and mimic my life
It seemed natural specially watching its last breathe like poetry
Watch as it clung to its own chest with a smile
Made out of broken pieces of tile
You can see the thoughts running chase em around for miles
If you want it people say that old road is haunted
If you travel on it long enough you'll never get off it
You believe it cause everything is skewed when you see it
Then you process automatically think that you feel it
And automatically sticks to the brain when the truth of it is standing outside playing cards in the rain
You will never beat the game it plays
You can only turn around and lick the blood from your own switchblade
Its forever slowly resurrected from the dust
When you understand its everything inside of you, its us.
In Grieves's song Blood Poetry, the lyrics explore the notion of creating art from pain and agony. The first verse depicts a moment when the lights go out, and everyone is frantically trying to figure out what's happening. The singer describes feeling something wedged in their ribs, causing them to feel freezing. They observe the paranormal, slowly being lured towards a gathering of ghosts who are selling their dreams to the devil. The singer stands on the other side of the curb, holding a concrete notepad, scribbling down their thoughts. As they describe themselves bleeding ink, they ask the listener to paint a beautiful picture of what they feel, to make it real, dangerous, and passionate so that it's impossible to touch.
In the second verse, the singer reveals that they whispered in the dark, and something manifested in front of them, mimicking their life. It's made up of broken pieces of tile, and the singer can see the thoughts running inside it. The song then takes on a more reflective tone as the singer remarks that people often believe in something because everything appears to be skewed that way. They go on to say that it's impossible to beat the game that's being played and can only turn around and lick the blood from their own switchblade. In conclusion, the singer says that when we understand that everything we feel is inside of us, it's us.
Line by Line Meaning
I guess it started when the lights went out
The beginning of something ominous or unsettling
And everybody started running round in circles tryin to figure it out
Panic and confusion as people try to make sense of the situation
I could feel it Wedged in my ribs it felt freezin
A physical sensation of fear or unease
As my cold air blew out Dance through the evening, paranormal
A surreal and supernatural atmosphere
Slowly being called to the green Where the ghosts gather nightly and sell the devil their dreams, i observe
A sense of being drawn towards danger or darkness
Hails from the other side of the curb Hold the concrete notepad
A sense of being an outsider or observer
Scribble down my words in the limelight This is what it's like to bleed ink
The experience of pouring one's emotions and creativity onto the page
Put your fingers in it paint me a picture of what you think Make it beautiful and make it look like love
An invitation to others to interpret and contribute to the creative process
Make it hang from the heavens Make it break my trust Make it real Make it dangerous Make it out of the rust Make it passionate and impossible to touch
A desire for art that is intense, emotional, and unpredictable
It's forever Slowly resurrected from the dust When you understand its everything inside of you, its us.
Art is eternal and has the power to capture the essence of our existence
You're all I've ever known So to my sleep You always got me running home Count for the roses You're my blood and brittle bones, my soul and open throne You're all I know
A declaration of love and dependence on someone or something
Ive spoke a whisper in the dark one night Watch it take form in front of me and mimic my life It seemed natural specially watching its last breathe like poetry Watch as it clung to its own chest with a smile Made out of broken pieces of tile
The power of words to create and shape reality, and the beauty and fragility of life
You can see the thoughts running chase em around for miles If you want it people say that old road is haunted If you travel on it long enough you'll never get off it You believe it cause everything is skewed when you see it Then you process automatically think that you feel it And automatically sticks to the brain when the truth of it is standing outside playing cards in the rain You will never beat the game it plays You can only turn around and lick the blood from your own switchblade
The unreliability and subjectivity of perception and the inevitability of pain and struggle
Contributed by Kylie B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ajaxmuse
I guess it started when the lights went out
and everybody started running round in circles tryin to figure it out
I could feel it
wedged in my ribs it felt freezin
as my cold air blew out
dance through the evening, paranormal
slowly being called to the green
where the ghosts gather nightly and sell the devil their dreams, i observe
hails from the other side of the curb
hold the concrete notepad
scribble down my words in the limelight
this is what it's like to bleed ink
put your fingers in it paint me a picture of what you think
make it beautiful and make it look like love
make it hang from the heavens
make it break my trust
make it real
make it dangerous
make it out of the rust
make it passionate and impossible to touch
it's forever
slowly resurrected from the dust
when you understand its everything inside of you, its us.
You're all I've ever known
So to my sleep
You always got me running home
Count for the roses
You're my blood and brittle bones, my soul and open throne
You're all I know
Ive spoke a whisper in the dark one night
watch it take form in front of me and mimic my life
it seemed natural specially watching its last breathe like poetry
watch as it clung to its own chest with a smile
made out of broken pieces of tile
you can see the thoughts running chase em around for miles
if you want it people say that old road is haunted
if you travel on it long enough you'll never get off it
you believe it cause everything is skewed when you see it
then you process automatically think that you feel it
and automatically sticks to the brain when the truth of it is standing outside playing cards in the rain
you will never beat the game it plays
you can only turn around and lick the blood from your own switchblade
its forever slowly resurrected from the dust
when you understand its everything inside of you, its us.
You're all I've ever known
Just come to my sleep, you always got me running home
Handful of roses
You're my blood and brittle bones,
My soul an open throne.
You're all I know.
You're all I've ever known
Just come to my sleep, you always got me running home
Handful of roses
You're my blood and brittle bones,
My soul an open throne.
You're all I know.
@josiahrodgers2359
[Verse 1: Grieves]
I guess it started when the lights went out
And everybody started running round in circles trying to figure it out
And I could feel it, wedged in my ribs it felt freezing
As my cold air blew out, dance through the evening
Paranormal, slowly being called to the green
Where the ghosts gather nightly and sell the devil their dreams
I observe hails from the other side of the curb
Hold the concrete notepad
Scribble down my words in the limelight
This is what it's like to bleed ink
Put your fingers in it, paint me a picture of what you think
Make it beautiful, and make it look like love
Make it hang from the heavens, make it break my trust
Make it real, make it dangerous
Make it out of the rust, make it passionate and impossible to touch
Its forever, slowly resurrected from the dust
When you understand its everything inside of you, it's us
[Hook]
You're all I've ever known
So to my sleep, you always got me running home
Handful of roses your my blood and brittle bones
My soul and open tomb
Is all I know
[Verse 2: Grieves]
I've spoke a whisper in the dark one night
Watch it take form in front of me and mimic my life
It seemed natural, especially watching its last breathe like poetry
Watch as it clung to it's own chest with a smile
Made out of broken pieces of tile
You can see the thoughts running, chase em around for miles
If you want it, people say that old road is haunted
If you travel on it long enough, you'll never get off it
You believe it, cause everything is skewed when you see it
Then you process automatically think that you feel it
And automatically sticks to the brain
When the truth of it is standing outside playing cards in the rain
You will never beat the game it plays
You can only turn around and lick the blood from your own switchblade
It's forever, slowly resurrected from the dust
When you understand it's everything inside of you, it's us
[Hook x2]
@esquipulaarchuletta5649
Just found this guy. I can't believe I never came across him before. Absolutely incredible. Every single song is an absolute banger.
@Greyxghoste
Awe grieves looks so young.
Lol been listening to this dude for ten years now, we are getting old homie.
@jonathanaiglon5321
36 years
@InYourNetwork
For real man. I remember seeing him when I turned 18 in Minneapolis.
@brandontemplin5108
"when you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect" -mark twain
@GirlWithThePlumbobTattoo
Definitely still relevant
@mrmunchies24
This is rap, this is poetry, this is art.
@THEYCALLMESAMMYVI
I was walking around Warped Tour today in NorCal and heard this amazing beat on a small stage and couldn't help but notice the ridiculous soul Benjamin was spitting! I met Grieves and Budo and they are amazing!! Only legends put a stop to your destination through their music
@tannerjackson740
First song I've ever dedicatedly mesmerized, Musically and lyrically. So great, I'm always singing this at work all the time.
@Foreverdensword
Me to