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.
Breath of Air
Grieves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Laid it on the table in the living room
And rummaged through the parts
The child in me is running through the yard
While the man that I'm supposed to be is searching for a breath in the cigar smoke chokin'
Drying out my eyes like the desert wind
Drunk, taking shots at the moon with an empty pen
I got a feeling that once it gets to the end
Life's been a freak show
Learn to hold a knife at a young age and bleed slow
Following the keystrokes
Leading to my words
Is a trail most traveled by a part of me
You would label disturbed
But it works
Living with the plague
Marching to the beat of my bones getting thrown into the lake
They sink heavy like a thought made of lead
And fall slowly to the depths
If I could find a better way to make you see what I've been thinking
I would probably just paint a fucking picture
They say it's worth a thousand words
Hold on
There's something in the basement
Chained to the furnace
Underneath the stairs
So close I can taste it
Climbing up the drain pipe
Trying to get a breath of air
Oh god
The only way to face it
Is gonna leave the whole world
Thinking that I'm crazy
So close I can taste it
Trying to find a way to take away my breath of air
I carve it all into the clay
Walking monument of my mistakes
Living off the rain checks
Written in the fray
The artist in me wants to play
While the person I'm supposed to be is trying to figure out if I'm okay
A scapegoat with a flamethrower
Burning up the tall grass
Growing like a tumor on his gravestone
I got a feeling if the same old motherfucking shit keeps happening
I'll be dead before this game's over
Great, I'm in dark water and diving
Trying to find peace in the deep I reside in
It keeps finding a better way to remind me
That anywhere I go it'll be right there behind me
Fine with it, pressed to the page
Leaking like a wide open cut from a thrust of the blade
It falls heavy like a bus from a broken bridge
And keeps me watching from the ridge
If I could find a better way to make the jaws of it release me
I would probably just bite my fucking arm off
They say it happens in the wild
Hold on
There's something in the basement
Chained to the furnace
Underneath the stairs
So close I can taste it
Climbing up the drain pipe
Trying to get a breath of air
I start shaking when it awakens inside of me
They tried to tell me it was a panic but they lied to me
Got me thinking I was fragile and incompetent
And tried to build a road around that avalanche on top of me
Failed, laying on a bed of rusty nails
Trying to distribute the weight enough to balance out the scales
I lost heaven the second my ship sailed
But survived long enough to tell the tale
Hold on
There's something in the basement
Chained to the furnace
Underneath the stairs
So close I can taste it
Climbing up the drain pipe
Trying to get a breath of air
In "Breath of Air," Grieves reflects on his inner struggles and the contrast between his childlike curiosity and the weight of adulthood. He describes himself as having a "puzzle for a heart," which he has laid out to examine its parts. While the child in him runs free, the man he's supposed to be is stifled, searching for a breath in the smoke of a cigar.
He delves into the dark places of the psyche, where he feels as though he's "living with the plague," and his thoughts are sinking like lead into the depths of his mind. Grieves creates a vivid imagery with the line "I'm in dark water and diving, trying to find peace in the deep I reside in." He expresses his frustrations and feelings of being trapped, as though he's chained to a furnace in the basement, gasping for air, while the rest of the world sees him as crazy.
Overall, the song is a reflection on the complexities and difficulties of growing up and coming to terms with oneself, embracing the inner child within while also grappling with the challenges of adulthood.
Line by Line Meaning
As simple as I am I got a puzzle for a heart
Despite my outward simplicity, my emotions are complex and difficult to piece together.
Laid it on the table in the living room
I've exposed my innermost feelings for all to see.
And rummaged through the parts
I'm trying to sort through my emotions and figure out what makes me tick.
The child in me is running through the yard
My inner child still yearns for the carefree days of youth.
While the man that I'm supposed to be is searching for a breath in the cigar smoke chokin'
I'm struggling to reconcile my youthful self with the responsibilities of adulthood, turning to substances to cope.
Drying out my eyes like the desert wind
My experiences have left me jaded and emotionally parched.
Drunk, taking shots at the moon with an empty pen
I'm aimlessly lashing out at my problems without actually addressing them.
I got a feeling that once it gets to the end
I fear that my life will end in a depressing, friendless state.
I'll be buried neck deep in this shit with no friends, go figure
I'll be stuck in a miserable existence without any companionship, and it's not unexpected.
Life's been a freak show
My life has been full of unexpected events and struggles.
Learn to hold a knife at a young age and bleed slow
I've had to learn to be tough and resilient from a young age to survive.
Following the keystrokes
I'm channeling my feelings through my artistic expression on the computer.
Leading to my words
My creative expression is leading to the lyrics of this song.
Is a trail most traveled by a part of me
These lyrics stem from a deep part of my soul that's been through a lot.
You would label disturbed
Others might view my inner workings as disturbed or strange.
But it works
My coping mechanisms, while not considered normal, help me get through tough times.
Living with the plague
I feel like I'm living with a figurative illness or disease.
Marching to the beat of my bones getting thrown into the lake
I'm trying to move forward despite feeling weighed down by my circumstances.
They sink heavy like a thought made of lead
My troubles feel heavy and overwhelming, like a heavy thought that won't go away.
And fall slowly to the depths
My struggles seem to suck me down slowly but surely.
If I could find a better way to make you see what I've been thinking
I wish I could help others understand the struggles I'm going through.
I would probably just paint a fucking picture
I'd communicate my thoughts and emotions through visual art instead of words.
They say it's worth a thousand words
Visual art can communicate more than what can be said with words alone.
Hold on
I'm asking the listener to stay with me and wait for what's about to come next.
There's something in the basement
I'm haunted by something that's buried deep within my psyche.
Chained to the furnace
This haunting issue is keeping me trapped and unable to escape.
Underneath the stairs
It's lurking just out of sight, but still has a hold on me.
So close I can taste it
This issue is incredibly pervasive and feels like it's closing in on me.
Climbing up the drain pipe
I'm desperately fighting to overcome this issue, no matter what it takes.
Trying to get a breath of air
I'm struggling to find some relief and escape from this problem that's suffocating me.
Oh god
The severity and desperation of the situation is causing me to invoke a higher power.
The only way to face it
The only way to deal with this problem is to confront it head on, no matter how difficult it may be.
Is gonna leave the whole world
Confronting this issue will have far-reaching repercussions beyond just myself.
Thinking that I'm crazy
Others might not understand my predicament and could view me as irrational or insane as a result.
I carve it all into the clay
I'm trying to immortalize my struggles by creating a lasting monument to my pain and perseverance.
Walking monument of my mistakes
This monument is a symbol of the errors I've made in the past, but also of my learning and growth.
Living off the rain checks
I'm surviving off empty promises and hopes, unable to make tangible progress towards my goals.
Written in the fray
My hopes and promises are written in the midst of uncertainty and chaos.
The artist in me wants to play
Despite everything, a part of me still wants to partake in creative, artistic endeavors.
While the person I'm supposed to be is trying to figure out if I'm okay
I'm trying to balance my artistic inclinations with the person society expects me to be, and assess whether I'm healthy and happy.
A scapegoat with a flamethrower
I'm blaming others for my problems and lashing out at them as a result, instead of facing my own role in my problems.
Burning up the tall grass
I'm taking down innocents along with my enemies in my destructive field of fire.
Growing like a tumor on his gravestone
My anger and aggression is only causing more harm and destruction, similar to a cancerous growth on a tombstone.
I got a feeling if the same old motherfucking shit keeps happening
If I can't get out of my own way and break my destructive patterns, my life will continue to spiral downwards.
I'll be dead before this game's over
I have a sense of hopelessness, like I'm already defeated before the game's even finished.
Great, I'm in dark water and diving
I've metaphorically plunged headfirst into a dangerous and murky predicament without a clear way out.
Trying to find peace in the deep I reside in
I'm striving to find a sense of tranquility and acceptance in my difficult situation.
It keeps finding a better way to remind me
Despite my best efforts, my troublesome issue continues to rear its ugly head and cause me pain.
That anywhere I go it'll be right there behind me
This problem follows me wherever I go, seemingly impossible to escape or leave behind.
Fine with it, pressed to the page
I've resigned myself to my fate and have turned to creative expression to cope with my struggles.
Leaking like a wide open cut from a thrust of the blade
My emotions are spilling out of me uncontrollably, like an open wound that can't be contained.
It falls heavy like a bus from a broken bridge
My pain and struggles feel crushing and suffocating, like a bus falling into a ravine.
And keeps me watching from the ridge
Despite the danger and devastation, I can't look away and continue to be entrenched in my struggles.
If I could find a better way to make the jaws of it release me
If only I could find a way to extricate myself from my troubles and be free.
I would probably just bite my fucking arm off
I'm willing to do anything, even self-harm, to gain relief from my struggles.
They say it happens in the wild
Extreme measures and actions are often taken by those in desperate, primal situations to survive and escape.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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