He mostly operates as an unsigned act, releasing his albums through Evening Records; the one exception to this rule is Lost And Found, his only widely-commercial release. Griffin is almost always on tour and recently completed a successful tour opening for Mat Kearney. House attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and released the album Lost & Found in 2004. It was recorded on a shoestring budget with House, his band and a few friends doing the producing and recording themselves with only one or two takes. House also recorded a cover of the Jackson Browne song, "These Days" for the Everwood soundtrack album. Both that song and "Amsterdam" were later featured in the show.
Mirage
Griffin House Lyrics
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And let each and every beauty pillage, rape and plunder
The pure and golden treasure buried underneath your breast
Is covered in the muck that used indulgences detest
She longs to see it shine
She longs for you come down
From where you sit so high on your head a crystal crown
She's a mirage
She's not real
Remove her from your mind and you will see
She's a mirage
She's a liar
She won't heal you
She will try to come between you and me
You can spend your strength on women
On those who ruin kingdoms
The unfaithful will be torn from the land
For the trouble that they bring them
Her house leads down to death
Her charm's an evil force
And the ties that bind the flesh
Will sever in divorce
She's a mirage
She's and idol
She's not real
Remove her from your mind and you will see
She's a mirage
She's a liar
She won't heal you
She will try to come between you and me
Take her down from your pedestal
She's no use anymore
You will recognize the face of death
It fooled you once before
She will find herself disgusted as she's lying on the floor
Look how vanity has led you where the road turns into dark despair
I hope I never see you there
Forgive me darlin' being unaware
You're no mirage
You are nothing of the kind
You are noble you are wise and you are pure
A good woman is the hardest thing to find
If there's anything I know
Of this I'm sure
In this song, Griffin House warns about the dangers of fixating on a mirage - an illusion of beauty, love, and satisfaction that ultimately leads to destruction. He urges his listener to avoid falling victim to the world's temptations, and instead keep their focus on what is real and good.
The first verse speaks to the temptation of indulging in fantasies and distractions that can cause us to lose sight of what truly matters. The "pure and golden treasure" within us is hidden under the "muck" of these indulgences. The chorus warns of the mirage, an illusion that can distract and deceive us. House is warning against the danger of idolizing someone or something, and the potential destruction that follows.
The second verse speaks to the dangers of spending our strength on the wrong things - in this case, unfaithful women. House compares these temptations to death, and urges the listener to cut themselves off from them. He sees them as leading to divorce and separation, something to be avoided at all costs. The mirage is particularly dangerous in this context, as it tries to come between the listener and House himself.
The final verse is a call to action, urging the listener to take the mirage down from its pedestal and recognize it for the trick it is. House reassures his listener that they are not a mirage, and that they are real and good. A good woman, he says, is hard to find, but well worth the search.
Overall, "Mirage" is a warning against the dangers of fixating on illusions and the temptations of the world. It urges its listener to focus on what is real and good, and to avoid falling into the traps of the mirage.
Line by Line Meaning
You can travel down your roads of fantasy and wonder
You can indulge in your fantasies and imaginative thoughts
And let each and every beauty pillage, rape and plunder
You can let the allure of beauty and material possessions consume and rob you of your inner virtues
The pure and golden treasure buried underneath your breast
You have a pure and noble character that needs to be discovered and nourished
Is covered in the muck that used indulgences detest
Your pure character is obscured by the impurities of excessive indulgences
She longs to see it shine
Someone longs for you to shine with your inner virtues
She longs for you come down
Someone wants you to let go of your pride and arrogance
From where you sit so high on your head a crystal crown
You are proud and arrogant, and believe yourself to be superior to others
She's a mirage
You are being misled by an illusion
She's an idol
You have made an idol out of someone or something that is not worthy of worship
She's not real
The person or thing you are fixated on does not align with reality
Remove her from your mind and you will see
You need to let go of your fixation in order to see things clearly
She's a liar
The person or thing you are fixated on is deceiving you
She won't heal you
The person or thing you are fixated on cannot provide you with true healing or inner growth
She will try to come between you and me
The person or thing you are fixated on will cause a rift between us
You can spend your strength on women
You can waste your energy pursuing frivolous romantic relationships
On those who ruin kingdoms
You can pursue those who will ultimately destroy your life
The unfaithful will be torn from the land
Those who are unfaithful will be removed from your life
For the trouble that they bring them
Because they cause nothing but trouble and pain
Her house leads down to death
The path you are on leads to destruction and death
Her charm's an evil force
The allure of the person or thing you are fixated on is a negative, destructive influence
And the ties that bind the flesh
Your physical desires and attachments
Will sever in divorce
Will ultimately end in painful separation
Take her down from your pedestal
You need to stop putting the person or thing you are fixated on up on a pedestal
She's no use anymore
The person or thing you are fixated on no longer serves any purpose in your life
You will recognize the face of death
You will eventually realize that your fixation was leading you towards destruction and despair
It fooled you once before
You have been misled by illusions before
You're no mirage
You are not an illusion
You are nothing of the kind
You are not what you have been fixated on
You are noble you are wise and you are pure
You have virtuous qualities that need to be recognized and nurtured
A good woman is the hardest thing to find
Finding a virtuous partner is not an easy task
If there's anything I know
The singer is certain about what they are saying
Of this I'm sure
The artist is confident in their message
Contributed by Nathaniel G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.