"This is perhaps the most collaborative song on the album. Started as a piano demo, then became full band, then Dan added an intro and chorus, then we turned the final phrasing of “I can’t get out of what I’m into with you” on it’s head and had it be a bit more uplifting instead of the original sadness that the song carried."
– Ed Droste, Drowned in Sound
"Bear had originally done this song on piano with Ed, and it was very sombre and beautiful with a completely different set of darker chords. I, for some reason, decided to flip it around, do it on guitar and make the whole chord progression much happier, removing most of the minor chords. I still really love the original though. I think it will be included as a B-side in some territories."
– Daniel Rossen, Drowned in Sound
All We Ask
Grizzly Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a bedroom, a telephone
You made the call and I just stood by
I stripped the sheets and emptied out the sty
And the crowds that light the carnival
Are calling us home, calling us home
To lead us along, lead us along
Lead us along
Even wasting my time with you
Doesn't matter if I think it through
You took the car around the bend
And ran it in the ground, let's pretend
And the crowds that light the carnival
Are calling us home, calling us home
And all we want's another voice
To lead us along, lead us along
Lead us along
I can't
Get out
Of what I'm into
With you
I can't
Get out
Of what I'm into
With you
I can't
Get out
Of what I'm into
With you
I can't
Get out
Of what I'm into
With you
The song "All We Ask" by Grizzly Bear is a narrative about love lost and the search for a new purpose. The singer begins the song by admitting that he is not alone in an old house, but rather he is with someone he used to love. The presence of a telephone in the bedroom marks a moment of decision that has occurred between the two. One partner has called it quits and the other has followed suit by stripping the bedsheets and emptying the dresser drawers. The singer acknowledges that these actions do not change the reality of the situation, and despite everything, his heart is still tied to the person who he has lost.
The second part of the song introduces the idea of crowds calling the two former lovers back. The carnival serves as a metaphorical space for the singer to argue that what they have lost might still be worth rescuing. They want someone to lead them along, to take them away from the pain and uncertainty of being on their own. The singer is open to the possibility of a new love, but their attachment to the old love is still too strong for them to act on anything else.
The closing refrain of "I can't get out of what I'm into with you" is a way of expressing the grip that old love can have on a person. The singer's inability to move on underscores the common human experience of being stuck in a rut, unable to break free from the past despite a desire to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
In this old house, I'm not alone
Despite being physically alone in this old house, I cannot escape the memories of you
In a bedroom, a telephone
In the privacy of my bedroom, I wait for your call
You made the call and I just stood by
I remained passive as you made the important decisions
I stripped the sheets and emptied out the sty
I am willing to clean up the mess, discard any traces of you and move on
And the crowds that light the carnival, Are calling us home, calling us home
Even with the distractions and amusements of life around us, we can't escape the desire for connection with someone who truly understands us
And all we want's another voice, To lead us along, lead us along, Lead us along
We crave guidance and direction from someone beyond ourselves to help us navigate through life
Even wasting my time with you, Doesn't matter if I think it through
Despite knowing that I am wasting time, I am still drawn to you
You took the car around the bend, And ran it in the ground, let's pretend
You may have taken risks in the relationship, but now let's pretend everything is okay
I can't, Get out, Of what I'm into, With you
I am stuck in a cycle of wanting to break free but still holding onto the love we once shared
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER BEAR, EDWARD DROSTE, DANIEL ROSSEN, CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@powderstone8187
In this old house, I'm not alone
In a bedroom, a telephone
You made the call and I just stood by
I stripped the sheets and emptied out the sty
And the crowds that light the carnival
Are calling us home, calling us home
And all we want's another voice
To lead us along, lead us along
Lead us along
Even wasting my time with you
Doesn't matter if I think it through
You took the car around the bend
And ran it in the ground, let's pretend
And the crowds that light the carnival
Are calling us home, calling us home
And all we want's another voice
To lead us along, lead us along
Lead us along
I can't
Get out
Of what I'm into
With you
I can't
Get out
Of what I'm into
With you
I can't
Get out
Of what I'm into
With you
I can't
Get out
Of what I'm into
With you
Songwriters: Christopher Bear / Edward Droste / Daniel Rossen / Christopher Michael Taylor
All We Ask lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
@marlonc1000
This is not a song. This is a mirror that shows you your most hidden feelings when you listen with your eyes closed.
@xbultan1122
I agree very much
@kakapoepkak
Thanks dad for listening to Grizzly bear and Radiohead throughout my childhood, just like it helped you. It's helping me right now.
@McLes
I was incredibly upset missing Grizzly Bear 🐻 opening up for Radiohead (seen em thrice (one of my favorite bands)
@ilovebooks49
Sometimes this song makes me peaceful and thoughtful and other times it makes me sad and achey :'(
@eddyv500
This song is one of the best pieces of music I have ever heard from a band. Those last few verses always get me. Masterpiece.
@ephnoir2335
I can't get out of what I'm into with you
every single note of this song seems to sound like immensity
@bdis89
it was a single drop in the ocean of eternal infinincy
@mariahdellapi1036
Making out in my car for this entire song with you is an experience that is wholly unmatched.
@contestofnerds
I'm not sure what it reminds me of exactly, but it definitely hits hard
08/03/2022