In an interview with Pitchfork, Daniel Rossen explained that the song “was inspired by morning walks upstate, where he also uses that TRX 250 (four-wheeler) from the opening track “Wasted Acres“ for hauling firewood with his dog.”
Mourning Sound
Grizzly Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I should have never tried
I took the cake
Finished every slice
I moved away
Still playing off the fights
For every day
I share our love delight
I stare at the face
Looking through my eyes
I move at a pace
That I cannot survive
I'm hauling away
I do it all the time
Let love age
And watch it burn out and die
I woke to the sound of dogs
To the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
I own the faith
Could never have denied
This isn't a place
Where I can even try
I'm hauling away
I do it all the time
Let love age
And watch it burn out and die
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
The lyrics of Grizzly Bear's song "Mourning Sound" seem to explore themes of regret, reflection, and the passage of time within a romantic relationship. The opening lines, "I made a mistake, I should have never tried, I took the cake, finished every slice," suggest that the singer acknowledges a misstep or error in judgment. They may have attempted something that ultimately led to negative consequences or the breakdown of the relationship.
The following lines, "I moved away, still playing off the fights, for every day, I share our love delight," hint at a decision to distance oneself physically or emotionally from the conflict and turmoil within the relationship. Despite this distance, the singer still expresses a desire to preserve and cherish the love they once shared.
The chorus, with its repetition of "We woke with the mourning sound, it's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks," signifies the awakening to a harsh reality. The mournful sound of gunshots and trucks passing by could be metaphorical for the challenges and difficulties faced in the relationship. It suggests a realization of the inevitable end or deterioration of their love.
The final verse reinforces the idea of resignation and acceptance, as the singer acknowledges their inability to deny their faith in the relationship's eventual demise. The repetition of the line "I'm hauling away, I do it all the time, let love age and watch it burn out and die" highlights a sense of repetition and routine in their efforts to salvage what remains of their love.
Overall, "Mourning Sound" delves into the complexities of relationships, regret, and the passing of time. It portrays a bittersweet reflection on the choices made and the acknowledgment that sometimes, despite our best efforts, love may fade away.
Line by Line Meaning
I made a mistake
I regret my actions
I should have never tried
I realize that attempting was a bad idea
I took the cake
I claimed all the glory
Finished every slice
I consumed it all, leaving none for others
I moved away
I distanced myself from the situation
Still playing off the fights
I am using the conflicts for personal gain
For every day
Throughout every single day
I share our love delight
I express the joy of our love with others
I stare at the face
I observe the expression
Looking through my eyes
Seeing the world from my perspective
I move at a pace
I progress at a speed
That I cannot survive
Which is too fast for me to handle
I'm hauling away
I am constantly carrying the load
I do it all the time
It is a repetitive behavior of mine
Let love age
Allow love to mature
And watch it burn out and die
And witness its eventual demise
I woke to the sound of dogs
I was awakened by the barking of dogs
To the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
To the noise of gunfire and vehicles going by in the distance
We woke with the mourning sound
We awakened accompanied by the mournful noise
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
It is the auditory sensation caused by far-off gunshots and moving trucks
I own the faith
I possess the belief
Could never have denied
And could never have rejected
This isn't a place
This location is not suitable
Where I can even try
Where I cannot even attempt
We woke with the mourning sound
We awakened accompanied by the mournful noise
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
It is the auditory sensation caused by far-off gunshots and moving trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
We awakened accompanied by the mournful noise
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
It is the auditory sensation caused by far-off gunshots and moving trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
We awakened accompanied by the mournful noise
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
It is the auditory sensation caused by far-off gunshots and moving trucks
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: Christopher Robert Bear, Edward F Droste, Daniel Raphael Rossen, Christopher Michael Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Helena Angelus
I made a mistake
I should have never tried
I took the cake
Finished every slice
I moved away
Still playing off the fights
For every day
I share our love delight
[Verse 2: Ed Droste]
I stare at the face
Looking through my eyes
I move at a pace
That I cannot survive
I'm hauling away
I do it all the time
Let love age
And watch it burn out and die
[Chorus: Daniel Rossen]
I woke to the sound of dogs
To the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
[Verse 3: Ed Droste]
I own the faith
Could never have denied
This isn't a place
Where I can even try
I'm hauling away
I do it all the time
Let love age
And watch it burn out and die
[Chorus: Daniel Rossen]
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
patygaona
I made a mistake
I should have never tried
I took the cake
Thinning every slice
I moved away
Still playing off the fights
For every day
I share our love delight
I stare at the face
Looking through my eyes
I move at a pace
That I cannot survive
I'm hauling away
I do it all the time
Let love age
And watch it burn out and die
I woke to the sound of dogs
To the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
I own the faith
Could never have denied
This isn't a place
Where I can even try
I'm hauling away
I do it all the time
Let love age
And watch it burn out and die
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
We woke with the mourning sound
It's the sound of distant shots and passing trucks
The Sprawl
This is just one of the purest, loveliest melodies I've heard in a long, long time. When I first heard it it kept returning to me for a full week afterwards, drifting in and out of my mind at night, and in the morning when I woke up. After the beauty of the verse...then there's that little instrumental guitar solo-y part...then in wafts that unspeakably beautiful chorus...
I don't even need to hear it anymore: I only have to play it in my head and my spine shivers like winter nightlights
Gigegihooooooheeee
I love you
Gigegihooooooheeee
You put it perfectly into words and I wish I knew people like you personally. ❤️
The Sprawl
@Gigegihooooooheeee Ah, thank you. If I wasn't such a total mess of a human being I'd be flattered.
Gigegihooooooheeee
@The Sprawl isn’t everyone a bit messy, though?
The Sprawl
@Gigegihooooooheeee The messier the better in my opinion. You have to be messy to get closer to the weirdest, most beautiful things in the world. If you're all straight lines and smooth corners you're just going to glance off them.
zimzimzalabim
I keep coming back to this video. Not only is it a masterpiece by Grizzly Bear (that sounds amazing on vinyl) but this beautifully shot video deserves mention. The art direction, photography, editing, choreography are master's work (I won't mention the bare male parts, lol) but the amazingly talented and gorgeous Clémence Poésy stars in it. Thank you all who worked on it! ❤
Scott H
I used to think that Modest Mouse was the epitome of the term "indie" (independent) rock music. Still love Modest Mouse, but after hearing many Grizzly Bear songs, my personal opinion is that Grizzly Bear fits that label even more. To me, this song and video, among others, is a good example of that opinion. Love it.
Tiny Pooks
As a person who didn't "find" myself until after I left my marriage, this video has had a great impact on me. People can hate on it, but if it makes just a few people feel that way it made me feel then it's doing a lot more than plenty of other music videos out there.
Darren Walshe
grizzly bear never disappoint brill video and tune, so different that's why I love these guys they're out there on their own