Beam was raised outside Columbia, South Carolina, United States where his father worked in land management and his mother was a schoolteacher. He graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a bachelor's degree and the Florida State University Film School with an MFA degree. Until the first Iron & Wine album, Beam's main source of income was as a professor of film and cinematography at the University of Miami and Miami International University of Art & Design. He had been writing songs for over seven years before a friend lent him a four-track recorder. His friends handed out copies of demos that he had made, and the owner of Sub Pop Records personally contacted Beam and proposed a deal.
Beam released his first album, The Creek Drank the Cradle, on the Sub Pop label in 2002; Beam wrote, performed, recorded, and produced every track on the album by himself at a studio in his home. The album features acoustic guitars, banjo, and slide guitar; its music has been compared, variously, to that of Nick Drake, Simon and Garfunkel, Neil Young, Elliott Smith, and Ralph Stanley.
In 2003 The Sea & The Rhythm was released, an EP collecting other home-recorded tracks along the same lines as those on the debut. Beam's second album, Our Endless Numbered Days (2004), was recorded in a professional studio with a significant increase in fidelity. The focus still lies on acoustic material, but the inclusion of other band members gives rise to a very different sound.
Beam released an EP titled Woman King in February 2005, and the EP In the Reins, a collaboration with Calexico was released in September 2005. This joint work mostly features new full-band versions of previously recorded Iron and Wine rarities.
One of his most famous songs is a cover, which was featured on a commercial for M&M’s candies and in the 2004 film “Garden State” (and on its popular soundtrack), of "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service.
"Kiss Each Other Clean" is the fourth studio album by Iron & Wine, released January 25, 2011. The album's title is taken from the lyrics of track 10, "Your Fake Name Is Good Enough for Me". The album marks a further change in style – in an interview with SPIN magazine, Beam said “It’s more of a focused pop record. It sounds like the music people heard in their parent’s car growing up… that early-to-mid-’70s FM, radio-friendly music."
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02 Dearest Forsaken
Iron & Wine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who the earth now has taken
Empty, the bottle drains no more
It is true that I loved you
Despite the harm that I own you
Wash out the river has you boy
Where you'll think I've done wrong
Waking in fear of you no more
I'll put my trust in the savior
Fielding forces of nature
Strength of the stump I tied you boy
To my dearest forsaken
Dearest vow I have broken
Afraid of your angry hands no more
I'll put my trust in the savior
River may help me later
Sleeping my lost love for you boy
The lyrics of Iron & Wine's song, "Dearest Forsaken," tell a story of love, loss, and the regret that comes with it. The singer is addressing their lost love, who has died, and acknowledging the harm they caused in their relationship. They describe the act of emptying a bottle, a common image for drinking and coping with pain. The singer then expresses their love for the forsaken despite the harm they caused, mentioning a river that may symbolize the passage of time and the chance for redemption.
As the song progresses, the singer pleads with their lost love not to be afraid of them anymore, potentially hinting towards their tumultuous past. The singer expresses their faith in a savior and the strength of nature to help them move on from their hurtful past. They refer to tying their lost love to a "stump," which may represent leaving them behind and moving on. In the final verse, the singer admits to breaking a vow to their lost love, possibly referencing a promise they made at some point in their relationship. They once again express their faith in a savior and acknowledge that the river may help them find peace and move on.
Overall, the lyrics of "Dearest Forsaken" paint a picture of a complicated and painful relationship, reflecting on the loss and regret that comes with a love that's gone. The singer seems to grapple with their own faults and acknowledges the harm they caused their lost love. The repeated mention of faith in a savior and the strength of nature suggests that the singer is looking for a way to move forward and find peace.
Line by Line Meaning
To my dearest forsaken
Addressing the person who has been abandoned or lost
Who the earth now has taken
Referring to the fact that the person has passed away
Empty, the bottle drains no more
The alcohol has run out and there is no more left to drink
It is true that I loved you
Confirming that the artist had true affection for the person
Despite the harm that I own you
Acknowledging that the artist may have wronged the person in the past
Wash out the river has you boy
Referencing the idea of the person being washed away by the river, leaving no trace
Here on the eve of too long
In the current moment and nearly too late
Where you'll think I've done wrong
Anticipating that the person may blame the artist for their situation
Waking in fear of you no more
No longer feeling scared of the person
I'll put my trust in the savior
Having faith in a higher power or authority
Fielding forces of nature
Dealing with the unpredictable and uncontrollable aspects of life
Strength of the stump I tied you boy
Referring to a metaphorical anchor or support system
Dearest vow I have broken
Admitting to breaking a significant promise
Afraid of your angry hands no more
No longer fearing the person's physical harm or abuse
River may help me later
Suggesting that the river may bring some sort of relief or redemption in the future
Sleeping my lost love for you boy
Putting the love for the lost person to rest, possibly forever
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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