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&Mâs candies and in the 2004 film âGarden Stateâ (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 â in an interview with SPIN magazine, Beam said âItâs more of a focused pop record. It sounds like the music people heard in their parentâs car growing up⊠that early-to-mid-â70s FM, radio-friendly music."
http://www.ironandwine.com/
Grace for Saints and Ramblers
Iron & Wine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it all came down to you and I
There were banged up hands stealing first base
Underneath the tables so we never sang grace
Falling out of bed for the workday week
There was kissing in the cracks of the flash flood streets
There were button blossoms and merry Johnny Rotten
Bit too green and we paid no tax on our quick romantic cul de sac
But it all came down to you and I
But it all came down to you and I
There were washed out cars in our bark-old clothes
They were rubbing on each other rubbing ghost on ghost
There were jonesed-up punks and Jesus freaks
Weaving in and out of trouble wrapping round and round a leash
There were sleepless dreamers, blues day preachers
The message and the messenger, gum beneath the register
The sweet gum tree by the dug dunk tank
We could never give enough to the bad-luck bank
There were hopeless sinners, sweepstake winners
They danced with the farmer's daughter, capered with the corporate lawyers
But it all came down to you and I
But it all came down to you and I
But it all came down to you and I
But it all came down to you and I
There was laughing in the night, sugar in the shade
There were back stab handshakes made on faith
We were never out of time and we never entertained
Anybody said out of habit that the wind was going to change
There were restless misfits, teething biscuits
Bodies full of penny wishes, parties full of pretty dishes
Side by side with the birds and bees
And we never sang grace and never ever took a knee
With the saints and ramblers, movie star handlers
High above the aviary, underneath the cemetery
And we never wondered why, 'cause the sun was in our eyes
There was seed for the field, there was grease for the wheel
We were drinking with the luminaries, eating with the visionaries
But it all came down to you and I
But it all came down to you and I
But it all came down to you and I
But it all came down to you and I
But it all came down to you and I
But it all came down to you and I
The lyrics to "Grace for Saints and Ramblers" by Iron & Wine describe the experiences of the singer and their partner as they navigate various aspects of life, from stealing first base and kissing in the street to rubbing ghost on ghost and partying with luminaries. Through it all, the singer emphasizes the importance of their relationship, stating multiple times that "it all came down to you and I." The lyrics seem to suggest that despite the chaos and unpredictability of life, the strength of their bond is what has kept them grounded and focused.
The imagery used in the lyrics paints a vivid picture of the various experiences the couple shares. From "button blossoms and merry Johnny Rotten" to "washed out cars in our bark-old clothes," the lyrics describe a gritty, authentic world filled with both joy and struggle. The inclusion of references like "Jesus freaks" and "the bad-luck bank" suggest a deeply spiritual aspect to the singer's worldview that is grounded in a sense of community and shared struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
But it all came down to you and I
Everything that happened was because of us, and our actions are what led us to where we are now.
There were banged up hands stealing first base
There were kids playing baseball and getting injured, but still having fun and enjoying themselves.
Underneath the tables so we never sang grace
We were too busy having a good time and being mischievous to stop and say grace before meals.
Falling out of bed for the workday week
We were exhausted from our jobs and barely able to get up each morning to face another week of work.
There was kissing in the cracks of the flash flood streets
We found love in unexpected places, even in the midst of dangerous weather conditions and urban decay.
There were button blossoms and merry Johnny Rotten
There were both innocent and rebellious people among us, all living their own unique experiences.
Chewed up and swallowed by the profit they were trying to follow
Some people got caught up in chasing money and commercial success, losing themselves in the process.
Bit too green and we paid no tax on our quick romantic cul de sac
We were inexperienced and naive, but still managed to find a brief moment of passionate romance without worrying about practical responsibilities.
There were washed out cars in our bark-old clothes
Our clothing was worn and shabby, and we didn't have much money for transportation either.
They were rubbing on each other rubbing ghost on ghost
Our cars were so old and damaged that they seemed to have their own personalities and ghosts of past experiences.
There were jonesed-up punks and Jesus freaks
We shared the city with both drug-addicted punks and religious zealots, all living their own lives and seeking their own meanings.
Weaving in and out of trouble wrapping round and round a leash
We moved through life with a mix of freedom and restraint, sometimes getting into trouble and sometimes being restrained by our obligations.
There were sleepless dreamers, blues day preachers
Some of us stayed up all night dreaming, while others found solace in listening to blues music or preaching about their beliefs.
The message and the messenger, gum beneath the register
We encountered both important messages and the people who delivered them, as well as everyday objects like gum found beneath cash registers.
The sweet gum tree by the dug dunk tank
We had simple pleasures, like enjoying the sight of a sweet gum tree near a baseball diamond's dunk tank.
We could never give enough to the bad-luck bank
We faced struggles and hardships that seemed insurmountable, and sometimes felt like bad luck would never leave us alone.
There were hopeless sinners, sweepstake winners
We encountered both people who felt hopeless in their lives, as well as those who unexpectedly won prizes and fortune.
They danced with the farmer's daughter, capered with the corporate lawyers
We found unlikely connections between people from different walks of life, such as farmers and lawyers, who still found ways to have fun together.
There was laughing in the night, sugar in the shade
We found joy in simple pleasures, like laughing with friends at night or finding shelter from the sun in the shade.
There were back stab handshakes made on faith
We sometimes had to put our trust in others without fully knowing their intentions, which led to situations where we felt betrayed.
We were never out of time and we never entertained
We always found time for each other and never let ourselves be bored, always finding new experiences to enjoy.
Anybody said out of habit that the wind was going to change
We heard a lot of empty promises that things would get better, but didn't always believe them.
There were restless misfits, teething biscuits
We encountered people who were still searching for their place in the world, as well as parents trying to soothe their babies.
Bodies full of penny wishes, parties full of pretty dishes
We had aspirations and dreams, even if they seemed small and insignificant, and enjoyed the company of others at social events.
Side by side with the birds and bees
We coexisted with nature and appreciated its beauty, alongside the more complex and messy realities of human life.
And we never sang grace and never ever took a knee
We didn't follow all of society's rules or expectations, such as always saying grace before meals or participating in displays of patriotism.
With the saints and ramblers, movie star handlers
We encountered people from all walks of life, including those who were considered admirable or famous, as well as people who had no particular destination in mind.
High above the aviary, underneath the cemetery
We experienced both the beauty of natural life (such as birds) and the harsh reality of death (such as cemeteries) in our surroundings.
And we never wondered why, 'cause the sun was in our eyes
We didn't always try to understand or question our situation or the world around us, sometimes being content to simply enjoy the present moment.
There was seed for the field, there was grease for the wheel
We had both the resources to sow new beginnings and the energy to keep going in difficult circumstances.
We were drinking with the luminaries, eating with the visionaries
We rubbed shoulders with people who were considered brilliant or big thinkers, but we also enjoyed simple pleasures like sharing food and drink with others.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Samuel Ervin Beam
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@blocksize1130
The ability to turn a phrase, metaphors and similes...just effing perfect. A great musician.
@DirtCheapFU
I was supposed to be listening to this in the background, but I found myself sitting and watching it through.
@talalahmed608
million times better than the fuckin album version.
@sethtastical
dude, what the fuck happened to that album?
@kadeneckert3937
producers think they make it better by trying to make it sound like pop. they never learn
@zachpackard
Sam has a voice that is just smooth like butter, his acoustic low production stuff is better cause he's a legitimate artist with talent. I'd love to hear more stripped down work from him. much love brother
@allycornbread3507
When he sang Lions Mane on kexp it was just so raw and beautiful
@MrAlleghany
This is the kind of song that stays on repeat for a long time
@claudybambam
You should get Explosions In The Sky
@spookytook
fml that was so good