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."
http://www.ironandwine.com/
halfway to richmond
Iron & Wine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll watch the clock upon the shelf
I'll clean this broken house
Is your time better spent?
By giving such a small percent
Your every pleasant dream that I've tried
When was this cold calling me?
And in my [?]
They got him
I sleep with the lights left on
Until all restraints are gone
Is there something you've forgotten?
Who knew?
Some want the better
And all we had
Waited in the next room
And a fool just to carry on
You're the thing that I belong to
Instrumental
Underneath is falling down
Silence, turn around
These games aren't too fun when you're gone
Where you go and why do you leave?
I'll close my eyes
And count to 3
Then hurry up
And wait by the phone
Who knew?
Some want the better
And all we had
Waited in the next room
And a fool just to carry on
You're the thing that I belong to
The lyrics in Iron & Wine's song "Halfway to Richmond" give insight into someone who is alone, reflecting on past relationships and their current state of being. The first few lines suggest that the singer is self-sufficient, making supper for themselves and cleaning their "broken house". They seem to be questioning the value of giving in relationships, wondering if their time is better spent elsewhere. They may have tried to please someone in the past but have only received a "small percent" in return.
The lyrics become more abstract in the second half of the song, with the singer mentioning an "ugly thing" that they see and wondering when it started "cold calling" them. They are feeling vulnerable, sleeping with the lights on until they can let go of their inhibitions. They are asking the person who left why they did so, and that they will be waiting by the phone for them.
The song seems to be a quiet, introspective reflection on relationships and loneliness. The singer appears to be struggling with their past and their current state of being. The lyrics are open to interpretation but capture a sense of melancholy and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll make supper for myself
I'll take care of myself and my own needs.
I'll watch the clock upon the shelf
I'll be aware of the passing of my time even if it's slow and uneventful.
I'll clean this broken house
I'll maintain and fix what's wrong with my living situation.
Is your time better spent?
Is there something more meaningful you could be doing instead of focusing on me?
By giving such a small percent
By only dedicating a small portion of your time and attention to me.
Your every pleasant dream that I've tried
The efforts I've made to try to bring joy and happiness to your life.
Once this ugly thing I see
The realization of something negative that's always been there but previously ignored.
When was this cold calling me?
When did I start feeling disconnected from the world around me?
And in my [?]
Unclear. Possible line refers to a state of confusion or mental fog.
They got him
Something or someone has been taken away from me.
I sleep with the lights left on
I'm afraid and need the comfort of light to feel safe.
Until all restraints are gone
Until I feel completely free and uninhibited in my actions.
Is there something you've forgotten?
Is there a reason for your absence or lack of communication?
Who knew?
An expression of surprise and disappointment at the unexpected outcome of a situation.
Some want the better
Some people strive for improvement and seek out better opportunities.
And all we had
Everything we shared and cherished.
Waited in the next room
An unattainable future of happiness and success is near but still out of reach.
And a fool just to carry on
Despite knowing the difficulties and challenges ahead, I still choose to pursue my goals and dreams.
You're the thing that I belong to
You are the person who makes me feel whole and complete.
Underneath is falling down
The foundations and support systems in place are collapsing and destabilizing.
Silence, turn around
Shut off external distractions and focus on inner thoughts and emotions.
These games aren't too fun when you're gone
Life's challenges and struggles are much harder to handle when you don't have someone to share them with.
Where you go and why do you leave?
Where have you gone and why did you choose to walk away from this situation?
I'll close my eyes
I'll try to forget or ignore the pain of separation and loss.
And count to 3
Take a moment to calm and center myself.
Then hurry up
Quickly pick myself up and move forward.
And wait by the phone
Hope and wait for a call or message from the absent party.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SAMUEL ERVIN BEAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AmethystCAE
Please delineate comeback
@benjamink1403
Fantastic song, I'd have thought there'd be more comments..
@ngocchauluu9212
Well, so did I. The world is missing masterpieces 😢
@ojaspathare2295
ikr
@user-yy1zl5yy4u
:(
@lake1885
erick is my dad
@neilbhatt6284
Lyrics:
I'll make supper for myself
I'll watch the clock upon the shelf
I'll clean this broken house
Is your time better spent?
By giving such a small percent
Your every pleasant dream that I've tried
Once this ugly thing I see
When was this cold calling me?
And in my [?]
They got him
I sleep with the lights left on
Until all restraints are gone
Is there something you've forgotten?
Who knew?
Some want the better
And all we had
Waited in the next room
And a fool just to carry on
You're the thing that I belong to
Underneath is falling down
Silence, turn around
These games aren't too fun when you're gone
Where you go and why do you leave?
I'll close my eyes
And count to 3
Then hurry up
And wait by the phone
Who knew?
Some want the better
And all we had
Waited in the next room
And a fool just to carry on
You're the thing that I belong to
@Anotherroom
It's not "And in my..." it's "animosity begotten"
@purifying_fire
Lmao—nearly every line is botched. It’s like a voicemail transcription. I’m actually laughing.