There’s a scene in Dostoevsky’s Brothers Karamazov where the main characters Ivan and Alyosha discuss the existence of God. Ivan, in particular, questions the idea of God. Alyosha, on the other hand, is a monk, a believer, some may say, a holy fool.
Talk of faith and exalted things is rare in indie rock today. Enter Seattle band Ivan & Alyosha. Throughout their second release, the five song Fathers Be Kind EP, the band chart their own course between divinity and disbelief.
“I left my family and my home/to fight the battle on my own
I stole a car and drove away/but in my hate St. Paul did say
‘Glorify the Lord above/with your drink and making love
Glorify the Lord my son, with your whisky and your gun.”
Ivan & Alyosha began as the solo outlet for Tim Wilson but in spring 2007 the band formed after Tim met Ryan Carbary through a former band mate and mutual friend. Ryan and Tim began playing and recording together and a trip to Los Angeles to work with Eli Thompson (Richard Swift, Delta Spirit) spawned the name Ivan & Alyosha. According to Tim, Thompson is a huge Dostoevsky fan and the name stuck. With that, Wilson and Carbary released The Verse, The Chorus, their debut EP on Cheap Lullaby Records (Joan as Police Woman, The Silver Seas, Teitur). The stand out track “Easy To Love” earned NPR Song of the Day honors as “a propulsive, sweetly booming ode to love as a feat of endurance.”
The name Ivan & Alyosha is apt for a band cutting its teeth. As Ivan in Brothers Karamazov moves through the novel with doubts, Ivan & Alyosha navigate the indie rock world contemplating their path as a band. Tim says he writes songs about what’s current in his life. He recently married and had a son. Songs like “Living for Someone” and “Fathers Be Kind,” reflect Ivan & Alyosha grappling with the idea of being in a band and trying to fashion a career. Not only to follow their dreams but to earn a livelihood and support their families; a feeling he expresses in the former song, “Expecting our first child / Amid the great recession”. Despite the uncertainty, Ivan & Alyosha’s soulful folk tunes suggest a band inspired, hopeful and longing; a band unafraid to probe their collective faith and doubts.
Plus, things are different this time around. Tim and Ryan are joined by two others – Tim Kim and Pete Wilson, Tim’s brother. The band built a studio in a barn at Ryan’s parent’s house in Snohomish, 45 minutes outside of Seattle. Snohomish provides an idyllic setting with a charming main street lined by bars and little distraction. Self-recording their upcoming EP allows the guys more time together to create and perfect the new songs. Recently the band spent a week in New York playing gigs at 92Y Tribeca, Maxwell’s in Hoboken and Brooklyn’s Littlefield. They also took a trip to NPR Headquarters in Washington DC to record an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, and opened a run of shows for the Jayhawks’ Mark Olson.
In the Brothers Karamazov, when Ivan asks Alyosha to renounce his beliefs, Alyosha refuses. Rather, he kisses Ivan on the lips. Seattle’s Ivan & Alyosha are not nihilist indie rockers but a new brand of tender dreamers. And non-believers be damned! God, or no God - these guys are no holy fools. They have their music to prove it.
I Was Born To Love Her
Ivan & Alyosha Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Worship and adore her
It's plain to see you were made for me
I need you
You know I need you
Here with me
The sun is shining through my window
Making music
Born in California
Mother nature's daughter
You played the game
You took my name
I love you
You know I love you
Darling please
They call me crazy
Call me pretty
I know you feel it
Know you feel it
And if the sky should fall
And the morning birds not call
You must know
How I love you so
I can see the future
One way or another
I raised my hands
You made the plans
Just like a fortune teller
Oh my lord
The more I get to know you baby
The more I see exactly what's wrong with me
Yeah
And if the sky should fall
And the morning birds not call
You must know
How I love you so
Yeah though I'd like to take her
Guess I'm off to meet my maker
Don't let go
How I'll miss you ohhh
Ooh Ooh Ooh....
Yeah what she would not give
To love the life you live
Don't let go
How I love you so
The lyrics of "I Was Born To Love Her" by Ivan & Alyosha is a declaration of love to a person who seems to be just perfect for the singer. The lyrics say that the singer was born to love the person, worship, and adore her. It is clear that they are meant to be, and the singer needs her in his life. The song goes on to say that they are making music together, which may refer to their relationship or the actual creation of music. It is revealed that the person was born in California and is referred to as "Mother Nature's daughter." The person played the game and took the singer's name, which indicates that they are married or in a committed relationship. The singer professes his love for her and asks her not to let go because he will miss her.
The chorus of the song states that the singer knows that the person is the one for him, and he loves her so much that even if the sky falls, he will still love her. He can see the future and knows that they will be together either way. The singer also acknowledges that the closer he gets to the person, the more he sees what is wrong with himself. The last verse of the lyrics says that the person would not give up their life for anything else, and the singer will miss her if he has to go.
Overall, the lyrics of the song convey the deep love that the singer has for a person who seems to be perfect for him. He wants her always to be with him, even if the sky falls. The lyrics also suggest that the person has a positive influence on the singer's life and that he would miss her dearly.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born to love her
My existence has always been destined to love and care for her
Worship and adore her
To highly respect, cherish and even love her more than myself
It's plain to see you were made for me
The way things are, it's obvious to see that she was meant to be with me
I need you
I cannot survive or be happy without you in my life
You know I need you
I am sure you have already been made aware about my constant need for you
Here with me
I sincerely desire and want you to always be here with me
The sun is shining through my window
The sunlight is peeping through my window
We're making music
Together, we are creating a blend of harmony that's flooding the room in a melodious splendor
Born in California
My place of birth was in the United States of America (in the state of California to be precise)
Mother nature's daughter
An expression that represents being greatly connected, and a child of nature's nurturing aspect
You played the game
You dared to plunge into the essence of life knowing you could win or lose but decided to live anyway
You took my name
You became one with me and willingly accepted to bear my name as your own
I love you
My affection for you is strong, and nothing can change that
You know I love you
I'm sure you're already aware of the depth of my love for you
Darling please
My cherished one, I implore you to show me kindness, grant me my requests, love, and affection
They call me crazy
There are some people who often describe me as insane or irrational in my decision-making
Call me pretty
Some other people refer to me as someone who has a handsome appearance
I know you feel it
I am confident that amidst mixed opinions, you are feeling a deep connection between us
And if the sky should fall
If a catastrophic event happens, beyond human comprehension or control
And the morning birds not call
If the usual things that happen around us cease to function regularly
You must know
I want you to be aware that
How I love you so
My love for you is not superficial, but it is profound and far-reaching
I can see the future
I can envision what is yet to befall us as regards every aspect of our lives
One way or another
Either by allowing something specific to happen or otherwise
I raised my hands
I was enthusiastic and gave my all to make things work
You made the plans
You were instrumental and contributed significantly to making plans that materialized and made things work
Just like a fortune teller
In the same way, a fortune-teller can predict the future with a high degree of accuracy is the same way we had been able to materialize our plans
Oh my lord
An expression of surprise, amazement or shock at such incredible occurrences happening around me
The more I get to know you baby
The deeper our connection becomes each time I learn more about you, babe
The more I see exactly what's wrong with me
The more I see my shortcomings and areas in my life I need to improve on and become a better version of myself as I ponder more about how you impact me
Yeah though I'd like to take her
Even though I would love to have you all to myself
Guess I'm off to meet my maker
Inevitably, I will have to meet my creator, an indirect way of alluding to death
Don't let go
Stay with me, don't leave
How I'll miss you ohhh
I'll miss you so much when we cannot relate anymore
Yeah what she would not give
The things you would not do or give up for me
To love the life you live
Despite everything going on in your life, you gave, and showed love to me
How I love you so
I love you so much. May I always show you this through my words and actions
Contributed by Annabelle V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.