The man behind th… Read Full Bio ↴Born April 30, 1981 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S.
The man behind the 'Bon Iver' moniker. Vernon played in "DeYarmond Edison" which included the three current members of Megafaun. Vernon has released two solo albums, "Self-Record" and "Hazeltons". Vernon parted ways with DeYarmond Edison and is currently operating under his Bon Iver project name. His side projects include Volcano Choir, Gayngs, Eau Claire Memorial Jazz I and Anais Mitchell.
How Many?
Justin Vernon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a winter that just lingers on,
I′m wondering when enough is enough,
Slipping heating packets underneath your cuffs,
And time keeps plowing on, it's a march,
And by 5 o clock it′s already dark,
I'm seeing you see everyone but me,
Watching you get drunk, makes me want to be,
Honey be my little sun,
When we aint getting none,
And cup your hands round a match,
And fasten up your last jacket latch,
Stand and sway with me,
In the dark cold loneliness with me.
Familiar death, is marking miles,
And there's a fleeting sense of restoration,
The essence snow left bruises on your knees,
And the heaters blown, but it don′t blow with ease,
And months wont move, we are stuck
In the rolling quiet of this little truck
White sand bags are weighing down the back,
Where the skeletons of Christmas still lay in plastic sacks
Honey be my little sun,
When we aint getting none,
And cup your hands round a match,
And fasten up your last jacket latch,
Stand and sway with me,
In the dark cold loneliness with me
In the dark cold loneliness with me.
The lyrics to Justin Vernon's song How Many? paint a picture of a long and lonely winter spent in the company of someone who doesn't see or hear the singer. The Norwegian coffee and melting mud create an environment of dreariness and dampness, reflecting the emotional tone of the lyrics. The singer is slipping heating packets under the cuffs of their companion to keep them warm, but it seems as though they are not appreciated or even noticed. The winter 'lingers on' and the singer begins to wonder when enough is enough.
Despite the bleakness of the situation, there is a sense of wanting to be close to the other person, and their drunkenness only intensifies that desire. The chorus captures this sentiment, as the singer pleads with their companion to be their 'little sun' in the midst of the darkness. They long to stand and sway with them, even in the midst of the cold and loneliness.
The second verse adds additional layers to the sense of isolation and longing. The 'familiar death' that marks miles suggests that the singer has been on this road before, and that the feeling of being stuck in this tiny truck is not a new one. The snow has left bruises on knees, suggesting a sense of being beaten down by the circumstances around them. The plastic sacks of Christmas skeletons in the back of the truck only add to the sense of melancholy, as the holiday has come and gone without any real sense of joy or celebration.
Line by Line Meaning
Norwegian Coffee, Melting Mud,
The surroundings are gloomy and unpleasant
And a winter that just lingers on,
The winter feels eternal and never-ending
I′m wondering when enough is enough,
Feeling overwhelmed and questioning how much more can be endured
Slipping heating packets underneath your cuffs,
Trying to find warmth and comfort in small ways
And time keeps plowing on, it's a march,
Time keeps moving forward relentlessly
And by 5 o clock it′s already dark,
The days are short and darkness comes early
I'm seeing you see everyone but me,
Feeling neglected and left out by a loved one
Watching you get drunk, makes me want to be,
Feeling jealous and left behind by someone else's escapism
Honey be my little sun,
Requesting for love and attention
When we aint getting none,
Feeling neglected and unloved
And cup your hands round a match,
Searching for warmth and comfort in small things
And fasten up your last jacket latch,
Preparing for harsh conditions
Stand and sway with me,
Longing for intimacy and connection
In the dark cold loneliness with me.
Sharing the pain and hardship of the situation
Familiar death, is marking miles,
Encountering reminders of mortality
And there's a fleeting sense of restoration,
Finding temporary relief or solace
The essence snow left bruises on your knees,
The aftermath of winter is still present and painful
And the heaters blown, but it don′t blow with ease,
The tools meant to provide comfort are inadequate or struggling
And months wont move, we are stuck
Feeling stuck and unable to move on from the situation
In the rolling quiet of this little truck
Feeling isolated and trapped
White sand bags are weighing down the back,
The burdens of the past are still present and heavy
Where the skeletons of Christmas still lay in plastic sacks
Remnants of past joys are still present, but now forgotten and unimportant
In the dark cold loneliness with me.
Sharing the pain and hardship of the situation
Writer(s): JUSTIN VERNON
Contributed by Charlotte F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Simon Pál
these shots are insanely good
JPiso
Thanks for uploading this. One of my favorites and couldn't find it on yt til now.
fe*rest10
Where did this music come from?
David Iaria
It comes from "Self Record" album.