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.
liner
Justin Vernon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I sing so you could too
Fall like a rinse
Fall like a rock
Fall like a wall
Surface leads to present
Chorus laced a rhythm
Clock clings
Oh sing you out of me
Put it up the fall
Sing it up for now
My way of make my own
Discernable
Bond
The lyrics to Justin Vernon's song "Liner" are quite abstract and open to interpretation. The opening lines, "I'm tired from your blues, I sing so you could too" could be interpreted as the exhaustion and burden that comes from carrying someone else's emotional baggage. The next three lines, "Fall like a rinse, fall like a rock, fall like a wall" evoke images of something collapsing or breaking down. The imagery of falling could represent giving up or surrendering to a situation.
The following lines, "Surface leads to present, chorus laced a rhythm, sigh leans, clock clings, oh sing you out of me" could speak to the idea of music serving as an escape from reality. The "surface" representing the superficial external world, while music and rhythm offer a gateway to the present moment. The phrase "oh sing you out of me" suggests that the act of singing can serve as a cathartic release from one's inner demons.
The final stanza reads, "Put it up the fall, sing it up for now, my way of make my own discernable bond." This last section is the most ambiguous, but it could mean putting a stop to the downward spiral and taking control of one's life. The last line, "my way of make my own discernable bond" could different things to different people, but it could be interpreted as creating a connection with oneself or with others on one's own terms.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm tired from your blues
Exhausted by your sorrowful demeanor
I sing so you could too
Singing to alleviate your pain
Fall like a rinse
To descend smoothly like a liquid wash
Fall like a rock
To plummet heavily
Fall like a wall
To collapse without resistance
Surface leads to present
The visible exterior is what exists now
Chorus laced a rhythm
The repeated melody sets a beat
Sigh leans
Taking a deep breath to relax
Clock clings
Time stubbornly persists
Oh sing you out of me
Using music to purge you from my thoughts
Put it up the fall
Accepting the decline
Sing it up for now
Singing for the present moment
My way of make my own
Creating my own path
Discernable
Able to be distinguished
Bond
A connection or attachment
Contributed by Riley M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.