Though his name is sometimes assumed to be a pseudonym due to its similarity to German composer Kurt Weill, it is in fact his birth name, as given by his parents Donna and Charles Vile.
Vile began his musical career in 2003 creating lo-fi home recordings with frequent collaborator Adam Granduciel. The duo subsequently formed the indie rock band The War on Drugs in 2005. Vile departed following the release of their debut studio album, Wagonwheel Blues, in 2008.
Vile's music has been likened to Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger, and Tom Petty. His first album for Matador, titled Childish Prodigy was released in October 2009. Prior to signing with Matador, Vile released two albums, God Is Saying This To You and Constant Hitmaker, on Mexican Summer and Woodsist, respectively. He plays both solo shows as well as shows with a backing band called The Violators.
Smoke Ring For My Halo, released in March of 2011, is Kurt Vile's fourth album and second official release for Matador Records. Uncut placed the album at number 14 on its list of "Top 50 albums of 2011" and garnered Vile the iTunes #Rewind2011 Singer/Songwriter Album of the Year. Vile followed up the widely acclaimed album with the six-song EP release, So Outta Reach, in November of the same year. The EP was composed of tracks originating from the same sessions that birthed Smoke Ring for My Halo. So Outta Reach includes the single 'The Creature', acknowledged as one of Vile's best, and a driving rock cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'Downbound Train'.
Goldtone
Kurt Vile Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I never as they say, touched the stuff
I might be adrift, but I'm still alert
Concentrate my hurt into a gold tone
Golden tones
In the night when all hibernates I stay awake
Golden tones
Gold tones
There's a place in my heart for all of my friends
Some have stepped out but some check back in
Been livin' my life on the run, from day one
Every day is "hey, so are they"
But if I been lookin' back today
Lookin' back in gold tones
Yeah, yeah
In the night when all hibernates I stay awake
Searching the deep, dark depths of my soul tone
Golden tones
Yeah, yeah
I been all around, been up and down
This round world that is always turning
Til some day or so they say
When a-hey, hey, I wanna hear a gold tone
Sometimes as I'm floating away I wish I could stay
Then I arrive among the dropping flies
There's in my heart, been trying to locate
It's somewhere within and it's for them that is gold tones
Yeah, yeah
In the night when all hibernates I stay awake
Searching the deep, dark depths of my soul tone
Golden tones
Sometimes when I get in my zone, you'd think I was stoned
But I never as they say, touched the stuff
I might be adrift, but I'm still alert
Concentrate my hurt into a gold tone
Yeah, yeah
Kurt Vile's song "Goldtone" presents a poignant exploration of his psyche and his relationships with others. The opening lines, "Sometimes when I get in my zone, you'd think I was stoned/But I never as they say, touched the stuff," provide a glimpse into Vile's ability to lose himself in his creative zone without the aid of drugs, making him a unique artist in that regard.
Vile's lyrics contrast his sense of isolation with his deep connection to others, particularly his friends. He mentions that some have "stepped out" but "some check back in," implying that despite his transient lifestyle, he maintains emotional connections with some people in his life. Vile's singing often comes across as weary and contemplative, embodying the sense of searching and self-exploration.
The repeated refrain of "golden tones" suggests an aspirational quality to Vile's exploration of his soul, a desire to capture and preserve beauty even in the face of transience and impermanence. The image of "dropping flies" is especially poignant, emphasizing the way that all things must eventually come to an end. Overall, "Goldtone" is a beautiful and introspective track that showcases Vile's ability to convey complex emotions and ideas with simplicity and grace.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes when I get in my zone, you'd think I was stoned
Despite appearing stoned, I've never actually touched drugs
But I never as they say, touched the stuff
I've never tried any drugs despite how I may act
I might be adrift, but I'm still alert
I may feel lost, but I'm still aware of my surroundings
Concentrate my hurt into a gold tone
I channel my pain into something beautiful and valuable
Golden tones
The beautiful sound I create
In the night when all hibernates I stay awake
At night when everyone else sleeps, I am searching within myself
Searching the deep, dark depths of my soul tone
I am trying to uncover something meaningful within myself
There's a place in my heart for all of my friends
I cherish all of my friends
Some have stepped out but some check back in
Some of my friends have left but some still stay in touch
Been livin' my life on the run, from day one
My whole life has been spent running from something
Every day is "hey, so are they"
I constantly think about my past and the people who were a part of it
But if I been lookin' back today
If I took the time to reflect on my past
Lookin' back in gold tones
I would be able to see the good and positive moments
In the night when all hibernates I stay awake
I am still awake and introspective
I been all around, been up and down
I've experienced the ups and downs of life
This round world that is always turning
The never-ending cycle of life
Til some day or so they say
Until that one day that people talk about
When a-hey, hey, I wanna hear a gold tone
When I hear the beautiful sound that I create and value
Sometimes as I'm floating away I wish I could stay
Occasionally I wish I could hold onto moments forever
Then I arrive among the dropping flies
Then I snap back to reality
There's in my heart, been trying to locate
I've been trying to find something important within myself
It's somewhere within and it's for them that is gold tones
What I find will be valuable and meaningful to those who listen
Yeah, yeah
An affirmation of what I've said before
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: KURT SAMUEL VILE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Matt Jarrels
How does he always seem to find the perfect chords for that happy sad sound I love so much??
Kent Borges
His talent continues to get better !
Connor E
He's a wizardddd
Pablo Rios
Same hereee
ilquintopezzo
I feel the same
john loughrey
beautiful song, goldtone has lifted me up,helping me through some of the darkest times of my life!!!!
Brandon
hands down the best version of this song. Not just the live version, but this particular take.
James
It's a damn good one.
Adventures in a Teenage Wasteland
album version is better but this is great too
sinuskurve Pitch124
@SpookyApparition Na man, I miss the superb guitar part at the end. The guitar that comes in at 8:31 on the album version, you know what I mean?
When I saw him live he added this part in the end. It's super important to this song