The band formed by accident in 1989 (see 1989 in music), when a local band, the Salmon Heads, asked some members of the Left Hand String Band to fill some missing spots in its lineup. The synergy worked and the result was Leftover Salmon.
After the independent release of Bridges to Bert in 1993 (see 1993 in music) and the 1995 (see 1995 in music) live follow-up Ask The Fish, Leftover Salmon gained a spot on the H.O.R.D.E. festival tour and a contract with Hollywood Records. Their 1997 Hollywood debut and second studio album, Euphoria, continued to define their eclectic sound and introduced many songs that would become classics for the band.
In March of 2002 (see 2002 in music) founding member and banjoist Mark Vann lost his battle with cancer. He was later replaced by Noam Pikelny.
A documentary film of Leftover Salmon, titled "Years In Your Ears," was released on DVD in November 2006.
Low
Leftover Salmon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes I want to get you low
Brush your hair back from your eyes
Take you down let the river flow
Sometimes I go and walk the street
Behind the green sheet of glass
A million miles below their feet
I'll be with you girl
Like being low
hey hey hey like being stoned
I'll be with you girl
Like being low
hey hey hey like being stoned
A million poppies gonna make me sleep
Just one rose and knows your name
The fruit is rusting on the vine
The fruit is calling from the trees
Hey don't you want to go down
Like some junkie cosmonaut
A million miles below their feet
A million miles, a million miles
I'll be with you girl
Like being low
hey hey hey like being stoned
I'll be with you girl
Like being low
hey hey hey like being stoned
Blue blue is the sun
Brown brown is the sky
Green green of her eyes
A million miles a million miles
Hey hey don't you want to go down
Like some disgraced cosmonaut
A million miles below their feet
A million miles, a million miles
I'll be with you girl
Like being low
hey hey hey like being stoned
I'll be with you girl
Like being low
hey hey hey like being stoned
The song Low by Leftover Salmon is a heartfelt ballad that is open to interpretation. The primary theme of the song appears to be a longing for connection and the struggles that arise when trying to achieve that connection. The lyrics display an initial hesitancy to commit to a relationship or to take a chance on deepening a connection with someone. The line “Sometimes I want to take you down, Sometimes I want to get you low” brings up feelings of indecision and uncertainty around taking risks in relationships. The singer is seemingly hesitant to give his all or to fall in love.
The second verse, “Sometimes I go and walk the street behind the green sheet of glass, a million miles below their feet, a million miles, a million miles,” shows the singer distancing himself from others and creating a sense of isolation. This feeling of separation is reinforced with the line “A million poppies gonna make me sleep, Just one rose and knows your name.” This creates a sense of hopefulness that someone could break through the isolation and bring him closer to feeling truly connected with someone. The chorus of the song reaffirms this feeling with the repetition of “I’ll be with you girl, Like being low, hey hey hey like being stoned.”
The last verse seems to be a call to action, urging the singer to take a chance on relationships and to not let fear hold him back. The line “Hey don’t you want to go down, Like some junkie cosmonaut, A million miles below their feet, A million miles, a million miles,” brings up feelings of being lost and out of control, but also a sense of exhilaration and excitement. Ultimately, the song displays the struggle to feel connected with others, and the fear and uncertainty that can come with opening oneself up to love.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I want to take you down
Occasionally, I have a desire to bring you down with me to a lower level.
Sometimes I want to get you low
Occasionally, I have a feeling to bring you down to a lower extent.
Brush your hair back from your eyes
Move your hair away from your eyes.
Take you down let the river flow
Bring you down to a state of mind and allow you to flow with the river of emotions like water.
Sometimes I go and walk the street behind the green sheet of glass
Every now and then, I take a walk upon the street behind the tinted glass.
A million miles below their feet, a million miles, a million miles
Far down below the feet of people, distant and far away, a million miles distant.
I'll be with you girl, like being low, hey hey hey like being stoned
I will accompany you and, like being low or stoned, take pleasure in your company.
A million poppies gonna make me sleep, just one rose and knows your name
Countless flowers make me want to sleep, but only one, a rose that knows your name, truly catches my attention.
The fruit is rusting on the vine, the fruit is calling from the trees
The fruit starts to rot on the plant, while the fruit hanging from the trees is calling out.
Hey don't you want to go down, like some junkie cosmonaut
Do you feel like getting into a low state like some lost cosmonaut addicted to drugs?
Blue blue is the sun, brown brown is the sky, green green of her eyes, a million miles a million miles
The sky is not always blue and the sun is not always yellow. Even the color green cannot convey the beauty of her eyes, which seem to extend for miles and miles.
Hey hey don't you want to go down, like some disgraced cosmonaut
Do you feel like getting into a low state like a humiliated cosmonaut?
I'll be with you girl, like being low, hey hey hey like being stoned
I will accompany you and, like being low or stoned, take pleasure in your company.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID ALLEN FARAGHER, DAVID CHARLES LOWERY, DAVID CHARLS LOWERY, JOHN HICKMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind