Native of Mill Valley, California, United States, Linda Perhacs spent many years away from the music industry (mostly spent as dental technician). Her songs have been featured in soundtracks to many films, most recently and notably in "Daft Punk's Electroma". Perhacs also sang backing vocals on "Freely" from Devendra Banhart's "Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon" and features in Prefuse 73's track "Rain Edit Interlude" from the album "Surrounded by Silence".
In December 2013, Asthmatic Kitty Records announced the March 2014 release of Perhacs' second record The Soul of All Natural Things. The album was recorded in 2012 and 2013 with co-producers Fernando Perdomo and Chris Price. Other collaborators on the album include Julia Holter and Ramona Gonzalez of Nite Jewel. The Soul of All Natural Things was released on March 4, 2014.
Official site: http://www.lindaperhacs.com
Moons and Cattails
Linda Perhacs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sun and sandstone
I knew them way back
I knew them way back
Come along, past the cave
Past the howl, come along
Back to damp nights
The naked blackness
Of basalt
Come along, past the paw
Past the fin, come along
I knew them, way back
I knew them, way back
Come along
Back to wet stones
To the soaking taste of leaves
The cooling memory
Of Shadows
Come along, past the cave
Past the howl, come along
The lyrics of Linda Perhacs's 'Moons and cattails' creates a vivid imagery of a journey back in time, to a past that the singer knew way back. The singer takes the listener along with them, past the physical world, through a cave, howling, past paw and fin to a place of damp nights, where the heavy sleep of time and the naked blackness of basalt reside. The singer urges the listener to come along as they experience the world of damp stones, the soaking taste of leaves, and the calming memory of shadows. Through the detailed and sensory-filled images Perhacs has created, there is a longing to escape from the present and journey back to a simpler, more innocent time.
The song's lyrics can be interpreted in different ways, such as a literal journey to a past time or one's inner journey to their younger self. Perhacs's lyrics can also be seen as a call to reject modernity's materialism and find beauty and peace in nature. The imagery in 'Moons and cattails' is open-ended, allowing the listener to create their own interpretation and relate the song to their own life experiences - this is why the song has remained timeless and relevant.
Line by Line Meaning
Moons and cattails
Reflecting on the beauty of nature and the cycle of life
Sun and sandstone
The warmth and permanence of the earth
I knew them way back
Remembering a time long ago when nature was more familiar
Come along, past the cave
Inviting the listener to journey with the singer through memories
Past the howl, come along
Moving beyond the fears and unknowns of the past
Back to damp nights
Recalling the humid, mysterious atmosphere of the past
To the heavy sleep of time
Reflecting on the passage of time and the weight of its effects
The naked blackness
The deep, dark unknowns of the past
Of basalt
The solid, ancient nature of the earth
Come along, past the paw
Enticing the listener to uncover the secrets of the past
Past the fin, come along
Overcoming obstacles in the journey to the past
Back to wet stones
Remembering the slick texture and sounds of water on rocks
To the soaking taste of leaves
Evoking the flavors and sensations of the past
The cooling memory
The calming effect of remembering the past
Of Shadows
The haunting essence of the things we remember
Come along, past the cave
Returning to the starting point of the journey through memory
Past the howl, come along
Overcoming fear and uncertainty in order to revisit the past
Contributed by Carson L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nia Aptsiauri
It's 4:30 a.m and I have only a few hours until the alarm goes off. I don't even regret staying up. Have no idea how I came across her work but here I am, not being able to stop and get some sleep. I'm extremely grateful!
Duke de PallMall
Amazing. What a powerful, independent, beautiful voice. A Cat Power of her day and age.
KP Delaney
Great tune! I wonder if Jeff Buckley listened to her music. Their singing styles and the guitar playing feel kinda similar.
Jose Ribeiro
Not sure about Jeff but Mikael Akerfeldt from Opeth sure did!
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magical
sequentialable12
Somehow i am thinking of the 60s star trek this is as eerie
Fun to No Fun
is this tool