Little Chief is an American folk band from Fayetteville, AR.

In 201… Read Full Bio ↴Little Chief is an American folk band from Fayetteville, AR.

In 2012, after long nights of jams and other musical get-togethers, Little Chief frontman Matt Cooper decided that he wanted to create a folk band that played songs that got people stomping and clapping, while still having lyrical meaning. As a former singer/songwriter, Matt had played numerous shows with cello player, Matthew Heckmann and knew that they already had a very organic sound together. Through other friends and contacts, they met and befriended Andrew Myers, a drummer out of Ft. Smith, Arkansas. As college students at the University of Arkansas, their late nights are full of practicing and creating an authentic sound. Together, the three make up the "Little Chief" band.

Playing numerous shows in every kind of venue, Little Chief has played with everything from singer/songwriters to rap artists. Little Chief's debut EP "Somewhere Near The River" was released in 2012.

Bonfire
Little Chief Lyrics

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True as my name I heard it all
As it came
Soft as a whisper
In the summer, the summer wind

And I don't know much about it
But oh it sounds like home
And I can't remember much about it

But oh it feels like home

Oh, whoa...

Close to the edge I
Looked as far as my eyes could see
I saw a bonfire
Somewhere out there, beneath the trees

And I don't know much about it
But oh it sounds like home
And I can't remember much about it
But oh it feels like home

Oh, whoa...

And I don't know much about it
But oh it sounds like home

And I can't remember much about it
But oh it feels like home

Overall Meaning

In Little Chief's song Bonfire, the lyrics speak to the idea of a yearning for a feeling of home that is perhaps lost or distant. The opening lines, "True as my name I heard it all, as it came, soft as a whisper, in the summer, the summer wind," set a dreamy and wistful mood. The idea of hearing something in the wind, both literal and metaphorical, connects to a feeling of being connected to something beyond the self, something that speaks to a deeper part of the human experience. The lyrics "And I don't know much about it, but oh it sounds like home, and I can't remember much about it, but oh it feels like home" reinforce this feeling of longing for something elusive and deeply nostalgic.

The second half of the song shifts to a more concrete image of a bonfire, with the singer "look[ing] as far as [their] eyes could see" and seeing a fire "somewhere out there, beneath the trees." This image of the fire as a source of warmth and community is a common motif in many cultural traditions, representing the idea of coming together in shared experience. The repetition of the chorus, with its emphasis on the feeling of home, reinforces the sense of nostalgia and the desire for connection.

Overall, the lyrics to Bonfire speak to a desire for a sense of belonging and connection to something greater than oneself. The dreamy, wistful tone coupled with the grounded imagery of the fire contribute to a sense of yearning that is both melancholic and comforting.

Line by Line Meaning

True as my name I heard it all
I have heard everything that has been said, and I do not doubt any of it.

As it came
I heard everything as it was being said.

Soft as a whisper
The words were spoken very gently.

In the summer, the summer wind
This took place in the warm, windy summer months.

And I don't know much about it
I am not familiar with the details of the situation.

But oh it sounds like home
Despite not knowing much, the situation brings back memories of home.

And I can't remember much about it
I do not remember many specific details about the situation.

But oh it feels like home
Despite not remembering much, the situation feels familiar and comforting.

Close to the edge I
I was standing near the perimeter.

Looked as far as my eyes could see
I gazed as far out into the distance as I was able to see.

I saw a bonfire
I spotted a fire blazing.