Lost In The Trees was known, until recently, as a folk orchestra from Chapel Hill, NC, led by composer and songwriter Ari Picker. Initially a bedroom recording project, Lost in the Trees grew from a solo effort to a full symphonic band, which sometimes numbered a dozen members. After releasing his self-titled album on Trekky Records, Ari attended the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA, further immersing himself in the realm of classical composition. While in Boston, Ari assembled a small group of players to help him record Time Taunts Me , an EP of giant orchestral pop songs, released in 2007 on Trekky Records. The short album received some generous acclaim from national critics, but as Ari hurried to finish school, he was unable to tour in support of the music.
After finally moving back to North Carolina, Ari began writing a new album and assembling a cast of musicians from the Trekky Records Collective and the University of North Carolina Orchestra program. With a vast and supportive team behind him, Ari completed the powerful All Alone In An Empty House . The album was released in a single three-format package in September of 2008, containing a vinyl record, a CD and an MP3 download. The compositions benefited from a dedicated live backing band, complete with full string section, horn section, accordion, mandolin, glockenspiels and more.In February 2010, Lost in the Trees signed to Los Angeles based Anti- Records, which released an enhanced version of All Alone In An Empty House, reworked by acclaimed North Carolina producer Scott Solter (The Mountain Goats, Spoon, St. Vincent).
In 2012 the band released A Church That Fits Our Needs, their highly acclaimed orchestral pop/folk album. The album met with great commercial as well as critical success.
Ari Picker decided, despite the success, to make some changes, pursuing a more minimalistic and electronic approach to the new material, and changing the lineup to a foursome. The album, Past Life, was released in February of 2014 to widespread acclaim.
All Alone in an Empty House
Lost in the Trees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I built you this gorgeous house
To put up with your bitched mouth
And I've thrown all my dreams right out
And I'm so selfless here
I'm so selfless here
There's a cloud in my head
And what do you want from me
I've buried my own babies
and I live all alone in this empty house
I've thrown all my dreams right out
And I'm so lonely here
I'm so lonely here
There's a cloud in my head
I'm so lonely here
So I tend the garden
Tend the garden
Tend the garden
Tend the garden
Tend the garden
Tend the garden
Tend the garden
And build the stone wall
What are you hiding
What are you hiding
What are you hiding
It's something dirty
Something dirty
What are you hiding
What are you hiding
Something dirty
Where is the baby
Where is the baby
Where is the baby
Love the baby
You touched the baby
You must be crazy
I must be crazy
I touched the baby
Hide in the tower
Hide in the tower
Hide in the tower
Hide in the tower
Right in the tower
Right in the tower
Right in the tower
For all I care cause I hate your soul
And how I hate your soul
Oh and the church will protect me
How I hate your soul
And are we leaving
Are we ever leaving
We've got black spots in our eyes
Are we ever leaving
No I
Never meant to hurt anyone
Never meant to hurt anyone
I punch holes into the wall
But I'll never hurt anyone
No, no one is perfect
And no, no one is perfect
We've got holes in our heart
Oh, no one is perfect
The lyrics of Lost in the Trees’ song All Alone in an Empty House express a sense of bleakness, despair, and loneliness. The singer conveys feelings of regret and resentment towards someone who has taken his entire life and future dreams away. He has built a magnificent house for this person only to listen to her endless criticisms. He has sacrificed everything for her, including his children. He is so selfless and lonely that he tends the garden and builds a stone wall to hide from her. However, deep down, he hates her; he hates her soul, but the church will protect him. As he sings the chorus, ‘I’m so selfless here, I’m so lonely here, there’s a cloud in my head, I’m so selfless here,’ he reflects on his life, questions its purpose, and expresses a desire to escape his present.
The song’s themes raise awareness of how love and devotion can lead to emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the consequences of deep emotional investment, the dangers of unrequited love, and how societal pressures can impact human behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
I spent my whole life on you
I devoted my entire life to you
And I built you this gorgeous house
I constructed a beautiful home for you
To put up with your bitched mouth
To tolerate your constant complaints
And I've thrown all my dreams right out
I gave up my aspirations for you
And I'm so selfless here
I am extremely unselfish in this situation
There's a cloud in my head
I feel mentally strained and overwhelmed
And what do you want from me
What more do you expect of me?
I've buried my own babies
I have mourned the loss of my own children
and I live all alone in this empty house
I reside in this hollow, solitary home
And I'm so lonely here
I feel exceedingly isolated
So I tend the garden
I take care of the garden
Tend the garden
Tend to the garden
And build the stone wall
I construct a stone barrier
What are you hiding
What secrets are you withholding?
It's something dirty
The information is disgraceful
Where is the baby
Where is the child?
Love the baby
Show affection to the child
You touched the baby
You physically abused the child
You must be crazy
You have to be insane
I must be crazy
I may be insane
Hide in the tower
Conceal oneself in the tower
Right in the tower
Directly inside the tower
For all I care cause I hate your soul
I despise you to the point of indifference
Oh and the church will protect me
The church will provide me with safety
Are we ever leaving
Will we ever depart?
We've got black spots in our eyes
We have faults that obscure our judgment
No, no one is perfect
Nobody is impeccable
I punch holes into the wall
I hit the wall and create openings
But I'll never hurt anyone
I will never harm another person intentionally
We've got holes in our heart
We have emotional wounds
Oh, no one is perfect
Nobody is without flaws
Contributed by Levi A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@zaphodbeeblebrox9491
"Hide in the tower ... right in the tower, for all I care, 'cause I hate your soul. And how I hate your soul." Goosebumps every single time.
@cherryblsmgrl
Go see them live if you have the chance! I saw them in Atlanta and for the encore they brought all their instruments into the audience and played in the middle of the audience. I held the xylophone ;)
@youbike3191
I love this song 2023
@darrengreaves3055
This band once played at Natasha's in Lexington, KY where I used to work. Super nice peeps. We got a copy of this album and we wore that thing out! Great concept, great execution, great songs!
@dziegler333
the most hauntingly beautiful song. The emotion is so right there.
@iRoxorzUrSoxorz
Learn a little back story about this song and the artist and re-watch it. Really hits you
@SethStClair-ky7rh
I would love to. but haven't been able to find much. where can I?
@MrSkinnyWhale
Google "Ari Picker mother"
@klopf8
This band was just so good, I wonder where they are and if they still keep doing music :(
@andycruickshank2630
Sadly they disbanded in 2015
Ari who was the creative force behind the group, has a new project called Dante High