Since releasing Native Air in August 2013, Lowland Hum has performed for 70 audiences in 13 states. Combining Daniel’s musicianship and Lauren’s inclinations in visual art, Lowland Hum’s shows are a multi-sensory experience, engaging sight, sound, smell, and touch–inviting listeners to be fully present and reducing the space between artist and listener. During performances, Lowland Hum readily shares the stories behind their songs and invites listeners to offer real-time reflections.
Lowland Hum tours full time, playing house shows, listening rooms, colleges and universities, and other spaces conductive to an intimate listening experience. Click here to see when Lowland Hum will be in your neighborhood or learn about hosting a house show.
Olivia
Lowland Hum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
lean against the wind
lean against the wind.
Fist in pocket hand in hand,
utilitarian grip.
Backs weighed down, heavylaiden.
Saturday breakfast sitting inside them.
Off they go to win the day.
Olivia here we are,
I want to have a good time with you.
Oh spread a smile across your face,
I want to have a good time with you.
Woman and a man.
Squeeze an orange into a bowl.
Slotted spoon in hand the pull (?)
sleepy seeds out one by one.
Hazy august day
don't let it sink away.
Open windows, shrill cicadias
like grinding metal, you radiators.
Sunlight tracing shapes on the wall.
Get your body in the water before it turns fall.
Olivia here we are,
I want to have a good time with you.
Oh spread a smile across your face,
I want to have a good time with you.
ba ba ba baa ba baa ba baa ba da da da daa
ba ba ba baa ba baa ba baa ba da da da daa
ba ba ba baa ba baa ba baa ba da da da daa
The lyrics of Lowland Hum's song "Olivia" describe a couple going about their daily routine, facing the challenges of life as a team while finding joy and beauty in small moments. The first verse paints a picture of a couple leaning against the wind, symbolizing their resilience in the face of adversity. Their utilitarian grip suggests practicality and a determination to get through challenges together. The imagery of their backs being weighed down and heavy-laden connotes the burdens they carry, but then the mention of Saturday breakfast sitting inside them provides a sense of comfort and familiarity that helps them face the day ahead. The woman's special, stronger-than-rain shoes symbolize her determination to face any obstacle with strength and confidence, and the chorus reveals the couple's desire to enjoy life together and have a good time with each other.
The second verse continues to describe the couple's daily routine, this time with the imagery of squeezing an orange into a bowl and removing its sleepy seeds. It's a mundane but intimate act that conveys their devotion to each other and to the small moments that make up their lives. The hazy August day symbolizes the fleeting nature of time and the need to savor each moment before it sinks away. The couple opens the windows to let in the shrill cicadas, whose sound is compared to grinding metal, to suggest that even the harsher moments of life can be appreciated for their unique beauty. The sunlight tracing shapes on the wall, and the couple's desire to get their bodies in the water before it turns fall, are both reminders to live in the present and enjoy what life has to offer.
Overall, the lyrics of "Olivia" highlight the importance of facing life's challenges with strength and resilience while finding joy and beauty in the small moments shared with loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
Woman and a man
A man and a woman are present.
lean against the wind
They are physically supported by something against the strong wind.
lean against the wind.
They continue to be supported against the wind.
Fist in pocket hand in hand,
They are holding hands with one hand while the other is balled into a fist in the pocket.
utilitarian grip.
Their hold on each other is practical and functional, not necessarily romantic.
Backs weighed down, heavylaiden.
They have heavy burdens or responsibilities weighing on their shoulders.
Saturday breakfast sitting inside them.
They are carrying the memories of a peaceful, lazy Saturday morning.
Off they go to win the day.
They are determined to be productive and achieve their goals for the day.
Her some special shoes stronger than the rain.
The woman is wearing shoes that can withstand the rain and shows she is prepared for any situation.
Olivia here we are,
The song is addressed to someone named Olivia.
I want to have a good time with you.
The singer wants to enjoy their time with Olivia.
Oh spread a smile across your face,
The singer wants Olivia to be happy and to show it on her face.
Woman and a man.
The man and woman are present again.
Squeeze an orange into a bowl.
They are squeezing fresh orange juice into a bowl.
Slotted spoon in hand the pull (?) sleepy seeds out one by one.
They are using a slotted spoon to remove the seeds from the orange juice.
Hazy august day
It is an August day with a misty or unclear atmosphere.
don't let it sink away.
They do not want to lose the moment and want to make the most of the day.
Open windows, shrill cicadias
The sound of outdoor cicadas can be heard through the open windows.
like grinding metal, you radiators.
The sound of the cicadas mixed with the sound of a loud, clunky radiator.
Sunlight tracing shapes on the wall.
The sun is casting shadows on the wall in a pattern.
Get your body in the water before it turns fall.
They want to enjoy their time in the water before the season changes to fall and it gets too cold.
Olivia here we are,
The song is addressed to Olivia again.
I want to have a good time with you.
The singer wants to enjoy their time with Olivia again.
Oh spread a smile across your face,
The singer wants Olivia to be happy and to show it on her face again.
ba ba ba baa ba baa ba baa ba da da da daa
This is the repeated melody of the song.
ba ba ba baa ba baa ba baa ba da da da daa
This is the repeated melody of the song.
ba ba ba baa ba baa ba baa ba da da da daa
This is the repeated melody of the song.
Contributed by Taylor B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.