Mandolin Orange’s music radiates a mysterious warmth —their songs feel like whispered secrets, one hand cupped to your ear. The North Carolina duo have built a steady and growing fanbase with this kind of intimacy, and on Tides of A Teardrop, due out February 1, it is more potent than ever. By all accounts, it is the duo’s fullest, richest, and most personal effort. You can hear the air between them—the taut space of shared understanding, as palpable as a magnetic field, that makes their music sound like two halves of an endlessly completing thought. Singer-songwriter Andrew Marlin and multi-instrumentalist Emily Frantz have honed this lamp glow intimacy for years.
In the last three years, the group has toured throughout the U.S and Europe, including appearances at Austin City Limits, South by Southwest, Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Newport Folk Festival, Pickathon, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Rooster Walk, and MerleFest and the Omagh Bluegrass Festival. Mandolin Orange was the featured artist on CBS This Morning's Saturday Morning Sessions on December 7, 2019.
They signed to Yep Roc Records in 2013 and have produced four albums under their umbrella, This Side Of Jordan, Such Jubilee, Blindfaller and Tides of a Teardrop.
Settled Down
Mandolin Orange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
we've run aground again.
Another day in the gutter,
making one for every year we've spent together.
My baby used to sing all night,
now she's sound asleep.
She settled down with a ramblin man,
Well make time, and take time,
but maybe I'm no good,
'cause I have showed her these lies
long enough to know now that I should.
My baby used to sing all night,
now she's sound asleep.
She settled down with a ramblin man,
and found the gentle of me.
Moments, just fleeting times
with little wings of gold.
Remind us of how real wie find
true love in every sign.
We're gettin older:
my baby used to sing all night,
now she's sound asleep.
She settled down with a ramblin man,
and found the gentle of me.
The lyrics of "Settled Down" by Mandolin Orange address the theme of a failing relationship, with excuses made that are ultimately futile. The metaphor of a ship running aground on multiple occasions is used to depict the stagnation and dismal state of the relationship. The line, "Another day in the gutter, making one for every year we've spent together," highlights the routine and monotony of their life together. The chorus repeats the contrast between the past and present of the singer's lover, who used to sing all night but now is sound asleep due to settling down with a rambling man. The realization is clear that the singer has wasted enough time on lying and is now owning up to it.
The song's structure plays a part in conveying the sense of aging and lessons learned with age. The verses express the grief and struggle of the present, while the chorus holds a glimmer of hope through nostalgia. The bridge further develops this theme of fleeting moments that remind us of "how real we find true love in every sign" and that time moves forward without pause. Ultimately, the lyrics examine loss, regret, and a desire for what could have been, hoping to salvage some meaning from the wreckage.
Line by Line Meaning
These excuses are useless,
Our excuses for the problems in our relationship are pointless and unproductive.
we've run aground again.
We've hit another obstacle that has stopped us in our tracks.
Another day in the gutter,
We're feeling stuck and low in our situation.
making one for every year we've spent together.
Each time we hit a rough patch in our relationship, it feels like we've been together for another year.
My baby used to sing all night,
My partner used to be full of joy and energy.
now she's sound asleep.
Now she's lost that energy and enthusiasm and is content with a quieter life.
She settled down with a ramblin man,
She found stability and commitment with someone who used to be on the move.
and found the gentle of me.
She appreciates the kindness and tenderness I bring to the relationship in a way she didn't when we were both more adventurous.
Well make time, and take time,
We'll try to put effort into our relationship and take the time to work through our problems.
but maybe I'm no good,
But I'm starting to realize that maybe I'm not the right partner for her.
'cause I have showed her these lies
Because I've been dishonest with her and haven't been true to who I am in the relationship.
long enough to know now that I should.
I've been lying for so long that I finally recognize that it's time to change and be honest with her.
Moments, just fleeting times
Little snippets of time that pass by quickly and are easily forgotten.
with little wings of gold.
But these fleeting moments are beautiful and valuable, like golden wings.
Remind us of how real wie find
These moments remind us of the true, genuine love we have for each other.
true love in every sign.
And that love is present in every little detail and sign of affection.
We're gettin older:
We're both getting older and time is passing by quickly.
my baby used to sing all night,
My partner used to be full of joy and energy.
now she's sound asleep.
Now she's lost that energy and enthusiasm and is content with a quieter life.
She settled down with a ramblin man,
She found stability and commitment with someone who used to be on the move.
and found the gentle of me.
She appreciates the kindness and tenderness I bring to the relationship in a way she didn't when we were both more adventurous.
Contributed by Ryan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@aishwaryatiwari6894
These excuses are useless,
we've run aground again.
Another day in the gutter,
making one for every year we've spent together.
My baby used to sing all night,
now she's sound asleep.
She settled down with a ramblin man,
and found the gentle of me.
Well make time, and take time,
but maybe I'm no good,
'cause I have showed her these lies
long enough to know now that I should.
My baby used to sing all night,
now she's sound asleep.
She settled down with a ramblin man,
and found the gentle of me.
Moments, just fleeting times
with little wings of gold.
Remind us of how real wie find
true love in every sign.
We're gettin older:
my baby used to sing all night,
now she's sound asleep.
She settled down with a ramblin man,
and found the gentle of me.
@montroseringler494
Drove 600 miles to see you guys play... 👌👌👌 Keep playin, I'll keep driving.
@TheZblazin
That’s a lot of kms mate well done.
Gettin older ma babbyyyy 😂
@danielhartnett9242
Beautiful. So happy to have found this song and artist. Thank you for blessing my ears
@ronanbyrne7578
Still sounds amazing. Love their sound.
@johnfrantz3945
Great singing Andrew. Emily, that fiddle...wow.
@cristin8er96
This song will always break me and remind me of my ex for some reason.
It was a very short relationship yet it compressed so many stages of a long term one.
The first boy i ever cared deeply for and dated.
It hits as hard as when i discovered this song and the association....just happened...
When you're sad and thinking of how to make it better... you stumble over pieces of art like dis, and you're forever changed. You give them your own meaning.
@jamesdawson1171
Reminds me of ex gf. We only were together for 4 years but alot was compressed into that time. The lyrics really hit home. Gets me in the feels everytime I hear this song but I love the song. Love this band
@SPARKY4944
Underrated is real understatement
@gracefeutz997
Thank you for your music, so healing and meaningful You are the best!!
@Taintedgod771
How have I never heard this before. This is a beautiful piece, love it.