Down the Burning Ropes
McMorrow James Vincent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Slowly fade into the water like some ancient lover
On a ship filled with ghosts
It's something to behold
When the paper thin girls
With twisting little braids in their hair,
They take off their coats and throw
Crying out
The stones they float, the stones they float
Oh my God, the stones they float, the stones they float
Down the burning ropes
Past the places where the steal beams meet concrete skies
You make your bed under the moonlight
I think it's time we said goodbye
Cause nothing moves in the warm air
And words that once would cut like a knife,
They just hang in the cloud and you're
Pushed by the lord,
But you're pulled by the crowds and
You're overboard, you're overboard
Oh my God, she's overboard
My love she's overboard
She's overboard
My love she's over board
Not a shell unbroken
In the valley where my heartache and the timbers lay
It's not the time to be hanging around here
You know what some might say
That people get too reckless
That even with the simplest of crimes
They leave, blood behind,
As I clean the knife for the very last time
I think she knows, I think she knows
Oh my God, I think she knows
I think she knows
The lyrics of "Down The Burning Ropes" by James Vincent McMorrow tell a story of a ship and its passengers. The opening lines portray a beautiful but eerie scene, where hills are slowly fading into the water like an ancient lover, and a ship is filled with ghosts. The second stanza describes paper-thin girls throwing stones from the side of the boat, and the stones float as they hit the water. The chorus, "down the burning ropes," describes a descent past steel beams meeting concrete skies.
The third stanza continues the eerie atmosphere, as words that once cut like a knife now hang in the cloud, and the warm air is rendered still. The imagery is surreal, giving the impression of the ghostly, with a hint of danger below the surface. The fourth and final stanza portrays a visceral scene of blood and violence, with the singer cleaning a knife for the very last time. The final line, "I think she knows, I think she knows," suggests a sense of guilt and impending doom.
Line by Line Meaning
When the hills let go
As the mountains crumble and fall apart
Slowly fade into the water like some ancient lover
The broken hills gradually submerge into the sea, like an old flame drifting away
On a ship filled with ghosts
The singer imagines himself on a vessel full of spirits
It's something to behold
It's an awe-inspiring sight
When the paper thin girls
Referring to frail and delicate women
With twisting little braids in their hair,
Their hair is intricately styled with twisted braids
They take off their coats and throw
The women remove their jackets and toss them aside
Pebbles and stones from the side of the boat,
They grab rocks and stones from the edge of the ship
Crying out
They scream in exclamation
The stones they float, the stones they float
They are surprised that the stones are buoyant
Oh my God, the stones they float, the stones they float
They express their astonishment at the stones' ability to float
Down the burning ropes
Descending down fiery cords
Past the places where the steal beams meet concrete skies
Traversing areas where metal structures intersect with the unyielding skyline
You make your bed under the moonlight
The singer sleeps outdoors under the moon
I think it's time we said goodbye
It's time to part ways
Cause nothing moves in the warm air
Because there is no movement or activity in the still atmosphere
And words that once would cut like a knife,
Even hurtful words are ineffective
They just hang in the cloud and you're
They linger in the air without making an impact
Pushed by the lord,
Moved by a divine force
But you're pulled by the crowds and
While under divine influence, the artist is also swayed by the masses
You're overboard, you're overboard
The artist feels as though he has lost control and is about to fall off the edge
Oh my God, she's overboard
In a moment of panic, the artist believes his loved one has fallen into the water
Not a shell unbroken
No shell remains unbroken
In the valley where my heartache and the timbers lay
Describing the place where the artist's pain resides, among the wood fragments
It's not the time to be hanging around here
It's not a good time to linger in this place
You know what some might say
Others might say that it's not safe to stay
That people get too reckless
People can be careless and impulsive
That even with the simplest of crimes
Even in the simplest actions, mistakes can be made
They leave, blood behind,
They leave behind a trail of blood
As I clean the knife for the very last time
The singer is cleaning a knife, likely after using it to commit a violent act, for the last time
I think she knows, I think she knows
The singer believes that his loved one is aware of the violence that has taken place
Oh my God, I think she knows
The artist is overwhelmed by the realization that his loved one knows what he has done
My love she's overboard
Repeating the earlier line, conveying the artist's distress over the loss of his loved one
She's overboard
Reiterating the fact that his loved one has fallen into the water
My love she's over board
Again, repeating the earlier line to emphasize the tragic loss
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES MCMORROW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ennui Stricken
This song is about a murderer who lets his lover take the fall for his crimes, and she gets hung at the gallows.
First part might mean that his problems are sinking, like his ancient lover, ancient because she is dead and her ghost haunts him.
The paper thin girls could be the spectators for the hanging, and the stones floating is a metaphor. Stones don't float, it is impossible for them to float, and like the woman being hung, it is impossible for her to be the murderer.
Down the burning ropes could be the noose that is going to hang the woman. When they bury her she is in a grave, and her "bed" is buried under the moonlight.
So now that she is killed, she is innocent so rather than go to hell the Lord is trying to bring her to heaven but the spectators believe she is guilty so they want her to go to hell, and now she's overboard with the accusations of this crime.
So now the village where he lives is full of heartache and the aftermath of this woman's death. Gossip goes on in the village.
People were gossiping about how people get reckless with their crimes, and he reminisces on how he became reckless with his murders and she came in and witnessed the killing. He realizes that his lover knows that he is a murderer.
Be Nice
When the hills let go
Slowly fade into the water like some ancient lover
On a ship filled with ghosts
It's something to behold
When the paper thin girls
With twisting little braids in their hair,
They take off their coats and throw
Pebbles and stones from the side of the boat,
Crying out
The stones they float, the stones they float
Oh my God, the stones they float, the stones they float
Down the burning ropes
Past the places where the steal beams meet concrete skies
You make your bed under the moonlight
I think it's time we said goodbye
Cause nothing moves in the warm air
And words that once would cut like a knife,
They just hang in the cloud and you're
Pushed by the lord,
But you're pulled by the crowds and
You're overboard, you're overboard
Oh my God, she's overboard
My love she's overboard
She's overboard
My love she's overboard
There's not a shell unbroken
In the valley where my heartache and the timbers lay
It's not the time to be hanging around here
You know what some might say
That people get too reckless
That even with the simplest of crimes
They leave, blood behind,
As I clean the knife for the very last time
I think she knows, I think she knows
Oh my God, I think she knows
I think she knows
Ennui Stricken
This song is about a murderer who lets his lover take the falls for his crimes, and she gets hung at the gallows.
First part might mean that his problems are sinking, like his ancient lover, ancient because she is dead and her ghost haunts him.
The paper thin girls could be the spectators for the hanging, and the stones floating is a metaphor. Stones don't float, it is impossible for them to float, and like the woman being hung, it is impossible for her to be the murderer.
Down the burning ropes could be the noose that is going to hang the woman. When they bury her she is in a grave, and her "bed" is buried under the moonlight.
So now that she is killed, she is innocent so rather than go to hell the Lord is trying to bring her to heaven but the spectators believe she is guilty so they want her to go to hell, and now she's overboard with the accusations of this crime.
So now the village where he lives is full of heartache and the aftermath of this woman's death. Gossip goes on in the village.
People were gossiping about how people get reckless with their crimes, and he reminisces on how he became reckless with his murders and she came in and witnessed the killing. He realizes that his lover knows that he is a murderer.
Ennui Stricken
This song is about a murderer who lets his lover take the falls for his crimes, and she gets hung at the gallows.
First part might mean that his problems are sinking, like his ancient lover, ancient because she is dead and her ghost haunts him.
The paper thin girls could be the spectators for the hanging, and the stones floating is a metaphor. Stones don't float, it is impossible for them to float, and like the woman being hung, it is impossible for her to be the murderer.
Down the burning ropes could be the noose that is going to hang the woman. When they bury her she is in a grave, and her "bed" is buried under the moonlight.
So now that she is killed, she is innocent so rather than go to hell the Lord is trying to bring her to heaven but the spectators believe she is guilty so they want her to go to hell, and now she's overboard with the accusations of this crime.
So now the village where he lives is full of heartache and the aftermath of this woman's death. Gossip goes on in the village.
People were gossiping about how people get reckless with their crimes, and he reminisces on how he became reckless with his murders and she came in and witnessed the killing. He realizes that his lover knows that he is a murderer.
Ennui Stricken
This song is about a murderer who lets his lover take the falls for his crimes, and she gets hung at the gallows.
First part might mean that his problems are sinking, like his ancient lover, ancient because she is dead and her ghost haunts him.
The paper thin girls could be the spectators for the hanging, and the stones floating is a metaphor. Stones don't float, it is impossible for them to float, and like the woman being hung, it is impossible for her to be the murderer.
Down the burning ropes could be the noose that is going to hang the woman. When they bury her she is in a grave, and her "bed" is buried under the moonlight.
So now that she is killed, she is innocent so rather than go to hell the Lord is trying to bring her to heaven but the spectators believe she is guilty so they want her to go to hell, and now she's overboard with the accusations of this crime.
So now the village where he lives is full of heartache and the aftermath of this woman's death. Gossip goes on in the village.
People were gossiping about how people get reckless with their crimes, and he reminisces on how he became reckless with his murders and she came in and witnessed the killing. He realizes that his lover knows that he is a murderer.
Shirley Lopez
I think its been about 2 years since I first heard this song and to this day I'm still obsessed.
Ennui Stricken
This song is about a murderer who lets his lover take the fall for his crimes, and she gets hung at the gallows.
First part might mean that his problems are sinking, like his ancient lover, ancient because she is dead and her ghost haunts him.
The paper thin girls could be the spectators for the hanging, and the stones floating is a metaphor. Stones don't float, it is impossible for them to float, and like the woman being hung, it is impossible for her to be the murderer.
Down the burning ropes could be the noose that is going to hang the woman. When they bury her she is in a grave, and her "bed" is buried under the moonlight.
So now that she is killed, she is innocent so rather than go to hell the Lord is trying to bring her to heaven but the spectators believe she is guilty so they want her to go to hell, and now she's overboard with the accusations of this crime.
So now the village where he lives is full of heartache and the aftermath of this woman's death. Gossip goes on in the village.
People were gossiping about how people get reckless with their crimes, and he reminisces on how he became reckless with his murders and she came in and witnessed the killing. He realizes that his lover knows that he is a murderer.
Tariq Salim
This song just makes me want to fly into the sun
Karlee Tobin
This has been my favourite song since this album came out in 2011. I've got an appointment to get my next tattoo as a beautiful traditional ship with a banner saying "my love, she's overboard" I'm stoked
houndsanddirewolves
I love the sound of that tattoo!
Marielis Martinez
K Alexandra Awesome! did you get it?
Sam Medakovic
you are so right i hate how people nowadays think they can just go around making shitty versions of amazing songs but when we - the ones who have a good ear for music- have these untouched beautiful songs its great
Mohamad “Mohamadkaaki” Kaaki
Beautiful song!
Be Nice
When the hills let go
Slowly fade into the water like some ancient lover
On a ship filled with ghosts
It's something to behold
When the paper thin girls
With twisting little braids in their hair,
They take off their coats and throw
Pebbles and stones from the side of the boat,
Crying out
The stones they float, the stones they float
Oh my God, the stones they float, the stones they float
Down the burning ropes
Past the places where the steal beams meet concrete skies
You make your bed under the moonlight
I think it's time we said goodbye
Cause nothing moves in the warm air
And words that once would cut like a knife,
They just hang in the cloud and you're
Pushed by the lord,
But you're pulled by the crowds and
You're overboard, you're overboard
Oh my God, she's overboard
My love she's overboard
She's overboard
My love she's overboard
There's not a shell unbroken
In the valley where my heartache and the timbers lay
It's not the time to be hanging around here
You know what some might say
That people get too reckless
That even with the simplest of crimes
They leave, blood behind,
As I clean the knife for the very last time
I think she knows, I think she knows
Oh my God, I think she knows
I think she knows
Joshua Cabe Johnson
I have no idea what you are saying, but the melodies, the mix, wow!
One of the best songs I've ever had my ears be blessed with. Thank you,