Acoustic five-piece playing bittersweet and beguiling folk-indie-pop songs about love, jealousy, apathy, imaginary friends, and pirates. Having released two albums to critical acclaim, the band announced on December 2, 2007 that after a short tour of Great Britain ending in February 20, 2008 in Scotland, the band would go on an 'indefinite hiatus' Singer-songwriter Nat Johnson is currently working on solo material and recently formed Nat Johnson and the Figureheads with former MSTU member Kevin Gori. Rob Dean has joined The Pete Green Corporate Juggernaut.
For more information, see the official MSTU site.
Ballad of the Breakneck Bride
Monkey Swallows the Universe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I love driving with you,
But your laughter is spurring me on
I can't wait to get where we're going
So darlin' drive faster so the wind's in my hair
I will drive faster my girl
Or we'll never reach the chapel at all
Daddy can't take me from you...
He won't even know that you're gone
..if I'm bound by god to your side
So darlin' drive faster, I'm hearing him call
I will drive faster my girl
Or we'll never reach the chapel at all
We were driving so quick all the world was a blur
I was going too fast to control
And the last thing I heard was that sweet voice of yours
As you screamed and you cried
When we crashed and we died
And we never reached the chapel at all
They buried our bodies in separate grounds
For they didn't believe in our love
We could still be togetherif each other we find
We can meet at the chapel after all
Your father can't catch us while he's still alive
Daddy can't take you from me...
He won't know we're married at all
...if I'm bound in death to your side
So I'll walk through the darkness and the shadows my girl
I'll walk through the darkness, I will
And we'll meet at the chapel after all
Yes, we'll meet at the chapel after all
The ballad of the breakneck bride is a haunting and tragic tale of two lovers, desperately racing to reach the chapel to be married before the disapproving father can catch them. The driving imagery of the song creates a real sense of momentum as the couple hurtle through the night, running towards their destiny. The on-edge feeling of the driving is beautifully contrasted with the love and laughter between the two lovers, whose passion and commitment seem to make the reckless speeding almost seem like a natural, romantic thing to do.
However, as the song reaches its devastating climax, the true nature of the couple's recklessness is revealed. They crash and die before they can reach the chapel, and the story ends in tragedy. The lyrical imagery of the lovers being buried in separate grounds is particularly poignant, as it adds another layer to the already heart-wrenching tale.
The ballad is a beautiful and unforgettable piece of storytelling, its imagery and emotion lingering in the listener's mind long after it has ended. The wistful and melancholic melody complements the storytelling perfectly, and the overall effect of the song is both tragic and uplifting, as the lovers find each other even in death.
Line by Line Meaning
We've been driving since midnight and my eyes want to close
We have been driving for a long time and I am getting tired
I love driving with you
I enjoy driving with you
But your laughter is spurring me on
Your laughter is encouraging me to keep driving
I can't wait to get where we're going
I am excited to arrive at our destination
So darlin' drive faster so the wind's in my hair
Please drive faster so I can feel the wind in my hair
I will drive faster my girl
I will drive faster, my love
Or we'll never reach the chapel at all
Otherwise, we will not make it to the chapel
Your father can't catch us, he's still fast asleep
Your father is not aware of our plans and is still sleeping
Daddy can't take me from you...
Your father cannot take me away from you
He won't even know that you're gone
He will not realize that you have left
..if I'm bound by god to your side
As long as we are meant to be together, nothing can separate us
So darlin' drive faster, I'm hearing him call
Please drive faster, I think I hear him calling
We were driving so quick all the world was a blur
We were driving very fast, and everything seemed to go by quickly
I was going too fast to control
I was driving too fast to be able to control the car properly
And the last thing I heard was that sweet voice of yours
The last thing I heard was your beautiful voice
As you screamed and you cried
As you were screaming and crying
When we crashed and we died
When we got into an accident and died
And we never reached the chapel at all
We did not make it to the chapel
They buried our bodies in separate grounds
Our bodies were buried in different places
For they didn't believe in our love
Because they did not approve of our love
We could still be togetherif each other we find
We could still be together if we can find each other
We can meet at the chapel after all
We can still meet at the chapel
Your father can't catch us while he's still alive
As long as your father is alive, he cannot separate us
Daddy can't take you from me...
Your father cannot take you away from me
He won't know we're married at all
He will not know that we are married
...if I'm bound in death to your side
Even in death, we will still be together
So I'll walk through the darkness and the shadows my girl
I will walk through the darkness to be with you
I'll walk through the darkness, I will
I will bravely face the unknown to be with you
And we'll meet at the chapel after all
We will finally meet at the chapel, despite all obstacles
Contributed by Alaina I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.