Monsters of Folk is an indie folk supergroup consisting of Conor Oberst (of… Read Full Bio ↴Monsters of Folk is an indie folk supergroup consisting of Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes and several other groups), Mike Mogis (of Bright Eyes and Lullaby For The Working Class), Jim James (of My Morning Jacket) and M. Ward (of She & Him as well as a successful solo musician). All share guitar duties, with Oberst, Ward and James sharing vocals. Ward also plays keyboards and Mogis and James play drums on the album. In 2010, the band's touring drummer, Will Johnson of Centro-matic, became the band's official fifth member.

Monsters of Folk originally came together in 2004 and toured as Bright Eyes, with Jim James and M. Ward, and developed the name Monsters of Folk while on tour. The band released their self-titled debut album on September 22, 2009 on Shangri-La Music.

Whole Lotta Losin'
Monsters of Folk Lyrics

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Well, I got a lot
Lord, I got a lotta losin'
Friends and heroes
Packin' up and movin'
And one of these days
I'll be left with nothin'
But memories and no time
So I better get

Yeah, I better get accustomed
'Cause, I got a lot
Lord, I got a lotta losin'
bye

Well, we never got paid
But we had a lotta laughs though
Runnin' like thieves through the streets of Chicago
Look at me now, I'm leanin' out a Portland window, singin'
"I still miss someone"
So I better get,
Yeah, I better get accustomed
'Cause, I got a lot
Lord, I got a lotta losin'
bye and bye

Pickin' up speed
Pickin' up the pieces
Losin' leaves in every season
The winter ends right at my feet with
Flowers peepin' up through the crack in the concrete

Well, I got a lot
Lord, I got a lotta losin'
Friends and heroes
Packin' up and movin'
And one of these days
I'll be left with nothin'
But memories and no time
So I better get
Yeah, I better get accustomed
'Cause, I got a lot
Lord, I got a lotta losin'
bye and bye

I'm pickin' up speed
Pickin' up the pieces
Losin' leaves in every season
The winter ends right at my feet with
Flowers peepin' up through a crack in the concrete

Well, I got a lot
Lord, I got a lotta losin'
Friends and heroes
Are packin' up and movin'
One of these days
I'll be left with nothin'
But memories and no time
So I better get
Yeah, I better get accustomed
'Cause, I got a lot
Lord, I got a lotta losin'

By and by and by and by and by
By and by and by and by and by and by

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Monsters of Folk's song "Whole Lotta Losin'" are a reflection on the transience of life and the inevitability of losing things and people we care about. The singer acknowledges that he has experienced a lot of loss already, including friends, heroes and the places he's been. He realizes that more loss is likely to come in the future, and he must get used to it. The chorus repeats that he's got a lot of losing, emphasizing the weight of his experiences.

The second verse adds more detail to the singer's life, including a reference to his time in Chicago with friends, where they had fun but didn't make any money. Now he sings from Portland, far from his old life, confessing that he still misses someone. The bridge uses imagery of changing seasons, with leaves falling and flowers growing, to represent the passage of time and the cycles of life.

Overall, "Whole Lotta Losin'" is a melancholy but accepting song that acknowledges the transient nature of life and the importance of cherishing what we have before it's gone.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, I got a lot
I have accumulated a significant amount of things and relationships throughout my life

Lord, I got a lotta losin'
But I have also experienced a lot of loss and change that has been difficult to bear

Friends and heroes
I have had important people in my life who I have respected and admired

Packin' up and movin'
But many of them have had to move on or leave for their own reasons

And one of these days
I know that at some point in the future

I'll be left with nothin'
I will have lost everything that I once had

But memories and no time
All that will be left are the memories of what was and no time to create new ones

So I better get
Therefore, I should start to

Yeah, I better get accustomed
Get used to the idea of facing more loss and change in the future

'Cause, I got a lot
Because I have already experienced so much of it

bye
Goodbye, for now

Well, we never got paid
Although we didn't receive any monetary compensation

But we had a lotta laughs though
We shared a lot of laughter and good times together

Runnin' like thieves through the streets of Chicago
We had wild adventures and escapades in the city of Chicago

Look at me now, I'm leanin' out a Portland window, singin'
Even though things have changed and I am in a different place, I am still holding onto my past experiences

"I still miss someone"
I am reminiscing on someone or something that I have lost

Pickin' up speed
I am moving faster

Pickin' up the pieces
I am trying to recover from what I have lost

Losin' leaves in every season
I am constantly experiencing change and loss, just like the changing of the seasons

The winter ends right at my feet with
But even in the darkest of times,

Flowers peepin' up through the crack in the concrete
Something new and beautiful can still grow despite the harsh conditions

By and by and by and by and by
Repeating the phrase 'by and by' emphasizes the repetition and inevitability of change and loss

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: M. WARD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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