Elverum explained this change in an 2003 interview with Discorder, asserting that "Mount Eerie is a new project. The Microphones was completed, or at least at a good stopping point. I did it because I am ready for new things. I am new."
As Mount Eerie, Phil typically works with synthesizers, guitars, drums, and the accenting voices of Mirah, The Blow, and fellow K-Records/Anacortes, Washington friends. Mount Eerie's album "Seven New Songs of Mount Eerie" was also the first recording released on Phil's new label, P.W.Elverum & Sun. All songs from that recording are available for free download in the Internet Archive.
Swims
Mount Eerie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of when I held you right there
And watched you die
Upstairs in the back bedroom of our house
Where we have lived for many years
Your last gasping breaths
I see it again and again
As the breeze blew in
The room I still don't go in at night
Because I see you
Your transformed, dying face will recede with time
Is what our counselor said
Who we walked to every Monday holding hands
Slower every week with your breathing
Until we had to drive
But then only two months after you died
Our counselor died
All at once, her empty office with no light on
As if her work was done
We are all always so close to not existing at all
Except in the confusion of our survived-bys grasping at the echoes
Today our daughter asked me if mama swims
I told her, "Yes, she does
And that's probably all she does now"
What was you is now borne across waves
Evaporating
The lyrics of Mount Eerie's song "Swims" depict the lingering image and emotional aftermath of witnessing a loved one's death. The singer describes the haunting memory of holding the person close as they took their last breaths in the upstairs bedroom of their shared home. The image is deeply ingrained in the singer's mind, replaying over and over again like a haunting ghost. The breeze blowing into the room serves as a constant reminder of the loss and the final moments that were witnessed.
The lyrics also touch upon the grief counseling sessions that the singer and their loved one attended together. They would walk hand in hand to their counselor's office every Monday, but as the loved one's breathing grew slower each week, indicating their declining health, they eventually had to switch to driving. However, just two months after the loved one's passing, the counselor unexpectedly dies, leaving an empty office behind.
The song explores the fragility of existence and the uncertainty of life's continuation. The chorus reveals a poignant exchange between the singer and their daughter, who questions if the deceased loved one is able to swim. The response given implies that the essence of the loved one has transformed into something intangible, carried by the waves and evaporating. It embodies the notion that life is transient, and all we are left with are echoes and memories.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't get the image out of my head
The memory is permanently imprinted in my mind
Of when I held you right there
The moment when I held you close
And watched you die
I witnessed your final moments of life
Upstairs in the back bedroom of our house
In the secluded back bedroom of our home
Where we have lived for many years
Our long-time dwelling place
Your last gasping breaths
The final struggling breaths you took
I see it again and again
The memory endlessly replays in my mind
As the breeze blew in
Accompanied by the gentle wind
The room I still don't go in at night
I avoid entering that room during nighttime
Because I see you
Due to the visualizations of your presence
Your transformed, dying face will recede with time
Over time, the image of your altered, dying face will fade
Is what our counselor said
This was the guidance from our therapist
Who we walked to every Monday holding hands
Together, we visited our counselor every Monday, holding each other's hands
Slower every week with your breathing
Your breaths became slower each passing week
Until we had to drive
Until we had to take the car
But then only two months after you died
Just two months after your death
Our counselor died
Our therapist passed away
All at once, her empty office with no light on
Suddenly, her office became vacant, devoid of any illumination
As if her work was done
As if she had completed her purpose
We are all always so close to not existing at all
Our existence is always on the brink of nonexistence
Except in the confusion of our survived-bys grasping at the echoes
Except in the blur of those who continue living, desperately trying to hold onto remnants of our presence
Today our daughter asked me if mama swims
Today, our daughter inquired if her mother swims
I told her, 'Yes, she does
I responded, affirming that she indeed swims
And that's probably all she does now'
And that may be the only activity she engages in currently
What was you is now borne across waves
What used to be you now moves along the waves
Evaporating
Gradually dissipating and disappearing
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: Phil Elvrum
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind