Gundersen's music banks on strong lead vocals, boasting a poetic and lyrical charm, backed by ambient backgrounds of strings and percussion. Gundersen's music has been called a blend of melancholy folk and electric euphoria, occasionally drawing comparisons to the likes of Elijah Wyman, David Wilcox, and Damien Rice. Drawing the attention of crowds across the South Puget Sound region, Noah Gundersen regularly performs in a variety of settings, ranging from small college basements to more prestigious venues such as the Triple Door, the Crocodile Cafe, and the Columbia City Theater.
Gundersen and his younger sister usually create studio work on their own - together they have produced two EPs, a live album, and most recently two full length albums:
• Brand New World EP (Noah Gundersen) - 2008
• Live at The Triple Door (Noah Gundersen & The Courage) - 2008
• Saints & Liars EP (Noah Gundersen & The Courage) - Oct. 9, 2009
• Fearful Bones (The Courage) - Sept. 11, 2010
• Family (Noah Gundersen) - Aug. 6, 2011
Official site: noahgundersenmusic.com/
Garden
Noah Gundersen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And say a prayer for those we love
All the words that will be spoken
Will never be enough
To encompass all the feelings
That our brittle hearts can bear
All the storms that rage inside us
And the sound it makes is an honest song
Our hearts sing an honest song
And all the time spent catching raindrops
All the time we've spent in bed
All the hours we have wasted
We will never see again
So be good with what you're given
For it's all you have to give
We are only passing shadows
In the mighty wind
And the sound it makes is an honest song
Our hearts sing an honest song
So though I tremble in the darkness
In the cold and frozen snow
I am greatly for the winter
For the winter comes to show
That our trouble is never over
And our work is never done
But with the turning of the season
We will always see the sun
And the sound it makes is an honest song
Our hearts sing an honest song
Oooh may our hearts sing an honest song
Noah Gundersen's song "Honest Songs" is an emotional reflection on the fragility of human existence and the need for living authentically. The lyrics speak of a gathering around a table to offer prayers for loved ones, but the words spoken are never enough to fully express the depth of emotions that our hearts contain. The storms that rage within us fill our organs with air, and the only way to release those emotional tides is through an honest song. Our hearts have the power to sing an honest song that reflects our deepest vulnerabilities, hopes, and fears.
The second verse of "Honest Songs" emphasizes the importance of making the most of the time we have. The lyrics describe the hours we spend in bed and the time we waste, all of which we will never get back. Therefore, we are called to be good with what we are given, to appreciate the fleeting moments of our lives. And while the winter may bring cold and darkness, it also brings the reminder that our work is never done and our troubles are never over. Despite this, the turning of the seasons brings the hope of renewal and the promise of seeing the sun once again.
In summary, "Honest Songs" is a beautiful contemplation on the human condition, urging us to live honestly and authentically, to appreciate the present moment, and to find hope even in the midst of darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
As we gather around the table
As we come together and join hands around this table
And say a prayer for those we love
And offer up a prayer for the people whom we care about
All the words that will be spoken
All these words that will arise from us
Will never be enough
will never be sufficient
To encompass all the feelings
to gather up and capture all these emotions
That our brittle hearts can bear
that our fragile hearts can hold
All the storms that rage inside us
All these storms which rage within ourselves
Fill our organs up with air
Fill our organs up with a sense of being alive
And the sound it makes is an honest song
And what’s produced is such an honest music
Our hearts sing an honest song
Our hearts sing such an honest music
And all the time spent catching raindrops
And all this time we've spent catching raindrops
All the time we've spent in bed
All those moments we've spent lying in bed
All the hours we have wasted
All the hours which we've lost
We will never see again
are now forever gone from us
So be good with what you're given
So be grateful with what you have been provided with
For it's all you have to give
For it's really all that you have something to offer
We are only passing shadows
We're only transitory silhouettes
In the mighty wind
In this great and forceful wind
So though I tremble in the darkness
So although my body shakes in the darkness
In the cold and frozen snow
In this cold and snow which feels like ice
I am greatly for the winter
I am so thankful for the winter
For the winter comes to show
For the winter is here to demonstrate
That our trouble is never over
That our issues never really end
And our work is never done
And our tasks are endless
But with the turning of the season
But one can witness with the change of time
We will always see the sun
We will always find some light
Oooh may our hearts sing an honest song
Oooh, I wish for our hearts to sing an honest music
Contributed by Cameron C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@anujaghosh179
Banks coming down
They're taking all our hard earned pay
Lord giveth, but he taketh away
I pay our debts
But works getting hard to find
These are hard times
I built this house
With my own two hands
Now their gonna take it and five acres of land
And all of our children
Are growing up way too fast
In these hard times
But wait, oh wait
See how the morning breaks
It's the simplest of love songs, but it's all our hearts can take
And though we lose our stake
Heaven is where we make it
Even in the smallest places, can a garden grow
I took this job
In part as a sacrifice
For my unborn children and my beautiful wife
I always worked hard
On all of these sad estates
With no hard times
But wait, oh wait
See how the morning breaks
It's the simplest of love songs, but it's all our hearts can take
And though we lose our stake
Heaven is where we make it
Even in the smallest places, can a garden grow
Even in the smallest places, can a garden grow
@TINACOHENCHANG98
I just found this guy, and I basically just have been listening to all these songs over and over again... I love them ❤
@ginathompson6255
So amazing. One of the most under appreciated artists
@jr4chargers
+Gina Kristin Agreed. Another artist that I think is under appreciated is Gregory Alan Isakov.
@ivegotasickfeelinginthebac6232
+jr4chargers Agreed. Also, Ben Howard.
@dreadfuljoy5111
This song is so hopeful and gut wrenching at the same time
@tylerzane7579
This song hit me as a son years ago and hits me even harder now as a father of 2
@eilidh82113
Love this guy. I often play his tunes on my show Helen's MiXx on North Highland Radio
@anujaghosh179
Banks coming down
They're taking all our hard earned pay
Lord giveth, but he taketh away
I pay our debts
But works getting hard to find
These are hard times
I built this house
With my own two hands
Now their gonna take it and five acres of land
And all of our children
Are growing up way too fast
In these hard times
But wait, oh wait
See how the morning breaks
It's the simplest of love songs, but it's all our hearts can take
And though we lose our stake
Heaven is where we make it
Even in the smallest places, can a garden grow
I took this job
In part as a sacrifice
For my unborn children and my beautiful wife
I always worked hard
On all of these sad estates
With no hard times
But wait, oh wait
See how the morning breaks
It's the simplest of love songs, but it's all our hearts can take
And though we lose our stake
Heaven is where we make it
Even in the smallest places, can a garden grow
Even in the smallest places, can a garden grow
@juliakaczor4557
I loved songs this very talented guy ♥
@dakotawhite3121
my thoughts exactly !!!