The band self-released their first album, Stars Too Small to Use, which led them to the South by Southwest music festival. After recording their first album in a garage, they signed with Jagjaguwar. Okkervil River continued by releasing four more albums, including critically lauded concept album Black Sheep Boy.
After a period of touring for Black Sheep Boy, Okkervil River followed up with The Stage Names. The album sold 10,000 in its opening week in the United States. The group released a free covers album, Golden Opportunities Mixtape from their live performances.
The band has garnered positive critical reception. Especially noted are each song's lyrics, intricate instrumentation, and thematic albums. In addition, they were featured on the talk show Late Night with Conan O'Brien and have performed with high profile bands such as The Decemberists, The New Pornographers, The National, and Lou Reed.
Okkervil River released their most recent album The Silver Gymnasium on September 3, 2013.
Discography:
* 1998 Bedroom EP – Jound
* 1999 Stars Too Small to Use - Jound
* 2002 Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See - Jagjaguwar
* 2003 Down the River of Golden Dreams - Jagjaguwar
* 2003 Julie Doiron/Okkervil River (A split CD with Julie Dorion) - Acuarela
* 2004 Sleep and Wake-Up Songs (EP) - Jagjaguwar
* 2004 Sham Wedding/Hoax Funeral (A split CD with Shearwater) - Jagjaguwar
* 2005 Black Sheep Boy - Jagjaguwar
* 2005 Black Sheep Boy Appendix (EP) - Jagjaguwar
* 2006 Overboard and Down (EP) – Inertia, Australia-only tour EP
* 2007 The Stage Names - Jagjaguwar
* 2008 The Stand-Ins - Jagjaguwar
* 2011 I Am Very Far - Jagjaguwar
* 2013 The Silver Gymnasium - ATO Records
* 2016 Away - ATO Records
* 2018 In The Rainbow Rain - ATO Records
Current band members:
* Will Sheff - acoustic guitar, vocals, harmonica (keyboard occasionally)
* Travis Nelsen - drums, misc. percussion
* Scott Brackett - trumpet, coronet, keyboards, organ, tape player, misc. percussion
* Patrick Pestorius - bass, piano, woodblocks
* Justin Sherburn - keys, guitar
* Lauren Gurgiolo - electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin
Past band members:
* Seth Warren - guitar
* Zachary Thomas - vocals, bass
* Jonathan Meiburg - vocals, banjo, guitar, accordion, piano, organ
* Mark Pedini - drums
* Brian Cassidy - electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin, melodica (keyboard and accordion when on tour without Jonathan)
A Stone
Okkervil River Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Warm laughs and smiling
The loveliest words whispered and meant
You like all these things
But, though you like all these things
You love a stone
You love a stone
And it's cold
And you'd love most to be told
That it's all your own
You love white veins, you love hard grey
The heaviest weight, the clumsiest shape
The earthiest smell, the hollowest tone
You love a stone
And I'm found too fast, called too fond of flames
And then I'm phoning my friends
And then I'm shouldering the blame
While you're picking pebbles out of the drain, miles ago
You're out singing songs, and I'm down shouting names
At the flickerless screen, going fucking insane
Am I losing my cool, overstating my case?
Well, baby, what can I say?
You know I never claimed that I was a stone
And you love a stone
You love white veins, you love hard grey
The heaviest weight, the clumsiest shape
The earthiest smell, the hollowest tone
You love a stone
You love a stone, because it's dark, and it's old
And if it could start being alive, you'd stop living alone
And I think I believe that, if stones could dream
They'd dream of being laid side-by-side, piece-by-piece
And turned into a castle for some towering queen
They're unable to know
And when that queen's daughter came of age
But I think she'd be lovely and stubborn and brave
And suitors would journey from kingdoms away
Just to make themselves known
And I think that I know the bitter dismay
Of a lover who brought fresh bouquets every day
When she turned him away to remember some knave
Who once gave just one rose, one day, years ago
The song "A Stone" by Okkervil River is a captivating love song with complex lyrics that unravel the mystery of an unconventional love affair. The chorus of the song begins with the lines, "You love a stone, because it's smooth and it's cold, and you'd love most to be told that it's all your own." The song's protagonist describes the things his lover loves most, such as hot breath, rough skin, warm laughs, and the loveliest whispered words, but ultimately concludes that his lover is in love with a stone, because of its smoothness and coldness. The final lines of the chorus reveal that his lover would love the stone most if she knew it was hers alone.
The verses of the song are littered with images of the singer's melancholy state, as he longs for the affection of his lover, who is more enamored by a lifeless stone. He wonders if he is "losing his cool" or "overstating his case" as he finds himself incessantly calling his friends and shouldering the blame for his lover's affections. Meanwhile, he observes his lover singing songs from miles away, seemingly oblivious to his pain.
The song's final verse is poignant in its description of the singer's realization that his lover's love for a stone is ultimately unattainable, much like the dream of being laid side by side piece by piece to make a castle for a towering queen. He reflects on the bitterness of a lover who brings fresh bouquets every day but is ultimately turned away in favor of a knave who once gave just one rose, one day, years ago.
Line by Line Meaning
Hot breath, rough skin
Describing physical attributes of a person, possibly the singer or the person being sung about.
Warm laughs and smiling
Describing personality traits of a person, possibly the singer or the person being sung about.
The loveliest words whispered and meant
Describing how someone speaks to the person being sung about.
You like all these things
Noting that the person being sung about appreciates the aforementioned qualities.
But, though you like all these things
Introducing a contrasting statement to the preceding lines.
You love a stone
The person being sung about has an unusual attachment to stones.
You love a stone
Reiteration of the preceding statement.
Because it's smooth
Noting one of the reasons why the person being sung about loves stones.
And it's cold
Another reason why the person being sung about loves stones.
And you'd love most to be told
The person being sung about would enjoy validation for their love of stones.
That it's all your own
The person being sung about desires ownership or possession of stones.
You love white veins, you love hard grey
Describing the qualities of stones that the person being sung about loves.
The heaviest weight, the clumsiest shape
Describing the qualities of stones that the person being sung about loves.
The earthiest smell, the hollowest tone
Describing the qualities of stones that the person being sung about loves.
And I'm found too fast, called too fond of flames
Possibly describing the singer's own feelings, lamenting that they move too quickly for the person being sung about, who loves stones.
And then I'm phoning my friends
The singer turns to their friends for support and advice.
And then I'm shouldering the blame
The singer takes responsibility for something, possibly a disagreement with the person being sung about.
While you're picking pebbles out of the drain, miles ago
The person being sung about is busy with their own interests or hobbies, unconcerned with the singer's issues.
You're out singing songs, and I'm down shouting names
The singer is frustrated that the person being sung about is pursuing their own passions while the singer is upset.
At the flickerless screen, going fucking insane
The singer is agitated and frustrated, possibly watching a blank TV screen or computer monitor.
Am I losing my cool, overstating my case?
The singer wonders if they are overreacting to the situation or making it worse.
Well, baby, what can I say?
The singer expresses their frustration and doesn't know what else to do or say.
You know I never claimed that I was a stone
The singer acknowledges that they don't share the same love for stones as the person being sung about.
And you love a stone
The singer restates that the person being sung about loves stones.
You love white veins, you love hard grey
Describing the qualities of stones that the person being sung about loves.
The heaviest weight, the clumsiest shape
Describing the qualities of stones that the person being sung about loves.
The earthiest smell, the hollowest tone
Describing the qualities of stones that the person being sung about loves.
You love a stone
Reiteration of the preceding statement.
And you'd love most to be told
The person being sung about desires validation for their love of stones.
That it's all your own
The person being sung about desires ownership or possession of stones.
You love a stone, because it's dark, and it's old
Describing why the person being sung about loves stones.
And if it could start being alive, you'd stop living alone
The person being sung about would be content if they had stones as companions.
And I think I believe that, if stones could dream
The singer has a fanciful thought about stones and their hypothetical dreams.
They'd dream of being laid side-by-side, piece-by-piece
The singer imagines that stones would want to be arranged in a certain way, perhaps as a structure or building.
And turned into a castle for some towering queen
The imagined structure created by the stones would serve as a home for royalty.
They're unable to know
Despite the singer's vivid imaginings, stones are inanimate objects and incapable of dreams or desires.
And when that queen's daughter came of age
Continuing the imagined story of the stones and the queen.
But I think she'd be lovely and stubborn and brave
The singer describes the hypothetical daughter of the queen as having certain admirable qualities.
And suitors would journey from kingdoms away
The hypothetical princess would be highly sought after and desired by others.
Just to make themselves known
These suitors would want to make themselves visible and known to the princess.
And I think that I know the bitter dismay
The singer reflects on a personal experience of being rejected despite their efforts.
Of a lover who brought fresh bouquets every day
The singer describes a lover who brought flowers to the person being sung about, likely in an attempt to gain their favor or affection.
When she turned him away to remember some knave
The person being sung about rejected the lover and instead chose to remember someone else who was less attentive or devoted to them.
Who once gave just one rose, one day, years ago
The person being sung about values simple and seemingly insignificant gestures more than grand or consistent ones.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: Will Sheff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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loving a stone can also mean loving someone who doesn't love you back. But it could very well be a gravestone. he does say in the song "and I think that I know,
The bitter dismay,
Of a lover who brought,
Fresh bouquets every day,
When she turned him away,
To remember some knave,
Who once gave,
Just one rose,
One day,
Years ago." meaning that he loves someone so dearly that he does all these wonderful things for them and they just continue to turn them away for someone else.
Deputy
When my daughter was born and I had to message the family of her arrival I let them know that she was 'lovely and stubborn and brave'
Sarah J
Being the one who has loved a stone, this song has accomplished more than six months of therapy could. One of my favorites!
Boogalosh
"going fucking insane" i love that part for some unexplainable reason
Kevyn
This song is amazing. The writing is phenomenal. Such powerful story telling!!!
Ali Riley
we saw the band at sled island in calgary, they played in the united church. I was there with mah husband about two months before he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. We held each other when the band played this song.....we wept. The whole show was so fantastic...we danced, we made out, we loved it. I love you all.
darktoast
I'm sorry he has to go through that, and consequently you too, but I'm glad you got to live that great moment. Treasure them, treasure his presence in your life and may you both find light.
frotworth
This song haunts me. I love playing it at the bar to throw off the exciting, upbeat bullshit everyone else plays. Also, because it makes me feel good while I'm drinking.
Joey Pearce
This song is perfect.
Thomas Boyle
I agree.
Joey Pearce
People still troll the youtube comment section? Man, that must be a really depressing existence. I hope it gets better for you kiddo.