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)
So Come Back I Am Waiting
Okkervil River Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A black sheep boy dissolves in syringe or in a shower stall.
He says â??there's plenty of time to make you mine tonight,
There's plenty of time to make you mine.â??
He says â??there's plenty of ways to know you're not dying, all right.
Hell, there's plenty of light still left in your eyes.â??
A black sheep boy grows horns, breathing smoke through his microphone.
The airwaves stretch and they groan, bleeding, birthing his black diapason.
Every color of sleeve to be rolled.
There are millions of rolling eyes that still cling to me.
Every language of king is concerned.
So why did you bawl from the spell of some old holy song,
That some liar laughed as he composed - some liar I loved to control?â??
A black sheep boy dissolves in hot cream, in sweet moans,
In each dead bed and empty home, in each seething bacterium.
Killing softly and serial, he lifts his head, handsome, horned, magisterial.
He's the smell of the moonlight wisteria.
He's the thrill of the abecedarian.
(See the muddy hoof prints where he carried you?)
And there's plenty of ways to claim his crimes tonight,
And there's plenty of things to do on his dime.
And there's plenty of ways to wear his hide tonight.
You've got yours and I've got mine. So why did you flee?
Don't you know you can't leave his control, only call all his wild works your own?
So come back and we'll take them all on.
So come back to your life on the lam.
So come back to your old black sheep man.
He says â??I am waiting on hoof and on hand. I am waiting, all hated and damned.
I am waiting - I snort and I stamp.
I am waiting, you know that I am, calmly waiting to make you my lamb.â??
The song, "So Come Back I Am Waiting" by Okkervil River, tells the story of a black sheep boy who is rejected by society and struggles with self-destructive behavior. The first stanza sets the scene of this tragic character revolting against nature, both physically (growing horns) and mentally (dissolving in drugs and showers). However, he is still hopeful for love, as he proclaims "there's plenty of time to make you mine tonight" and reassures his potential partner that there is still light in their eyes.
As the song progresses, the black sheep boy becomes more dangerous, embodying a sinister and seductive figure. He is a performer, breathing smoke through his microphone and using his music to ensnare others. He has amassed countless admirers, represented by the "rolling eyes," from every language and culture. However, despite all his power, he is haunted by the memory of a "holy song" that he believes led his lover astray.
The chorus beckons the fleeing lover to return and join him in his world of darkness, where they will take on his "crimes" and live on his "dime." The black sheep boy's final words are a warning and a promise, as he declares himself to be both hateful and calm, waiting to turn his lover into his lamb. Overall, the song paints a vivid and haunting picture of a tragic and complex character, whose self-destructive tendencies make him both alluring and dangerous.
Line by Line Meaning
A black sheep boy revolves over canyons and waterfalls.
The boy who is an outcast moves swiftly over rough terrains and challenging obstacles.
A black sheep boy dissolves in syringe or in a shower stall.
The boy who is an outcast faces the possibility of self-destruction through addiction or suicide.
He says â??there's plenty of time to make you mine tonight,
He assures the person he desires that there is enough time to be with them tonight.
There's plenty of time to make you mine.â??
He reiterates that there is sufficient time to be with the person he desires.
He says â??there's plenty of ways to know you're not dying, all right.
He tells the person he desires that there are many ways to recognize that they are still alive.
Hell, there's plenty of light still left in your eyes.â??
He emphasizes that there's still a light shining brightly in the person's eyes.
A black sheep boy grows horns, breathing smoke through his microphone.
The outcast boy transforms into a devil-like figure who performs onstage and uses his mic to release the breath of smoke.
The airwaves stretch and they groan, bleeding, birthing his black diapason.
The sound from the boy's music creates pressure on the airwaves, resulting in a groaning sound, which births a dark sound range.
He says â??there's plenty of things to wear when you come to me,
He informs the person he desires that there are plenty of options to wear when they come to see him.
Every color of sleeve to be rolled.
There are various options of garments to wear, including different colors and styles of sleeves.
There are millions of rolling eyes that still cling to me.
He reveals that millions of adoring fans are still attached to him.
Every language of king is concerned.
People from different nations and cultures have shown interest in his music.
So why did you bawl from the spell of some old holy song,
He questions why the person cried because of a religious song's curse.
That some liar laughed as he composed - some liar I loved to control?â??
He reveals that the individual who structured the affected melody was someone he enjoyed manipulating.
A black sheep boy dissolves in hot cream, in sweet moans,
The boy who is an outcast self-destructs amid sexual pleasure and passionate cries.
In each dead bed and empty home, in each seething bacterium.
He self-destructs in different places, including deserted homes and amid the harmful bacteria around him.
Killing softly and serial, he lifts his head, handsome, horned, magisterial.
Despite his self-destruction, he remains confident and proud, looking handsome and commanding attention.
He's the smell of the moonlight wisteria.
He has a unique scent, defined as the fragrance of the wisteria under the moonlight.
He's the thrill of the abecedarian.
He gives the excitement of the first experience of things or the kindergarten.
(See the muddy hoof prints where he carried you?)
He reminds the person of the muddy prints of his hooves when he took the person along.
And there's plenty of ways to claim his crimes tonight,
There are different methods of celebrating his actions tonight.
And there's plenty of things to do on his dime.
So many enjoyable activities can be carried out with his money.
And there's plenty of ways to wear his hide tonight.
There are several ways of expressing his actions tonight.
You've got yours and I've got mine. So why did you flee?
The situation is unique for each person, so why did the person escape?
Don't you know you can't leave his control, only call all his wild works your own?
You cannot escape his influence, but you can claim that his works are your own.
So come back and we'll take them all on.
Return, and together, we'll face all forms of criticism and challenges.
So come back to your life on the lam.
Return to your previous life amid the fear of being caught or punished.
So come back to your old black sheep man.
Return to the man (who refers to himself as a black sheep) you used to be with.
He says â??I am waiting on hoof and on hand. I am waiting, all hated and damned.
He's waiting for the person using all means, even though he admits he's being despised and punished.
I am waiting - I snort and I stamp.
As he waits, he gets impatient and starts to snort and stamp his hooves.
I am waiting, you know that I am, calmly waiting to make you my lamb.â??
He lets the person know that he's patiently waiting to take possession of them.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
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