The band's namesake and place of origin is the Cincinnati, Ohio neighborhood Over-the-Rhine. Karin attended school in Barnesville, Ohio and graduated from Barnesville High School in 1984. She then went to Malone College, located in Canton, Ohio, where she met Linford. Karin and Linford were married in the fall of 1996 in Cincinnati and several years ago relocated to a pre-civil war farm outside of town.
Over the Rhine is now primarily Bergquist (vocals, acoustic guitar, piano) and Detweiler (keyboards, electric bass, vocals) accompanied by complementary musicians on albums and tours. Over the years, they have toured and recorded in many variations. They have shared the stage with a number of fine musicians, including Bob Dylan, John Prine, Adrian Belew, Squeeze, Ani DiFranco, My Morning Jacket, Hem, and toured as "adjunct" members of Cowboy Junkies.
Over the Rhine's new album, _The Long Surrender_ was released nationally on 1/1/11. It recorded on California with Grammy winning producer, Joe Henry and contains a duet with Lucinda Williams on "Undamned" and two songs co-written with Joe Henry.
Miles
Over the Rhine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Something you can sink your teeth into.
I want you to feel,
All it is that I feel for you.
I’m firelight for your seeing hands.
Rich perfume for your tastebuds.
Your eyes are always
But we have promises to keep
And miles to go before we sleep.
Are you drunk,
With the wine of God?
Did your ship wreck
As the tempest tossed you?
You can write your name on the water,
It’ll drift on out to sea.
You can treat me like a daughter,
You can write your name on me.
We touched a funeral, drank a parade.
We stole a wedding, melted and prayed.
It always hovers just around the bend.
We’re never quite there, but then again.
Once a stranger now more than a friend-
It all makes me pretty tired.
I suppose that you’re still wired.
Your heart’s on mine
Beating double time,
But we have promises to keep
|and miles to go before we sleep.
And miles to go...
The lyrics to Over the Rhine's song "Miles" are poetic and full of metaphors. The singer wants to be real and tangible to her loved one, an experience that can be felt and tasted. She is firelight for his seeing hands, a rich perfume for his tastebuds. The imagery is powerful, suggesting an intense desire for connection and intimacy. However, the song's mood becomes more reflective and questioning as it progresses. The line "we have promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep" is a reference to Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and suggests a feeling of being stuck in a liminal space between past and future. The singer's questions about faith and struggle, as well as the references to water and fire, create a sense of longing and searching for something unattainable.
The song is full of interesting references and connections. For example, the line "are you drunk with the wine of God?" is a reference to the New Testament book of Acts, where the apostles are accused of being drunk after the Holy Spirit comes upon them. The line "we touched a funeral, drank a parade" is a reference to a line from Federico García Lorca's poem "Romance Sonámbulo." The song also includes allusions to Alice in Wonderland, the Wizard of Oz, and the poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." The juxtaposition of these cultural references creates a sense of richness and depth in the song, inviting the listener to uncover the many layers of meaning.
Additionally, the song features a sparse, haunting melody that adds to its dreamlike quality. The instrumentation is minimal, featuring only acoustic guitar and piano, with occasional vocal harmonies. The simplicity of the musical arrangement allows the lyrics to take center stage, emphasizing the song's introspective mood. Overall, "Miles" is a beautiful and layered song that invites repeated listening and interpretation.
Chords (capo 2):
Verse: Am, G, F, G
Chorus: C, G, Am, F, G
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna be real,
I want to be genuine and authentic.
Something you can sink your teeth into.
I want to be someone that you can fully understand and relate to.
I want you to feel,
I want you to experience the emotions that I feel towards you.
All it is that I feel for you.
I want you to know the depth of my feelings for you.
I'm firelight for your seeing hands.
I provide a warm and comforting presence for you.
Rich perfume for your tastebuds.
I am a delightful experience for you to savor and enjoy.
Your eyes are always
You always have a deep and intense look in your eyes.
Dark and deep,
Your eyes are mysterious and profound.
But we have promises to keep
We have commitments and obligations to fulfill.
And miles to go before we sleep.
We have a long journey ahead of us before we can rest.
Are you drunk,
Are you intoxicated by the divine presence in your life?
With the wine of God?
Are you experiencing the joys of spirituality and connection with the divine?
Did your ship wreck
Have you experienced a great tragedy or loss in your life?
As the tempest tossed you?
Have you been thrown into chaos and turbulence because of this event?
You can write your name on the water,
Your impact on the world may be fleeting and temporary.
It'll drift on out to sea.
Your influence may eventually disappear completely and be forgotten.
You can treat me like a daughter,
You can see me as someone to care for and protect.
You can write your name on me.
You can leave your mark on me and make an impact on my life.
We touched a funeral, drank a parade.
We have experienced both sadness and happiness together.
We stole a wedding, melted and prayed.
We have shared intimate and emotional moments together.
It always hovers just around the bend.
There is always something new and exciting just ahead of us.
We're never quite there, but then again.
We are always on a journey and never quite done growing and changing.
Once a stranger now more than a friend-
We have become very close over time.
It all makes me pretty tired.
It can be exhausting to navigate the complexities of life and relationships.
I suppose that you're still wired.
I imagine that you are still full of energy and life.
Your heart's on mine
Our hearts are intertwined and closely connected.
Beating double time,
Our hearts are beating in sync and with great intensity.
But we have promises to keep
We have commitments that we must honor.
And miles to go before we sleep.
We have a long journey ahead of us before we can rest.
Contributed by Ruby V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.