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.
The Trumpet Child
Over the Rhine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will blast the sky till it?s reborn
With Gabriel?s power and Satchmo?s grace
He will surprise the human race
The trumpet he will use to blow
Is being fashioned out of fire
The mouthpiece is a glowing coal
The trumpet child will riff on love
Thelonious notes from up above
He?ll improvise a kingdom come
Accompanied by a different drum
The trumpet child will banquet here
Until the lost are truly found
A thousand days, a thousand years
Nobody knows for sure how long
The rich forget about their gold
The meek and mild are strangely bold
A lion lies beside a lamb
And licks a murderer?s outstretched hand
The trumpet child will lift a glass
His bride now leaning in at last
His final aim to fill with joy
The earth that man all but destroyed
The Trumpet Child is a song that explores the idea of a Messiah figure who comes to redeem the world through the power of music. The lyrics describe this figure, referred to as the "trumpet child," who will blow his horn with the force of Gabriel and Satchmo, surprising the human race. The trumpet he uses is being fashioned out of fire, with a glowing coal mouthpiece and a bell that bursts with wild desire. Through his music, the trumpet child will riff on love, improvising a kingdom come and accompanied by a different drum.
As he banquets, the lost will be found, and the rich will forsake their gold while the meek and mild become strangely bold. The trumpet child will create a world where a lion lies down beside a lamb, and a murderer's outstretched hand is licked by the lion. The final aim of the trumpet child is to fill the earth with joy, the same earth that man all but destroyed. The song is a poignant commentary on the need for redemption and renewal, suggesting that music can fill this role for humanity.
Overall, The Trumpet Child is a song that celebrates the power of music to transcend boundaries and heal the world. It presents a vision of a better world and encourages listeners to believe in the transformative power of music. Through its lyrics and powerful imagery, the song calls on us to be better people and work towards a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
The trumpet child will blow his horn
The promised savior will appear and make his presence known
Will blast the sky till it?s reborn
He will bring about a total change in the way things are and create a new era
With Gabriel?s power and Satchmo?s grace
He possesses the power of the biblical angel Gabriel and the musical style of jazz musician Louis Armstrong
He will surprise the human race
He will do something unexpected and unprecedented for humanity
The trumpet he will use to blow
The instrument he will use to deliver his message
Is being fashioned out of fire
It is being made with intensity and passion
The mouthpiece is a glowing coal
The opening through which his message will be delivered is hot and intense
The bell a burst of wild desire
The announcement of his message will be passionate and intense
The trumpet child will riff on love
He will express his message through music and love
Thelonious notes from up above
He will use the musical style of jazz pianist Thelonious Monk to express his message from a higher place
He?ll improvise a kingdom come
He will use his creativity to bring about a new kingdom
Accompanied by a different drum
His message will be delivered with a unique style
The trumpet child will banquet here
He will be present and celebrated in this place
Until the lost are truly found
Until those who were lost are found and reunited
A thousand days, a thousand years
The time frame in which this will happen is uncertain
Nobody knows for sure how long
The exact time frame is unknown
The rich forget about their gold
Material possessions will no longer be important
The meek and mild are strangely bold
Those who were once perceived as weak and timid will become strong and courageous
A lion lies beside a lamb
Peaceful coexistence between unlikely parties is now possible
And licks a murderer?s outstretched hand
Even those who have committed heinous crimes can be forgiven and will be shown love
The trumpet child will lift a glass
He will raise a glass in celebration
His bride now leaning in at last
Those who have been waiting for him will finally be united with him
His final aim to fill with joy
His ultimate goal is to bring happiness to the world
The earth that man all but destroyed
The planet that has been damaged by humans will be restored to its former glory
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, BMG Rights Management, Capitol CMG Publishing
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind