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.
Within Without
Over the Rhine Lyrics
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That you feel so free to steal
My excess baggage
Full of darkness and despair
While I fumble with my locks
You're content to stand and knock
Yet I know your knack for theivery is rare
Do you know they call it arson
In my heart for sure and maybe elsewhere too
Though your lack of inhibition
Captures my imagination
I end up a wiser person thanks to you
It's coming to fruition
The sympathetic vibration
Your train is at my station
Within without
Then there is your flare for murder
There's a dagger in the border
Of your cloak and I suspect a captain's gun
As you put to death suspicions
Kindly kill my fears as well
Exorcise and slay the demons one by one
Though I'm usually pacifistic
You are mercifully sadistic
And I didn't know that murder could be good
But the roses came crimson
Springing from the prison
Of the floorboards where there once were stains of blood
It's coming to fruition
The sympathetic vibration
Your train is at my station
Within without
It's calming my suspicion
With soothing intuition
Your train is at my station
Within without
Within without
Within without
Within without
The lyrics of "Within Without" by Over the Rhine are quite cryptic and open to interpretation. The song seems to speak of a mysterious figure who steals the singer's "excess baggage" and sets fires in their heart. The figure has a "knack for thievery," yet also seems to exorcise the singer's demons and calm their suspicions.
The first verse suggests that the singer is closed off from this figure, as they "cannot see" them. The theft of their "excess baggage" could refer to the freeing of emotional baggage or negative thoughts that the figure liberates the singer from. The second verse mentions the figure's "flare for murder," but instead of harming the singer, they "kindly kill" their fears and anxieties.
The chorus speaks of a "sympathetic vibration" and a "train" that has arrived "within without." This image of a train arriving within oneself could represent a journey towards self-discovery or acceptance. The repetition of "within without" emphasizes the mysterious and inward nature of this journey.
Overall, "Within Without" seems to be a song about the sometimes scary and unsettling process of exploring one's own psyche. The figure that represents this process may be dark and dangerous, but ultimately helps the singer become a "wiser person."
Line by Line Meaning
Is it because I cannot see you
Are you taking advantage of my lack of ability to see you?
That you feel so free to steal
Are you comfortable stealing from me?
My excess baggage
The heavy emotional weight that I carry
Full of darkness and despair
Comprising of negative thoughts and feelings
While I fumble with my locks
As I try to protect myself from you
You're content to stand and knock
You appear to be waiting patiently for me to open up to you
Yet I know your knack for thievery is rare
But I understand that your tendency to steal from me is not common
Do you know they call it arson
Are you familiar with the term 'arson'?
Setting fires without permissions
Starting chaos without permission
In my heart for sure and maybe elsewhere too
Maybe setting off chaos inside me, and other places I'm not aware of
Though your lack of inhibition
You seem to act freely without any restrictions
Captures my imagination
But I'm fascinated by it nonetheless
I end up wiser thanks to you
I learn valuable lessons because of my experience with you
It's coming to fruition
It's becoming a reality
The sympathetic vibration
The harmonious influence
Your train is at my station
You have arrived at my destination
Within without
Internally and externally
Then there is your flare for murder
You have a tendency towards violence
There's a dagger in the border
A sharp weapon exists around you
Of your cloak and I suspect a captain's gun
And I suspect a more powerful weapon is also within your reach
As you put to death suspicions
You have a way of killing doubts
Kindly kill my fears as well
Please help me get rid of my fears too
Exorcise and slay the demons one by one
Defeat my inner demons one by one
Though I'm usually pacifistic
Although I'm usually against violence
You are mercifully sadistic
You are strangely kind in your cruelty
And I didn't know that murder could be good
I never thought violence could solve problems
But the roses came crimson
But something good emerged from this unpleasant situation
Springing from the prison
Blooming out of the darkness
Of the floorboards where there once were stains of blood
From the place where there was once bloodshed
It's coming to fruition
It's becoming a reality
The sympathetic vibration
The harmonious influence
Your train is at my station
You have arrived at my destination
Within without
Internally and externally
It's calming my suspicion
It's reducing my doubts
With soothing intuition
With a comforting sense of knowing
Within without
Internally and externally
Within without
Internally and externally
Within without
Internally and externally
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KARIN BERGQUIST, LINFORD DETWEILER, RIC HORDINSKI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
drummike77
Awesome track; one of many great tunes by the original Over the Rhine quartet.
Speranza Tikvah
Takes me back to high school, in the nineties.....raw and beautiful