His music is often placed (perhaps inappropriately) under the genre of "alternative country". Oldham was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He briefly attended Brown University, and now calls Baltimore, Maryland home.
More Brother Rides
Palace Music Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They, about them, have time's things hanging;
We are around near the railroad track
Checking out the thundering.
Names you call could have been ours
To call and live among them;
Friends come by and spend some hours
And then back down to working...
At night, things come and half a life,
Not so silly walking,
All different clothes in the half light
And a halting way of talking.
There really was one way to be,
Yet this is not it, we think,
To be such younger folk as we
Not levelled as we drink
We're busted up, so ragged down
And kissing and subsisting;
Our eyes glint wild and roll around
And the dog, he whines insisting,
He asks that we allow the sex
To make us unrecognizable;
That we allow slow violence
To prove us rebaptizable
Palace Music's song "More Brother Rides" depicts a group of friends who are spending time together near the railroad track, watching the stars and feeling the thundering of the train. The lyrics convey a sense of nostalgia for a time when life was simpler and the future was full of promise. The idea of names that could have been theirs adds to a sense of what if-ism.
The song then shifts to the evening, and the lyrics show a stark contrast. In the dark, the characters are no longer silly, and they are not dressed in the same clothes they were wearing earlier. The halting way of talking suggests a feeling of uncertainty or anxiety. The lyrics suggest that there was a way to live life that they thought they knew when they were younger, but now they are not so sure. They are struggling, barely surviving, and just getting by.
The lyrics in the third verse are particularly powerful, as they depict the group as being "busted up, so ragged down." They are barely getting by, and their eyes are wild with a sense of desperation. The dog's whining is a reminder that they are not alone, and its insistence that they embrace their desires is a call to action. The lyrics suggest that they need to allow themselves to be reborn through slow violence and unrecognizable sex so they can find some form of redemption.
Overall, "More Brother Rides" is a powerful song that captures a sense of loss and longing for a simpler time. It speaks to the human experience of struggling to survive and the need to find a way to be reborn through our desires and our relationship with the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
Mention of the stars reduce us back,
The thought of the vastness of the universe makes us feel insignificant
They, about them, have time's things hanging;
The celestial bodies in space have been around for eons and give us a sense of time and history.
We are around near the railroad track
We are in a mundane and unremarkable place, near a train track.
Checking out the thundering.
We are listening to the loud sound of the train and for a moment, feel alive.
Names you call could have been ours
We could have had different names and lived different lives.
To call and live among them;
We could have been a part of other people's lives and communities.
Friends come by and spend some hours
We have temporary companionship.
And then back down to working...
But eventually, everyone goes back to their daily routine.
At night, things come and half a life,
In the darkness of night, we are more introspective and contemplative.
Not so silly walking,
Our movements are more deliberate and measured.
All different clothes in the half light
In the dim light, our clothes and appearance seem transformed or unfamiliar.
And a halting way of talking.
We are hesitant and uncertain about what to say.
There really was one way to be,
There is a certain expectation or societal standard for how we should act and behave.
Yet this is not it, we think,
We feel like we don't fit in with the norm.
To be such younger folk as we
We desire to be young and carefree again.
Not levelled as we drink
We don't want to be brought down or dulled by alcohol.
We're busted up, so ragged down
We are tired and worn out.
And kissing and subsisting;
Our only source of pleasure and energy is through physical intimacy.
Our eyes glint wild and roll around
Our eyes are unfocused and we are restless.
And the dog, he whines insisting,
Even the dog senses our restlessness and unease.
He asks that we allow the sex
We are so desperate for pleasure that even the dog's presence is not a deterrent.
To make us unrecognizable;
We want to lose ourselves in the physical act.
That we allow slow violence
We even contemplate engaging in harmful acts, as long as it provides us with some form of release.
To prove us rebaptizable
We hope that the physical and emotional release will somehow 'cleanse' us, or give us a sense of renewal.
Contributed by James R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@swizzili1140
Tonight the stars reduce us back
They, about them, have time's things hanging;
We are around near the railroad track
Checking out the thundering
Names you call could have been ours
To call and live among them;
Friends come by and spend some hours
And then back down to working...
At night, things come and half a life
Not so silly walking
All different clothes in the half light
And a halting way of talking
There really was one way to be
Yet this is not it, we think
To be such younger folk as we
Not levelled as we drink
We're busted up, so ragged down
And kissing and subsisting;
Our eyes glint wild and roll around
And the dog, he whines insisting
He asks that we allow the sex
To make us unrecognizable;
That we allow slow violence
To prove us rebaptizable
@swizzili1140
Tonight the stars reduce us back
They, about them, have time's things hanging;
We are around near the railroad track
Checking out the thundering
Names you call could have been ours
To call and live among them;
Friends come by and spend some hours
And then back down to working...
At night, things come and half a life
Not so silly walking
All different clothes in the half light
And a halting way of talking
There really was one way to be
Yet this is not it, we think
To be such younger folk as we
Not levelled as we drink
We're busted up, so ragged down
And kissing and subsisting;
Our eyes glint wild and roll around
And the dog, he whines insisting
He asks that we allow the sex
To make us unrecognizable;
That we allow slow violence
To prove us rebaptizable
@park7854
extremely good. love the raw vocals
@cornholio812
This and the VIVA LAST BLUES album to me seem to have been the pinnacle of Will’s creativity; nothing he has done since has had this level of resonance with me. I wish it were otherwise....
@mossymoose8920
I see a darkness>>>>>
@fernandacarrizo1920
que buen tema,🐅🐯
@excelsior1503
Awesome.
@avefiggy2128
😍
@IguanaMassacre
When the lights go out
@MrQuenimido
Son of dylan and .... neil young !!! Lol
@jamesdoctor8079
Weird wah slide sounds like the state of Arkansas to me