Paper Bird (Denver, Colorado) consists of: Sarah Anderson (vocals, cornet/trumpet), Esme Patterson (vocals), Genevieve Patterson (vocals), Tyler Archuletta (trombone), Caleb Summeril (banjo and harmonica), Paul Dehaven (guitar), Mark Anderson (percussion, typewriter) and Macon Terry (bass). The band's first album Anything Nameless and Joymaking is an eclectic mix of folk, Americana, jazz, and everything good in the world. Their latest (and fourth) release is Rooms (2013); difficult to pin, one might now describe them as Indie Folk/Baroque Pop.
Anna Kohlweis was born in 1984 and lives in Vienna, Austria. She has been making music under that name since 2005. Her debut album Peninsula was released on Vienna-based label Seayou Records in early 2006. Two years later, in February 2008, Seayou released the the follow-up Cryptozoology, highly acclaimed by the music press for its intimate approach and complex lyrics. Her third album Thaumatrope, building choirs out of multiple vocal layers and using field recordings as complex rhythms, was released in November, 2009. Paper Bird is a purely one-woman-band working within her self-set concepts, see her latest work under Squalloscope.
Dear Friend
Paper Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's been more than eight years since I've seen your grave
You still visit me in my dreams as I sleep
It means more than words to be with you in that world
Doo doo doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo, doo
La-la. la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
La-la. la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
La-la. la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
Doo doo doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo, doo
Dear friend you are here, everywhere, oh so near
It's been every day, in my thoughts, you have stayed
Truth be told it loud, as you teach from above
Carry on this way, in my heart, all my days
La-da, la-da-da, la-da-da, la-da-da
La-da, la-da-da, la-da-da, la-da-da
La-da, la-da-da, la-da-da, la-da-da
La-da, la-da-da, la-da-da, la-da-da
The lyrics of Paper Bird's "Dear Friend" depict the singer's mournful longing for a departed friend. The first verse conveys the sense of loss that the friend's death has caused, as they reflect on how it has been over eight years since they have seen the friend's grave. Despite this, the friend still haunts their dreams and being able to visit them in that way is a source of comfort. The use of the phrase "down below and beyond" suggests a spiritual connection with the friend that transcends physical death.
The second verse seems to shift the focus from the loss to the continued presence of the friend. The singer states that the friend is "everywhere, oh so near," implying that their spirit lives on. They are with the singer in their thoughts every day and the singer feels that they are still being taught by the departed friend. The song ends with a repetition of the phrase "in my heart, all my days" as if to emphasize the permanence of the friend's impact on their life.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear friend, you have gone, down below and beyond
My friend, you have passed away and gone to a realm that's beyond our world
It's been more than eight years since I've seen your grave
It's been eight long years since I last visited your final resting place
You still visit me in my dreams as I sleep
Despite your physical absence, I see you in my dreams when I'm asleep
It means more than words to be with you in that world
Being able to spend time with you in my dreams is a deeply meaningful experience that cannot be put into words
Dear friend you are here, everywhere, oh so near
My friend, even though you're gone, I feel your presence everywhere and it feels like you're still near me
It's been every day, in my thoughts, you have stayed
You've been on my mind every single day and you continue to stay there
Truth be told it loud, as you teach from above
I can hear your voice guiding me from above and I know your teachings are true
Carry on this way, in my heart, all my days
I will always keep you in my heart and carry on with life with your memory as my guiding light
Contributed by Grayson M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nick Allen
Paper bird!
Shane Jenkins
y'all seem to have to much fun!
yawnwarrior
Plow came through, 2023
explodedlad
Real cool music video... where is the bangin honies, fat stacks of cash, and copious amounts of cocaine use?