One hails from St. Louis, has a band, and has been quietly and steadily building a fervent following across the country, stepping outside his role as one of Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefers to front his own band, The Peter Mayer Group. Melding a unique and eclectic writing style, a distinctive voice, and virtuoso musicianship, Peter and his band create compelling and accessible music that is electrifying in live performance.
The other is a folk singer and hails from Stillwater, MN. This Peter writes songs for a small planet—songs about interconnectedness and the human journey; about the beauty and the mystery of the world. Whimsical, humorous, and profound, his music breaks the boundaries of "folk" and transcends to a realm beyond the everyday love song, to a place of wonder at the very heart of life itself.
This second Peter began playing the guitar and writing songs when he was in high school. He studied theology and music in college and then spent two years in seminary. After deciding that the priesthood wasn't for him, he took a part-time job as a church music director for eight years, while performing at clubs and colleges and writing and recording his music. In 1995, he quit his job and started touring full-time. Since then, Peter has gradually gained a dedicated, word-of-mouth following, selling out shows from Minnesota to Texas, New England to California. He has eight CDs to his credit, and has sold over 50,000 of them independently.
The Dark
Peter Mayer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In his tell tale heart
It s the finest time to strike
Said Napolean Bonaparte
Inmates make their break into it
Cavemen make their art
Spy planes fly and spelunkers hunker
Batman catches criminals in the dark of night
Saving Gotham City from evil designs
Darkness, lovers love in and
Dreamers tend to like
And if you think you re neither one
Well, in the dark, that s just what
You might become
Some celestial bodies like to
Strut their stuff alot
But we know Mr. Black Hole is the
Big boy on the block
King Tut looked pretty comfy
In that old dark tomb
What s good for an Egyptian mummy
Might be right for you
What s the fun relying on something you can see?
That s just so passe when you run toward the light
Why not make a dangerous tryst with mystery?
It s a downright frightening hole
Watch your head
Down you go
Larry lost his inhibitions
Sally felt a spark
Jacob saw a mystic vision
Somewhere in the dark
Black cats eke out a descent living
Monsters make it far
You might find what you ve been missing
Somewhere in
The Dark
The song "The Dark" by Peter Mayer is an exploration of the multifaceted nature of darkness. The lyrics delve into the numerous ways different people and creatures have forged a relationship with the dark. Beginning with the reference to Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," the lyrics suggest the dark is the "finest time to strike," as Napoleon Bonaparte once said. In the context of the song, the reference is metaphorical as it speaks to the idea that personal growth often requires a willingness to explore the unknown and take risks that lead to the achievement of one's goals.
The song touches on the idea that the dark can be both a source of danger and comfort. The line "Batman catches criminals in the dark of night / Saving Gotham City from evil designs" implies that despite its potential danger, the dark can offer an opportunity to do good. The lyrics also suggest that darkness can be a romantic, even mystical, space where lovers and dreamers find solace. The last verse turns to the idea of the dark as a source of transformation. The lyrics suggest that one can become a lover, a dreamer or something altogether new in the darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Edgar Allen Poe had it
Edgar Allen Poe understood and wrote about the concept of darkness
In his tell tale heart
Poe's story 'The Tell-Tale Heart' illustrates the power of darkness
It s the finest time to strike
According to Napoleon Bonaparte, darkness provides the best opportunity to attack
Said Napolean Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte believed in the strategic advantages of darkness
Inmates make their break into it
Prisoners often try to escape under the cover of darkness
Cavemen make their art
Early humans created art even before mastering the use of light
Spy planes fly and spelunkers hunker
Even when technology lets us see in the dark, people still explore it up close
Somewhere in the dark
Darkness offers the unknown and mysterious
Batman catches criminals in the dark of night
Batman fights crime where culprits hide in the shadows
Saving Gotham City from evil designs
Batman's vigilance helps protect his city from bad intentions
Darkness, lovers love in and
Darkness makes for a romantic atmosphere where love can bloom
Dreamers tend to like
People with an active imagination find darkness inspiring
And if you think you re neither one
Even those who don't consider themselves dreamers or lovers may be affected by darkness
Well, in the dark, that s just what
In darkness, people may discover they have hidden sides to their personality
You might become
People's behavior and personality can change depending on their environment
Some celestial bodies like to
Some astronomical objects shine or emit light more than others
Strut their stuff alot
Bright stars and planets often grab our attention
But we know Mr. Black Hole is the
Despite not being visible, black holes have greater mass and gravity than other objects
Big boy on the block
Black holes are the most influential and powerful objects in their surroundings
King Tut looked pretty comfy
Egyptian pharaohs were buried with treasures and provisions to ensure their comfort in the afterlife
In that old dark tomb
Tombs were often decorated with scenes and hieroglyphics depicting the deceased's journey through the underworld
What s good for an Egyptian mummy
Mummies were preserved in darkness to prevent decomposition
Might be right for you
What worked in the past could still be useful or relevant today
What s the fun relying on something you can see?
It's more exciting to embrace the unknown than to rest on what's easily observable
That s just so passe when you run toward the light
Moving away from the darkness and into the light can be conventional, boring, or predictable
Why not make a dangerous tryst with mystery?
Exploring mysteries can be thrilling and rewarding even when it's not entirely safe
It s a downright frightening hole
The unknown presents risks and can be terrifying
Watch your head
Caution and awareness are necessary when exploring unfamiliar spaces
Down you go
Exploration demands taking risks and stepping into the unknown
Larry lost his inhibitions
Darkness can lower people's emotional barriers and free them from their inhibitions
Sally felt a spark
Darkness can spark people's creativity or passion
Jacob saw a mystic vision
Darkness can stimulate people's spiritual, intuitive, or magical sensibilities
Black cats eke out a descent living
Darkness can provide shelter, hunting grounds, or camouflage for nocturnal animals
Monsters make it far
Dark creatures or tales can feed our imagination or fears
You might find what you ve been missing
Exploring the unknown can reveal things people didn't know they needed or wanted
Somewhere in the dark
The unknown and mysterious can be found in darkness
Contributed by Savannah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.