Before recording under the name Phosphorescent, Houck traveled the world playing under the moniker Fillup Shack and, in 2000, self-released a limited pressing of the album "Hipolit". In 2001 Houck changed his recording name to Phosphorescent, and, in 2003, released the full-length album "A Hundred Times or More". Interestingly, in the liner notes of the album, Fillup Shack is credited with the drum recordings. The following year, he released the EP "The Weight of Flight".
Phosphorescent rose to wider critical acclaim after releasing "Aw Come Aw Wry" in August 2005 and "Pride" in October 2007. The latter was named the 12th best album of 2007 by Stylus Magazine and received a 8.0 rating from indie website Pitchfork Media. In 2009, inspired by Willie Nelson's tribute album to Lefty Frizzell entitled "To Lefty From Willie", Houck crafted a tribute album to Nelson himself entitled "To Willie" which was released through Dead Oceans. Phosphorescent released "Here's to Taking It Easy" in 2010 and "Muchacho" in 2013.
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The Waves At Night
Phosphorescent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And where will we finally
Trade our teeth for rays for wheat
To lay and sleep underneath
O love too eager to cross
O love we meet and you pause
O love too eager to cross
The crazy streets, amazing grief
The taste of sweet offerings
The blazing heat, the naked beasts
Great barrier reefs, all for thee
O love too eager to cross
O love we meet and you pause
O love too eager to cross
You see what you've lost?
The waves at night all brave and bright
The dance hall lights, o all your life
To lay and weep, to trade our teeth
To aim and achieve grace and peace
In "The Waves At Night" by Phosphorescent, the vocalist contemplates the two opposing impulses of love and the desire for a peaceful existence. The song begins with the question of where the singers are in life, where they are headed, and where they will ultimately rest. They muse over what they are willing to exchange for this rest, "Trade our teeth for rays for wheat," implying that they are willing to give up much of their character and what they have worked for in exchange for contentment in life.
The melody then shifts towards the singer's thoughts on love. The lyrics describe the force of love and how it can pause when it encounters obstacles. The singer acknowledges their impatience in love's journey, seeing that their eagerness may lead to overlooking what is lost along the way. The final part of the song touches on the singers' conception of their ultimate goal in life. They describe their vision of a peaceful existence, as seen in the "waves at night" and the longing to dance hall lights. They are willing to trade their teeth, or themselves, to achieve grace and peace.
Overall, the song captures the duality in human emotions and the struggle to find a balance between love and the desire for a peaceful existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Where are we and where do we
Questioning the current location and future destination
And where will we finally
Questioning eventual end point
Trade our teeth for rays for wheat
Swapping material possessions for simpler living
To lay and sleep underneath
To rest with the ease of a modest existence
O love too eager to cross
Commenting on a passion to move too quickly
O love we meet and you pause
Observing how love affairs don't always align
You see what you've lost?
Reflecting on regret over missed opportunities
The crazy streets, amazing grief
Speaking of intense city life and the accompanying pain
The taste of sweet offerings
Enjoying moments of pleasure in the midst of hard times
The blazing heat, the naked beasts
Referencing both the literal environment and human desires
Great barrier reefs, all for thee
Suggesting all is given up for the sake of someone else
The waves at night all brave and bright
Finding solace in nature and the beauty around us
The dance hall lights, o all your life
The lights and glamour of social settings passing by
To lay and weep, to trade our teeth
To accept difficulties and struggle for a simpler life
To aim and achieve grace and peace
To work towards serenity
Contributed by Anthony F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
m a i k a l a r o c h e l l e
Where are we, and where do we
And where will we finally
Trade our teeth for rays for wheat
To lay and sleep underneath
[Chorus]
Oh love, too eager to cross
Oh love, we meet and you pause
Oh love, too eager to cross
You see what you've lost?
The crazy streets, amazing grief
The taste of sweet offerings
The blazing heat, the naked beasts
Great barrier reefs, all for thee
[Chorus]
The waves at night, all brave and bright
The dance hall lights, all your life
To lay and weep, to trade our teeth
To aim and achieve grace and peace
M E
It always amazes me that there is still soooo much great music out there that I dont know and I still have something great to discover ...
m a i k a l a r o c h e l l e
Where are we, and where do we
And where will we finally
Trade our teeth for rays for wheat
To lay and sleep underneath
[Chorus]
Oh love, too eager to cross
Oh love, we meet and you pause
Oh love, too eager to cross
You see what you've lost?
The crazy streets, amazing grief
The taste of sweet offerings
The blazing heat, the naked beasts
Great barrier reefs, all for thee
[Chorus]
The waves at night, all brave and bright
The dance hall lights, all your life
To lay and weep, to trade our teeth
To aim and achieve grace and peace
Bill Carr
One of my favorite contemporary groups.......and I'm 71 y/o. Great music is timeless !
Irene Sanchez
I love this song. It was in my head for over 48 hours and I didn't know the name. I searched until I found it!! YAY!!
CarlosGoldstein
Soporific melancholy that plays to the late night vibe. Great stuff. I've been there, and this song spoke to that.
MegaSnippezz
This album is a fucking masterpiece and this song is genuinely one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. It's a 10 from me.
idoia aranbarri etxaburu
Amazing voices. Amazing song.
wheelofsun
it always hits me..
The wannabe
This song deserves many more views.
Zoonseok Park Music
Amazing ❤️