Perhaps influenced by many a dark, snowy night in that winter of 2005, Ravens & Chimes dig out a catchy set of instrumentally-charged melodies that show their developed blend of unconventional sound. CMJ called Ravens & Chimes "beautiful" and "unique" evoking comparisons at times to either Wolf Parade or Voxtrot.
This group of classically trained musicians each bring unique talents to the album. Among the instruments used are the Mandolin, Glockenspiel, Harmonium and a handmade Theremin. Reichenbach Falls encompasses the raw quality of youth in a split open-heart combination of first lust, disappointment and self-doubt. Songs like ‘St. Jude in the Village' and ‘Eleventh Street' don't push the melodrama of teen angst, but lay out the band's effervescent spirit.
January
Ravens & Chimes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Outside, it's starting to snow.
It's getting late,
And I think that you'd better go."
But I'm not leaving here without your heart
And you've fallen all around me
And you'll be begging me for mercy
And I'll be kissing you deep
But you'd better let them go
'Cause there's things about me I don't think I want you to know.
And "Drink," she said,
"'Cause it always brings out your smile.
You lose your head, and I'll give you mine for a while."
Being here makes me a little nervous,
And I don't think that we should do it.
Sometimes you terrify me to my very soul, I'm shaking.
Drinking brings me back into your bedroom.
And you smell like sweat and liquor.
And when you clench your teeth that way, darling,
It makes me tired again
And "Snow," she said,
"How it is a lot like our lives.
Watch it fall in meltings. It hits our eyes.
And know that spring's a fair and fickle season
And if you just keep believing
Then I promise one day,
It will fall in all our windows.
And men in book all press all their sweet flowers,
Lay in bed for hours
And I'll teach you the full symphonies of from your petal work.
And "Love," she said,
"How everyone I gave it to,
They're all gone,
And don't let that ever be you, boy."
And I say, "Oh, how badly I want to be loved
And to hear a voice so sweetly
Say I'm not a disappointment."
She says I'm not a failure.
And oh, how badly I want to be loved
And to hear a voice so sweetly
Say I'm not a disappointment
I am not a disappointment.
The lyrics of Ravens & Chimes' "January" speak to a complicated and intense relationship between two people. The song begins with the line "And 'Snow,' she said" setting the scene of a cold winter's night. The singer is with a woman, who suggests that he should leave before it starts to snow. However, he refuses to go without her heart, and she falls around him while he kisses her deeply.
The second verse involves the woman urging the singer to drink because it makes him smile. Despite feeling nervous and scared of the woman, he drinks and finds himself back in her bedroom, where the smell of sweat and liquor lingers. She clenches her teeth, which makes him tired.
In the third verse, the woman compares the falling snow to the unpredictability of life, relaying that if one keeps believing, one will find happiness. She also speaks of how everyone she has given love to has left her and warns the singer not to follow suit.
Overall, "January" is a hauntingly beautiful song about the complexities of human relationships and the search for love and acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
And "Snow," she said.
She speaks of snow and how it's starting to snow outside.
"Outside, it's starting to snow.
She describes the weather outside as starting to snow.
It's getting late,
The time is getting late.
And I think that you'd better go."
She tells him that it's time for him to leave.
But I'm not leaving here without your heart
He doesn't want to leave without her heart.
And you've fallen all around me
She has fallen for him.
And you'll be begging me for mercy
She knows he'll be begging for her mercy.
And I'll be kissing you deep
She will be kissing him passionately.
And I don't know just where these feelings started,
She doesn't know how their feelings for each other started.
But you'd better let them go
She warns him to let go of his feelings for her.
'Cause there's things about me I don't think I want you to know."
She has secrets that she doesn't want him to know about.
And "Drink," she said,
She suggests they drink together.
"'Cause it always brings out your smile.
She knows that drinking makes him happy.
You lose your head, and I'll give you mine for a while."
She offers her help to him while he's drunk.
Being here makes me a little nervous,
She feels nervous being with him.
And I don't think that we should do it.
She doesn't think they should drink together.
Sometimes you terrify me to my very soul, I'm shaking.
He scares her and makes her feel anxious.
Drinking brings me back into your bedroom.
Drinking makes her want to be with him in his bedroom.
And you smell like sweat and liquor.
He smells like sweat and alcohol.
And when you clench your teeth that way, darling,
When he clenches his teeth it affects her.
It makes me tired again
It makes her feel tired again.
And "Snow," she said,
She mentions snow again.
"How it is a lot like our lives.
Snow is a metaphor for life.
Watch it fall in meltings. It hits our eyes.
She talks about how snow falls and hits their eyes.
And know that spring's a fair and fickle season
She tells him that spring is unpredictable.
And if you just keep believing
If he keeps believing.
Then I promise one day,
She promises him that one day.
It will fall in all our windows.
Spring will arrive for everyone.
And men in book all press all their sweet flowers,
She talks about men pressing flowers.
Lay in bed for hours
Men lay in bed for hours.
And I'll teach you the full symphonies of from your petal work.
She will teach him the full symphonies of flower pressing.
And "Love," she said,
She talks about love.
"How everyone I gave it to,
She reflects on giving love to people.
They're all gone,
They have all disappeared from her life.
And don't let that ever be you, boy."
She warns him not to leave her like the others.
And I say, "Oh, how badly I want to be loved
He expresses how much he wants to be loved.
And to hear a voice so sweetly
He wants to hear a sweet voice.
Say I'm not a disappointment."
He wants to be told that he is not a disappointment.
She says I'm not a failure.
She reassures him that he is not a failure.
And oh, how badly I want to be loved
He reiterates how much he wants to be loved.
And to hear a voice so sweetly
He wants to hear a sweet voice once again.
Say I'm not a disappointment
He wants to be told he is not a disappointment.
I am not a disappointment.
He reminds himself that he is not a disappointment.
Contributed by Cooper G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.