Reb Fountain (born in San Francisco) is an American-born singer-songwriter … Read Full Bio ↴Reb Fountain (born in San Francisco) is an American-born singer-songwriter who immigrated with her family to Lyttelton, New Zealand. She has also recorded as Reb Fountain & The Bandits.

Her debut album, "Like Water", was released in 2006. Her subsequent albums, "Holster" (2008) and "Little Arrows" (2017) were via her own label.

Her albums "Reb Fountain" (2020) and "Iris" (2021) were released (on vinyl and CD) via Flying Nun.

Her album "Reb Fountain" won the 2021 Taite Music Prize and was nominated for five New Zealand Music Awards; Album of the Year, Best Alternative, Best Solo Artist, Best Album Artwork and Best Engineer. She was shortlisted for the Silver Scroll Award for her song ‘Don’t You Know Who I Am’.

When Gods Lie
Reb Fountain Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lean a little closer in the light of dancing bars it's hard to hear
You pour me one too many
I cup my hands
Not once but twice I promised what I did not have

Acting messed up when you held my head up
Touch me like there's nothing else
We're getting older now there's still time left

You used to say we were tied up tied up tight
You used to say we were tied up tied up tight

When Gods Lie

All of them stars were rocks I couldn't get off so I just rolled down
Bought my ticket for the last train and you were there
In the tunnels I close my eyes
You're all mine and I'm not scared

Acting messed up when you held my head up
Touch me like there's nothing else
We're getting older now there's no time

When Gods Lie

Overall Meaning

In "When Gods Lie", Reb Fountain sings about broken promises, love, and uncertainty. The song is a reflection of a love affair that could not last, yet both partners were too scared to let go of each other. The lyrics "Lean a little closer in the light of dancing bars it's hard to hear/ You pour me one too many/ I cup my hands/ Not once but twice I promised what I did not have" indicate that the singer is struggling with communication in the relationship, often seeking refuge in drink and making promises she cannot keep.

She goes on to describe memories of the relationship, the ups and downs, and the way they used to be tied up tightly. The line "When Gods Lie" could mean that their love was so strong that it felt like it was ordained by the gods. However, in the end, the relationship failed, and they could not make it work.

The lyrics hint at regret, lost love, and a sense of longing. The imagery used in "All of them stars were rocks I couldn't get off so I just rolled down/ Bought my ticket for the last train and you were there" indicates that both lovers were stuck in the relationship, unable to move on. However, even though the love story may have ended, they are still holding onto each other through the memories.

Overall, "When Gods Lie" is a deeply emotional and powerful song that deals with the complexity of relationships and how the passage of time affects them. Reb Fountain's lyrics are beautifully written and bring out the emotions felt by the singer in a way that is both raw and honest.

Line by Line Meaning

Lean a little closer in the light of dancing bars it's hard to hear
It's difficult to hear in this noisy bar, so come closer to me in the light so we can have a real conversation.

You pour me one too many
You gave me too many drinks, and now I may be too drunk to make good decisions.

I cup my hands
I am trying to hold my drink steady so I don't spill it or lose any more control than I already have.

Not once but twice I promised what I did not have
I lied to you, not just once but twice, by telling you that I had things I didn't really possess.

Acting messed up when you held my head up
When you held my head up, it seemed like I was not acting like my normal self, as if I was under some kind of influence.

Touch me like there's nothing else
Your touch feels like everything else fades away and there is only us in this moment.

We're getting older now there's still time left
Despite the fact that we are growing old, there is still time for us to do something meaningful with our lives.

You used to say we were tied up tied up tight
You used to tell me that we were together and committed, and that nothing could come between us.

When Gods Lie
This is the title of the song and could be interpreted in a number of ways, such as questioning the trustworthiness of those in power.

All of them stars were rocks I couldn't get off so I just rolled down
All of the things that seemed so important and shiny to me were actually obstacles that I could not overcome, so I just gave up and went with the flow.

Bought my ticket for the last train and you were there
I made a final decision and you were a part of it, whether for better or for worse, and now we are both committed to this path.

In the tunnels I close my eyes
In this dark and scary place, I have to close my eyes to protect myself and feel safe.

You're all mine and I'm not scared
I feel safe and protected when I am with you, even in this scary and uncertain place.

We're getting older now there's no time
We are running out of time to do the things that we have always wanted to do or the things we need to do, so we must act fast and not waste any more time.

Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Reb Fountain

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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