Richard Buckner is an American singer songwriter born in California, reside… Read Full Bio ↴Richard Buckner is an American singer songwriter born in California, resident in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for a number of years, and currently living in Brooklyn, NY. A critically-acclaimed artist most often associated with the Alternative Country movement, Buckner has in recent albums eschewed his initial acoustic approach and displayed an increasing interest in more abstract music styles.

Buckner began his career with the acoustic "Bloomed" (1994), a lyrically dense suite of songs recorded in Lubbock, Texas and heavily influenced by that state's tradition of whisky-soaked poet/troubadors, probably best embodied by Townes Van Zandt. In 1996, he released the major label "Devotion & Doubt," with members of Giant Sand backing him, displaying a more adventurous, almost avante garde approach to songwriting and arranging.

Since then, he has returned to recording for smaller labels, to continued critical acclaim and cult status. His 2000 album The Hill - his first for Chicago-based indie label Overcoat Recordings - features poems from Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology (1915), which Buckner set to music. The album plays as a single track, nearly thirty-five minutes long. He returned in 2002, first with the "teaser" EP Impasse-ette, then a full-length entitled Impasse one month later. In early 2003, his self-released, self-titled album was reissued by Overcoat, and was his final release for the label. In 2004, an edited version of Richard Buckner's song Ariel Ramirez, from the album Since (1998) was featured in one of the television ads for Volkswagen's Touareg.

He is currently aligned with North Carolina-based indie label Merge Records, who have released four of his albums so far: 2004's Dents and Shells, 2006's Meadow, 2011's Our Blood, and 2013's Surrounded, as well as the 7-inch single Willow (b/w Lost). He also recorded an album with Jon Langford (most notably of The Mekons) called Sir Dark Invader vs. The Fanglord (2005) for Buried Treasure Records.

Before
Richard Buckner Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Man, I was high, stepping out on goodbyes unspoken, And,
Once in a while, I'd stumble out into the open. True, I
Wasn't all I thought I'd be given
Some of the timing and none of it showing, torn from the
Blinds, All I thought, was 'How can I find it?'. Small

Stops and fills have led to such a take-down and (mention
Close enough to shine) far and few were

Burned at the pouring, but, just can't forget it back

Where it's cone from. and never intended, a meadow rise
To spend all of your time with.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Richard Buckner's song "Before" appear to be a reflection on a past period in the singer's life, perhaps during a time when he was struggling with addiction. The opening line "Man, I was high" is a clear indication of this, and the subsequent lines suggest feelings of regret and loss, particularly around relationships that were left unspoken or unfulfilled. The line "Once in a while, I'd stumble out into the open" suggests a sense of vulnerability or exposure that the singer experienced during this time.

The phrase "All I thought, was 'How can I find it?'" seems to speak to a sense of searching or longing for something that was not attainable, while the lines "Small stops and fills have led to such a take-down" and "Burned at the pouring" convey a feeling of being overwhelmed or defeated. However, the lines also hint at a sense of resilience or determination, as the singer insists that he "just can't forget it back where it's come from" and mentions "a meadow rise to spend all your time with."

Overall, the lyrics of "Before" are somewhat cryptic and open to interpretation, but they convey a sense of introspection and self-reflection, as well as a recognition of the impact that past choices and experiences can have on one's present and future.

Line by Line Meaning

Man, I was high, stepping out on goodbyes unspoken, And,
I was in a state of intoxication, leaving without saying goodbye to people.

Once in a while, I'd stumble out into the open. True, I
Occasionally, I would leave my hiding place, which was true.

Wasn't all I thought I'd be given Some of the timing and none of it showing, torn from the Blinds, All I thought, was 'How can I find it?'.
Reality was different from my expectations, some things happened too early and some never happened. I was confused and had no idea where to find what I was looking for.

Small Stops and fills have led to such a take-down and (mention Close enough to shine) far and few were
Small obstacles and incomplete actions have led to my downfall. Only a few were close enough to see my potential shine.

Burned at the pouring, but, just can't forget it back Where it's cone from.
I was hurt by the outpouring of emotions, but I cannot forget where I come from.

and never intended, a meadow rise To spend all of your time with.
Unexpectedly, a beautiful opportunity arose to spend time in a peaceful and idyllic place.

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Richard Carl Buckner

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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