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.
Once
Richard Buckner Lyrics
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I lapped up to the bay bar and I saw her bobbing like a wave and I slowed down.
Just six months this summer since I've known her that she's been away.
And sometimes I still answer to the gone ghosts that only suckers make.
Slow down and hold on. Hold on.
Even my heroes are almost gone, almost folding from the flame,
I dreamed of a couple dancing close and drunk in the spary of lights they made.
And once I was dug up, I was sinking, but now I'm longing to be saved.
The song "Once" by Richard Buckner is a melancholic reflection on longing for salvation and the struggles of life. The opening lines depict a sense of desperation and a desire for rescue, as the singer talks about being "dug up" and "sinking". The words "longing to be saved" suggest that the singer is going through a tough period of his life and needs help to get through it.
The next lines talk about seeing someone who could perhaps be the source of salvation, represented by a woman "bobbing like a wave". The singer slows down, indicating a momentary pause in his life, perhaps as he contemplates the possibilities of being rescued or finds solace in the sight of the woman.
The following lines describe the singer's personal struggles and how he deals with them, with references to "gone ghosts" and "heroes" who are "almost gone". These words paint a picture of a person who is grappling with his demons and wondering if he will be able to survive the ordeal. The reference to "how low can your fuse glow" suggests that the singer is aware of his vulnerability and is worried that his strength may not be enough to get him through tough times.
The final lines are a somewhat ambiguous but poignant reflection on the power of dreams and the hope they bring. The image of a couple dancing "close and drunk" in the "spray of lights" is a symbol of happiness and freedom, something that the singer clearly desires. The fact that he was once "sinking" but is now "longing to be saved" suggests that he is in a state of transition, moving towards a more hopeful future.
Line by Line Meaning
Once, I was dug up, I was sinking, I was longing to be saved.
I was in a difficult place and desperately wanted to be rescued.
I lapped up to the bay bar and I saw her bobbing like a wave and I slowed down.
I saw her in the distance and was drawn to her, making me pause and become more cautious.
Just six months this summer since I've known her that she's been away.
I've only known her for a short time this summer, but she's been absent for a while.
And sometimes I still answer to the gone ghosts that only suckers make.
I still have moments where I dwell on past mistakes, even though it's not productive.
Slow down and hold on. Hold on.
Take a moment to pause and be patient, but also persevere and hold on.
Even my heroes are almost gone, almost folding from the flame,
Even those I look up to are barely surviving, struggling from the intensity of their own passions.
But how low can your fuse glow and warm you until your torch begins to fade?
How long can you keep pushing yourself until you burn out and start to lose your spark?
I dreamed of a couple dancing close and drunk in the spary of lights they made.
I had a vivid dream of a couple deeply in love and lost in the magic of their surroundings.
And once I was dug up, I was sinking, but now I'm longing to be saved.
I was struggling before, but now I'm hoping for a way out of my current situation.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Richard Carl Buckner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Zizi Howell
"I dreamed of a couple dancing close and drunk, and the spray of lights they made"....makes me think of an old car dragging a muffler!