In 2012 he was in residence at The MacDowell Colony. His work has been featured in No Depression, Pitchfork, The FADER, Paste, and WFMU, among others.
http://www.sammoss.net
http://sammoss.bandcamp.com
Slow
Sam Moss Lyrics
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I don’t belong in this room today
I belong a few state lines away
The windows are wide, the view is fine
Yeah I can’t do nothing but slow the time
Birds fade into the grass
Where are you besides my mind?
Oh I can’t do nothing but slow the time
Look at the stars, don’t know a thing
I made up a map of the shit I think
Astronomy of the idiot kind
Oh I can’t do nothing but slow the time
Flew on a drift of the morning breeze
Think I was trying to catch
A ride home for free
When the way I feel feels like a crime
And I can’t do nothing but slow the time
A few weeks on where will we be?
How can I make the best history?
I wrote you a letter but on every line
Was "I can’t do nothing but slow the time"
In Sam Moss's song "Slow," the lyrics evoke a sense of displacement and longing for something different, a desire to be somewhere else. The singer expresses a feeling of not belonging in their current surroundings and yearns to be a few state lines away. This sense of restlessness is conveyed through the line "The windows are wide, the view is fine, Yeah I can’t do nothing but slow the time." Here, the singer is acknowledging the passing of time but feels powerless to change or escape their current situation.
The imagery of birds fading into the grass and the mountain shifting like an hourglass further emphasizes the singer's desire to slow down time and escape their thoughts. The line "Where are you besides my mind?" suggests that the object of the singer's thoughts is not physically present, highlighting their longing for connection or companionship. The singer finds solace and distraction in observing the stars but admits that they don't understand much about them. The lyrics "Look at the stars, don’t know a thing, I made up a map of the shit I think, Astronomy of the idiot kind" point to a self-awareness of their own limited understanding and a tendency to create their own narratives.
The final verse introduces a sense of transience and uncertainty. The singer mentions flying on the morning breeze, trying to catch a free ride home, which could symbolize a longing for a familiar place or a sense of stability. The lyrics "When the way I feel feels like a crime, And I can’t do nothing but slow the time" suggest that the singer's emotions may be overwhelming or conflicting. They feel trapped in their emotions and unable to escape the passing of time, hence the repeated refrain "I can't do nothing but slow the time."
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three, four
Counting the beats, setting the rhythm
I don’t belong in this room today
Feeling out of place and disconnected in the present moment
I belong a few state lines away
Feeling a sense of belonging and comfort in distant places
The windows are wide, the view is fine
Having a clear perspective and a beautiful outlook
Yeah I can’t do nothing but slow the time
Unable to do anything except make time feel slower
Birds fade into the grass
The presence of nature blending and disappearing
The mountain shifts like an hourglass
Observing the mountain changing, time slipping away
Where are you besides my mind?
Wondering about the physical presence of someone beyond thoughts
Oh I can’t do nothing but slow the time
Being incapable of doing anything except slowing down time
Look at the stars, don’t know a thing
Gazing at the stars without understanding their significance
I made up a map of the shit I think
Creating a mental map of personal thoughts and emotions
Astronomy of the idiot kind
Engaging in a simplistic and unscientific understanding of the universe
Oh I can’t do nothing but slow the time
Being incapable of doing anything except slowing down time
Flew on a drift of the morning breeze
Being carried away by the gentle wind of the morning
Think I was trying to catch
A ride home for free
Attempting to find a way back home without any cost
When the way I feel feels like a crime
Experiencing emotions that seem wrong or punishable
And I can’t do nothing but slow the time
Being unable to do anything except slow down time
A few weeks on where will we be?
Contemplating the future and where we will end up in a few weeks
How can I make the best history?
Reflecting on how to create meaningful and memorable experiences
I wrote you a letter but on every line
Expressing thoughts and feelings in a letter, but constantly emphasizing an inability to control time
Was "I can’t do nothing but slow the time"
Reiterating the central theme of feeling incapable of anything except slowing down time
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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