The band was formed by two members of Okkervil River, back-up vocalist and accordion/keyboard player Jonathan Meiburg and singer and guitarist Will Sheff, so they could write quieter songs. Beginning in 2005, Sheff lessened his role in the band, leaving Meiburg as the band's songwriter from Palo Santo on.
Band members today include Jonathan Meiburg, Thor Harris, Kim Burke, Lucas Oswald, with many contributions from others. The touring band in 2012 featured producer/drummer Danny Reisch and guitarist/vocalist Mitch Billeaud of The Lemurs and Christiaan Mader of Brass Bed.
To date, Shearwater has released nine full-length albums The Dissolving Room, Everybody Makes Mistakes, Winged Life, Palo Santo, Rook, The Golden Archipelago, Animal Joy, and Jet Plane & Oxbow as well as EPs Thieves and The Snow Leopard, and a split LP with Okkervil River entitled Sham Wedding/Hoax Funeral, as well as an album of covers of former touring partners, Fellow Travelers, released in November 2013.
As an ornithologist and writer, Meiburg has a unique perspective. The songs of Palo Santo were partly written at the Galápagos Islands in the footsteps of Charles Darwin. Rook was influenced by studies in the Falklands Islands and by the current mass extinction we are living through. The Golden Archipelago examined the destruction of island cultures in the 20th century and beyond. Animal Joy returned to more personal concerns; Meiburg stated repeatedly in interviews that the foundational idea is that life is most real when "the blood flows fastest and closest to the surface." Fellow Travelers started as a small home EP and expanded into a full album celebrating relationships with the other bands they've met along the way.
The Snow Leopard
Shearwater Lyrics
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The way is to lie still
And let the moon do
Its work on your body
And then to rise
Forests and oceans of lives
And through the way
And flow ten thousand miles
Well, I've had enough
Wasting my body, my life
I'll come away
Come away from the shallows
Can this sullen child
As bound as the ox that I ride
Climb to the heart
Of the white wind singing high
And blow my frozen eyes?
The lyrics of Shearwater's song "The Snow Leopard" is a poetic representation of the journey of self-discovery and transcendence. The song starts by communicating the idea that the only way to progress is to move slowly and quietly, just like how in climbing, one must have patience and persistence. It then goes on to emphasize the importance of surrendering to the moon, which symbolizes the unconscious, to work on one's body. Here, the moon represents the force that guides us towards our true selves, and one must be willing to let go of the ego to receive this guidance.
The following lines speak of the transformation that occurs when one embraces this journey fully. The metaphor of forests and oceans of lives represents the depth and richness of self-discovery, and how it extends beyond personal growth to encompass the interconnectedness of all living beings. The image of black rocks splitting wide suggests that this journey is not easy, and there may be obstacles to overcome. Still, the reward is ten thousand miles of flow, a metaphor for the freedom and empowerment that comes with self-discovery.
The last two stanzas are about the singer's personal struggle with this transformation. He recognizes the limitations of his current self, and how he has been wasting his life living in the shallows. He hopes to break free from this and climb to the heart of the white wind, which represents the pure, unadulterated experience of life. The final line is a poetic illustration of the transcendence he seeks, where he hopes to blow his frozen eyes and see the world with fresh eyes.
Line by Line Meaning
The way is to climb
The journey must involve climbing upwards.
The way is to lie still
Sometimes, it is necessary to take a break and let nature take its course.
And let the moon do
Its work on your body
Resting under the moonlight can have restorative effects on the body and mind.
And then to rise
Forests and oceans of lives
After allowing nature to take its course, a new perspective is gained, revealing the interconnectedness of all living beings.
And through the way
Of the black rocks splitting wide
And flow ten thousand miles
The journey involves facing obstacles and challenges, but the reward is a voyage of epic proportions.
Well, I've had enough
Wasting my body, my life
I'll come away
Come away from the shallows
The singer has grown tired of living a superficial life and seeks to live a more fulfilling one.
Can this sullen child
As bound as the ox that I ride
Climb to the heart
Of the white wind singing high
And blow my frozen eyes?
The singer wonders if they can break free from their metaphorical chains and find freedom in nature, and if they can do so, will a new world open up to them?
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
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