Pavement, a band started by Malkmus post-Ectoslavia, pre-New York, at this point began to gain attention. This attention resulted in a record deal and a constant inferiority plague placed upon the 'Joos with Berman totally at the forefront of the group. Misinformed music fans now saw the band as a side-project and, even worse, Berman as being not good enough to play with Pavement, many band members being shared between the two bands.
The connection to Malkmus and the now blossoming Pavement was not all negative, however. Drag City, then not the bastion of American folk music it is today, agreed to release the band's debut EPs which has led to a fruitful relationship (the label continues to release the band's records, right up to album number 7 in 2008, (Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea).
The Silver Jews in their later days primarily consisted of David and Cassie Berman who contributed most of the lyrics, and a changing cast of characters. They had numerous indie stars in a rotating line up, including Willie T. of Lambchop, and Brian Kotzer of Tim Chad and Sherry.
David Berman is also a poet and has been published in numerous poetry magazines and journals. He also has a book of poetry and rants entitled "Actual Air," which was released in 1999 and received favorable reviews from The New Yorker and GQ.
On the 22nd of January, 2009, David Berman announced on the Drag City messageboard that their show on the 31st of January in Tennessee would be their last. "Can't be like all the careerists doncha know. I'm forty two and I know what to do. I'm a writer, see? I always said we would stop before we got bad." After 10 years off, Berman reappeared in 2019 as Purple Mountains.
David Berman died from suicide on August 22, 2019 after a long battle with depression.
Animal Shapes
Silver Jews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
are the lights on the signs that line charlotte avenue.
from a corner window, I watch the falling white flakes.
God must be carving the clouds into animal shapes.
animal shapes, animal shapes,
God must be carving the clouds into animal shapes.
to those who try to take away the things we need to live.
friend, this is from your friend, offa natchez trace.
the only dream left worth believing starts with animal shapes.
animal shapes, animal shapes,
nothing better get in the way of whatever it takes.
later on, somewhere else, I said some things I didn't mean.
I know everybody's on a first name basis with the king.
from a corner window, I watch the falling snowflakes.
God must be carving the the clouds into animal shapes.
animal shapes, animal shapes,
God must be carving the clouds into animal shapes.
God must be carving the clouds into animal shapes.
The first verse of Silver Jews's song Animal Shapes portrays a cityscape viewed from a corner window. The lights on the signs that line Charlotte Avenue are described as being gold and green or red and blue. The falling white flakes of snow prompt the singer to marvel at the possibility of God taking the time to carve the clouds into animal shapes. This vision is repeated throughout the song as a refrain. The second verse is darker in tone, introducing the idea of people trying to take away the things necessary for survival, and pity for those who have lost the ability to dream. However, the singer still clings to the idea that the only dream worth having is one that starts with "animal shapes."
The final verse is more personal than the rest, as the singer confesses to saying things they didn't mean and references "the king" in a way that suggests a religious interpretation of the lyrics. Again, the snowfall inspires the singer to marvel at the possibility of the divine artist at work in the sky.
Silver Jews's song Animal Shapes has a hypnotic, lulling quality that underscores its dreamlike lyrics. The repetition of the refrain and the gentle cadence of the guitar contribute to the feeling of being caught up in a snowglobe world where anything is possible. Interestingly, the song seems to be about the power of imagination as a means of transcending difficulties, while also acknowledging the harsh realities of modern life.
Line by Line Meaning
gold and green/red and blue.
The colors of the lights on Charlotte Avenue signs.
from a corner window, I watch the falling white flakes.
Observing snowfall from a particular window.
God must be carving the clouds into animal shapes.
A fanciful explanation for how snowfall accumulates.
we've got no goodwill, no goodwill to give.
There is no charitable spirit to spare.
to those who try to take away the things we need to live.
People who threaten basic survival needs are undeserving of generosity.
friend, this is from your friend, offa natchez trace.
An offering of camaraderie from Natchez Trace.
the only dream left worth believing starts with animal shapes.
Animal shapes offer a simple dream worth pursuing.
nothing better get in the way of whatever it takes.
No obstacle should impede the pursuit of that dream.
later on, somewhere else, I said some things I didn't mean.
Regret over comments made in the past.
I know everybody's on a first name basis with the king.
The idea that everyone is intimately familiar with those in power.
God must be carving the clouds into animal shapes.
Reiteration of the fanciful explanation of snowfall's origins.
God must be carving the clouds into animal shapes.
Final repetition of the whimsical idea of snowfall's creation.
Contributed by Audrey O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.