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.
Room Games and Diamond Rain
Silver Jews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through suffering and celebration dear
Cause only you can make my lies come true
You can make lies real,
You can make me feel,
Like drinking wine in the shade all afternoon
You keep finding and reminding me,
When you got with me you started dreaming my dreams.
But darling, there's a gun in the garland,
And you need to know,
That the dream is not all dream.
Chorus:
Room games and diamond rain
It's a fox hunt, it's a f-stop
It's a ten acre wood.
Outbound on a western train
It costs a quarter man
Out on the borderland
And I can dance real good.
A freight train rattles the chandelier,
And if we're like plug-in reindeer,
Whose chords can't stretch far enough to fly,
We're gonna take a ride in the dirt,
We're gonna die until it doesn't hurt,
And then they can bury us side by side.
In Silver Jews' song "Room Games and Diamond Rain," the singer expresses his unwavering love for his significant other. He declares that he will love her for a hundred years, through difficult times and moments of celebration because she has the power to make his lies come true. The singer also acknowledges that she is the only person who can make him feel alive and happy, comparing it to the feeling of drinking wine in the shade on a lazy afternoon. However, there is an underlying darkness to the song as the singer warns his lover about the gun in the garland, suggesting that their dreams may not all be what they seem.
The chorus shifts the focus to imagery of room games and diamond rain, a mysterious and poetic phrase that seems to reference the challenges and obstacles the couple may face together. The singer describes it as a fox hunt or f-stop, suggesting a hunt for something elusive or hidden. He mentions a ten-acre wood, possibly alluding to the notion of home and the importance of finding a place to belong. The verse continues with images of traveling on a western train, a journey that costs a quarter man to reach the borderland. The song concludes with an ominous image of a freight train rattling the chandelier and the suggestion that the couple will meet their end together.
Overall, "Room Games and Diamond Rain" is a complex exploration of love, loss, and the challenges of maintaining a lasting relationship. The lyrics are rich with symbolism and metaphor, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that draws the listener in and invites interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna love you for a hundred years.
I will love you for a long time regardless of the challenges we face.
Through suffering and celebration dear
Our relationship will go through ups and downs but I will cherish every moment.
Cause only you can make my lies come true
You have the power to make my pretenses a reality.
You can make lies real,
Your presence can make my falsehoods true.
You can make me feel,
Your love can make me experience different emotions.
Like drinking wine in the shade all afternoon
Being with you is like having a relaxing, enjoyable time in a peaceful place.
You keep finding and reminding me,
You have a way of discovering and emphasizing something important in my life.
That you only can be kind to me,
Your kindness is unique and only extends to me.
When you got with me you started dreaming my dreams.
When we got together, your aspirations became the same as mine.
But darling, there's a gun in the garland,
My dear, there is a hidden danger in the things that appear pleasant and beautiful.
And you need to know,
It is essential for you to be aware.
That the dream is not all dream.
The good thing we hope for may not come without challenges and hardships.
Room games and diamond rain
There are various games and luxury that come with wealth and status.
It's a fox hunt, it's a f-stop
Life can be a chase for power and prestige, often with brief moments of rest or pause.
It's a ten acre wood.
Life can be vast and full of potential.
Outbound on a western train
Going out into the world in search of better opportunities.
It costs a quarter man
It requires some effort and sacrifice to attain one's desires.
Out on the borderland
Venturing out into the unknown, facing danger and uncertainty.
And I can dance real good.
I am good at living life to the fullest despite the obstacles.
A freight train rattles the chandelier,
A loud and overwhelming force threatens to disrupt our comfortable existence.
And if we're like plug-in reindeer,
If we are too dependent on external sources of power.
Whose chords can't stretch far enough to fly,
If our abilities limit us from reaching our full potential.
We're gonna take a ride in the dirt,
We may have to face challenges and difficulties in life.
We're gonna die until it doesn't hurt,
We may have to endure a painful process of growth and transformation.
And then they can bury us side by side.
We will end up together in death.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juan pablo Diaz
I'm gonna love you for a hundred years.
Through suffering and celebration dear
Cause only you can make my lies come true
You can make lies real,
You can make me feel,
Like drinking wine in the shade all afternoon
You keep finding and reminding me,
That you only can be kind to me,
When you got with me you started dreaming my dreams.
But darling, there's a gun in the garland,
And you need to know,
That the dream is not all dream.
Room games and diamond rain
It's a fox hunt, it's a f-stop
It's a ten acre wood.
Outbound on a western train
It costs a quarter man
Out on the borderland
And I can dance real good.
A freight train rattles the chandelier,
And if we're like plug-in reindeer,
Whose chords can't stretch far enough to fly,
We're gonna take a ride in the dirt,
We're gonna die until it doesn't hurt,
And then they can bury us side by side.
Josh T
i always love the comments on silver jews tracks. its full of people vaguely telling us how the particular song affected their life in some touching, emotional way
chris johns
RIP David, this was my most intimate song that tied me to you
BeeTee
Wish I could like it more...
Spenn
I can't.
Méchant Manu
chris johns this is so fucking sad I want to cry
Paula ❤️❤️
RIP David. Still doesn't seem real that you're gone. You were such a part of my college years. Your music touched so many people. Those 8 haters above cannot dance real good.
Fletcher Stone
shed a tear to this one today. and so it goes. each and every one of his songs touches me in a different way
ano nandake
A big loss for the entire indie world on earth. We loose a Poet. I can't still help my mind... FUCK! I was looking forward to see Purple Mountains soon... room games and Diamond Rain: that's the most beautiful love song I've ever heard. So much indie feeling. God Speed You David Berman.
Juan pablo Diaz
I'm gonna love you for a hundred years.
Through suffering and celebration dear
Cause only you can make my lies come true
You can make lies real,
You can make me feel,
Like drinking wine in the shade all afternoon
You keep finding and reminding me,
That you only can be kind to me,
When you got with me you started dreaming my dreams.
But darling, there's a gun in the garland,
And you need to know,
That the dream is not all dream.
Room games and diamond rain
It's a fox hunt, it's a f-stop
It's a ten acre wood.
Outbound on a western train
It costs a quarter man
Out on the borderland
And I can dance real good.
A freight train rattles the chandelier,
And if we're like plug-in reindeer,
Whose chords can't stretch far enough to fly,
We're gonna take a ride in the dirt,
We're gonna die until it doesn't hurt,
And then they can bury us side by side.
Joseph Fish
This will be my wedding song if and when I get married :p