Mark Linkous.
More Yellow Birds
Sparklehorse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out on the coast, or rushed into the brine?
You left your rings on the shoreline
So you wouldn't lose 'em swimming in the shallows
A plastic shovel, soft sweaty children far from home
On vacation, not unlike your very own
And he left me with sulfur and rooms full of headaches
I fell in with snakes in the poisoned ranks of strangers
Please send me more yellow birds for the dim interior
Will my pony recognize my voice in hell?
Will he still be blind, or do they go by smell?
Will you promise me not to rest me out at sea
But on a fiery river boat that's rickety?
I'll never find my pony along the roiling swells
A muddy river or a lake would do me well
With hints of amber sundowns and muted thunderstorms
A sunken barge's horns, with the cold and rusty bells
In Sparklehorse's song More Yellow Birds, the lyrics tell a poignant story of loss, longing, and hope. The opening lines ask if someone's jewelry is still lost in the sand, possibly a symbol for a lost relationship or a promise that was broken. The imagery of the rings left on the shoreline so as not to lose them while swimming in the shallows creates a sense of vulnerability and caution. The second stanza describes a scene of children playing on the beach with a plastic shovel, emphasizing how fleeting and temporary moments can be, just like the jewelry lost in the sand.
The song then takes a darker turn, with the Captain Howdy visiting the singer and leaving him with sulfur and rooms full of headaches. This could be a reference to a demon or a figure representing the singer's inner turmoil. The line "I fell in with snakes in the poisoned ranks of strangers" suggests that the singer has encountered unsavory characters and is struggling with their influence. The plea for more yellow birds for the dim interior may be a call for guidance, comfort, or illumination in the midst of darkness.
The final stanza raises questions about what comes after death, specifically if the singer's pony will recognize his voice in hell. The last lines suggest a desire for a peaceful resting place, preferably near bodies of water with atmospheric sunsets and thunderstorms. The use of sensory details like hints of amber, moody thunderstorms, and sunken barge horns creates a vivid and melancholic mood.
Overall, Sparklehorse's More Yellow Birds is a hauntingly beautiful song that masterfully weaves together imagery and emotion. It paints a picture of loss and longing but also contains moments of hope and a desire for peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Is your jewelery still lost in the sand
Are your precious belongings still missing in the sand?
Out on the coast, or rushed into the brine?
Did they get washed away by the waves or are they buried in the sand?
You left your rings on the shoreline
You deliberately left your rings on the beach.
So you wouldn't lose them swimming in the shallows
To avoid losing them while enjoying a swim in the shallow water.
A plastic shovel, soft sweaty children far from home
An image of children playing with plastic shovels in a new, exotic location.
On vacation not unlike your very own
A vacation that is similar to the listener's or the singer's own.
And the Captain Howdy lit upon my shoulder
A demonic presence, personified as Captain Howdy, visited the singer.
And he left me with sulfur and rooms full of headaches
The demonic presence left behind a trail of destruction and misery.
I fell in with snakes in the poisoned ranks of strangers
The singer found himself surrounded by harmful and deceitful people.
Please send me more yellow birds for the dim interior
A request for some kind of hope or light to brighten up a dark and foreboding place.
Will my pony recognize my voice in hell?
A hypothetical question about the afterlife and the possibility of reuniting with a beloved pet there.
Will he still be blind, or do they go by smell?
Another question about the afterlife, wondering if animals maintain their limitations or gain new senses.
Will you promise not to rest me out at sea
A plea to be buried on land instead of at sea, a common fate for sailors or people lost at sea.
But on a fiery river boat that's rickety?
A wish for a quirky and adventurous farewell, instead of a somber and traditional one.
I'll never find my pony along the rolling swell
A resigned statement about the difficulties of finding something precious lost at sea.
A muddy river or a lake would do me well
A simpler and more down-to-earth place to be buried would suffice.
With hints of amber sundowns and moody thunderstorms
A description of a serene yet melancholic landscape.
A sunken barge's horns, with the cold rusty bells
An evocative and haunting image of a shipwreck.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mark Linkous
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-zp3rk9rd5v
i'm happy he finally found peace, still hurts like hell
@paulkenney9476
Still. Still..
@loucat2779
He finally escaped the prison of his mind, I guess. He spoke to a lot of us, Damn I miss him.
@springisimeria942
this videoclip make it so much more sad but beautiful. It's like you expect the camera to show something else but instead the protagonist can only look at the floor. That's a good metaphor for depression.
@ricoricky98
So many wild horses he sang about so many wild horses where he was from now he is free like one of those wild horses
@RK-xc9rk
So gorgeously sad and moving - the lyrics haunt me afterwards
@romansokal
directed by grandaddy's Jason Lytle!
@XenomorphLV426
My other favorite musician
@zimmermaniacs
pure beautiness
@theskoolmustard00
Bless this beautiful man's heart <3