“Before there were many, there were few” - So starts the chapter about Stone Breath in Jeanette Leech’s book, “Seasons They Change: The Story of Acid and Psychedelic Folk” - and so it was back in 1995 when Stone Breath started. The 1960s had come and gone (the revival of the 60s and 70s folk bands was yet to come), the post-industrial scene’s flirtation with folk music had swayed to neo-classical or art-song, and the modern psychedelic scene was far more interested in Krautrock’s burning electricity than it was in acoustic instruments. Stone Breath, however, remained firmly rooted in folk music.
Wood, skin, bone, bronze, steel, gut. These are the materials of acoustic instruments. Materials of the earth. Stone Breath wanted to make earth music. Timeless music. Music that could be made without electricity. Music that could be played in field or forest (or even in lonely graveyards as was the case in the early days of the band). Stone Breath have held true to this vision over 9 albums, several eps, various compilation appearances, and almost 20 years.
Having remained a three-piece for most of the band’s life, recent years have seen the core band adding more members. The sound has moved gradually from sparse Syd Barrett meets Nick Drake ghost-songs to a much fuller sound - often incorporating layers of vocal harmonies and intricate instrumentation ranging from guitar and banjo to Middle Eastern instruments to homemade lyres, dulcitars, and more.
Members of Stone Breath backed Tom Rapp (of 60s/70s acid folk touchstone, Pearls Before Swine) for most of his comeback shows and recorded with Tom on his “Journal of the Plague Year” album. Stone Breath played most of the legendary Terrastock festivals sharing the bill with such acts as Tom Rapp, Country Joe, Sonic Youth, Acid Mothers Temple, The Bevis Frond, Kendra Smith, and many more. In 2001, Stone Breath conceived and helped organize The Poor Minstrels of Song and the Temple of the Moon tour - a traveling festival of acid/psychedelic/experimental acoustic music.
After initially splitting in 2006, the band reformed in 2009, releasing several new albums and performing live.
The Face of God
Stone Breath Lyrics
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Runes all around the room; and leaves all in the tea
And you knew the face of gods, but you did not know me
And I drew the sigils, but I did not know thee
The Ouija board is dusty. The scrying bowl is cracked
The runes have lost their meaning; the teacup is empty
Five-hundred miles between us. Tears under my feet
Letters scattered 'round the room; and leaves float in the tea
The song "The Face of God" by Stone Breath is a hauntingly beautiful and mystical ode to a past experience with a lover that involved the use of divination tools to communicate with the divine. The lyrics speak of a time when the singer and their partner sat together with a Ouija board between them, a scrying bowl at their feet, and runes all around the room. They drank tea while reading leaves and drawing sigils, seeking answers from the beyond. However, even as they communed with the gods, they remained strangers to each other, unable to truly connect or know one another.
The second verse reveals that time has passed and that the tools they once used have lost their potency. The Ouija board is dusty, the scrying bowl is cracked, and the runes have lost their meaning. The tea is empty, and the leaves have lost their power to reveal secrets. The distance between the singer and their past lover has grown, and there are tears under their feet. The room is littered with letters scattered around and leaves float in the tea, a poignant representation of the aftermath of their attempts to grasp the divine.
Overall, the song speaks to the human desire to connect with something greater than ourselves, whether it is through divination, prayer, or other means. It also touches on the struggle to truly connect with others, even as we seek to connect with the divine. The imagery of the Ouija board and other tools of divination is used to great effect, conjuring a sense of mystery and magic that pervades the song.
Line by Line Meaning
A Ouija board between us. A scrying bowl at our feet
We used a Ouija board and a scrying bowl to try to communicate with the supernatural.
Runes all around the room; and leaves all in the tea
We used symbols and leaves in the tea to try to decipher messages from the other side.
And you knew the face of gods, but you did not know me
You had knowledge of the divine, but you didn't truly know or understand me.
And I drew the sigils, but I did not know thee
I used symbols and signs to try to make contact, but I didn't actually know who or what I was trying to contact.
The Ouija board is dusty. The scrying bowl is cracked
Our attempts at supernatural communication have been neglected and are no longer effective.
The runes have lost their meaning; the teacup is empty
Our symbols and signs no longer hold any significance, and our attempts to decipher messages have been fruitless.
Five-hundred miles between us. Tears under my feet
We are physically separated by a significant distance, and emotions are heavy and present.
Letters scattered 'round the room; and leaves float in the tea
There is physical evidence of our attempts at communication, but they have not led to any tangible results.
Contributed by Liam T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.