In the summer of 2010, Harrington and Wright were playing for spare change in Boston’s Faneuil Hall Marketplace. In two short years since, Tall Heights has headlined packed listening rooms across New England, toured down to Austin, TX to showcase at South By Southwest Music Festival, and performed alongside national acts like David Wilcox, Ryan Montbleau, and Andrew Belle.
For the duo’s debut full-length effort, Man of Stone (May, 2013), Tall Heights returned to the home studio, sinking deeper into the vast world they’ve meticulously built for two. The title track and first single, Man of Stone, recalls a time when cavemen documented day-to-day existence on the walls of their stone-sheltered dwellings. “Emblems of cavemen they taught me / the importance of typing in bold,” contextualizes the rest of the record and challenges a careful listener to view each song as a vital documentation of what is both banal and extraordinary. The record exists in a fire-lit, shadowy space for their growing army of fans to inhabit. After two powerful EPs, Rafters (2011) and the Running of the Bulls EP (2012), there has been a growing cry for more from these young artists, and Tall Heights delivers with an LP of grand vision and scale.
RECENT PRAISE
“Tall Heights’s delicate melodies and gentle harmonies create a rare public space where the people can slow down, even stop, and suspend the chaos of city life in exchange for some really great music.”-Meghna Chakrabarti, NPR
“if you still remember how happy your ears were when you first listened to Bon Iver or Arcade Fire and realized you’d stumbled into singer/songwriter oblivion… you can trust me when I say this show is worth seeing.” – Boston Magazine
“…beautiful harmonies, exquisite musicianship, intricate songwriting. I love it when the bar is set so high” –David Wilcox
River Wider
Tall Heights Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh my god my whole damn world is hotel walls and mind decay
How come I never got used to the feeling of sleeping in a cage
Two long drives, I'm too damn hungry
Tied up hound but nothing stays
Never swam a river wider, wider
Never seen a moon in rising, brighter
Never tasted sweeter cider, cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining, shining
I sit right where I used to, my desk chair in a corner in a haze
Oh my god my whole damn world is smoked out pine in a sonic blaze
I still have direction, but I'm digging in my thoughts all day
I see the devil like I used to, I hear my rhythm out of phase
Never swam a river wider, wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a moon in rising, brighter
Never tasted sweeter cider, cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining, shining
Never swam a river wider, wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a moon in rising, brighter
Never tasted sweeter cider, cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining, shining
The opening lines of Tall Heights's song "River Wider" paint a picture of a person who feels lost and disconnected from the world around them. The singer reflects on dark days in August, and the feeling of being away from everything that is familiar. The world around them consists of hotel walls and mind decay, and they wonder how they never got used to the feeling of sleeping in a cage.
The lyrics go on to describe a longing for experiences that the person has never had. They sing about never swimming a river wider, climbing a building taller, seeing a moon in rising brighter, tasting sweeter cider, holding a hammer stronger, or having a need for shining. These are all things that represent a sense of adventure, strength, and joy – things that the singer has not yet experienced, but hopes to one day.
The final lines of the song describe the person sitting in a familiar place, their desk chair in a corner, but still feeling disconnected and lost. They may still have a sense of purpose, but their thoughts are taking over, and they are hearing their rhythm out of phase. The song ends with the repetition of the longing for experiences that they have never had before.
Line by Line Meaning
The dark days of August, and the feeling of being away
It's August, a difficult month, and I feel distant and disconnected.
Oh my god my whole damn world is hotel walls and mind decay
I'm stuck in a hotel, and my mind is deteriorating.
How come I never got used to the feeling of sleeping in a cage
I can't get used to feeling trapped and confined.
Two long drives, I'm too damn hungry
I've been driving for a long time, and I'm really hungry.
Tied up hound but nothing stays
Even though I've tied up my dog, it never stays put.
Never swam a river wider, wider
I have never experienced anything as vast as this river.
Couldn't climb a building taller
I have never attempted to climb a building as tall as this one.
Never seen a moon in rising, brighter
I have never witnessed a brighter rising moon than this one.
Never tasted sweeter cider, cider
This is the sweetest cider I have ever tasted.
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
I have never been able to hold a hammer as strong as this one.
Never had a need for shining, shining
I have never felt the need to shine brighter than I am now.
I sit right where I used to, my desk chair in a corner in a haze
I'm sitting in the same place I always do, but I'm feeling distracted and disconnected.
Oh my god my whole damn world is smoked out pine in a sonic blaze
Everything around me is hazy and distorted, like smoke and fire.
I still have direction, but I'm digging in my thoughts all day
I know where I'm going, but I'm overthinking everything and feeling stuck.
I see the devil like I used to, I hear my rhythm out of phase
I'm feeling lost and confused, like I used to, and everything feels out of sync.
Contributed by Alice B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ariadna Nebula
[Verse 1]
The dog days of August
And a feeling of being awake
Oh my God, my whole damn world's
Hotel walls and mind decay
How come I never got used to
The feeling of sleeping in a cage?
Too long driving, too damn hungry
A tied-up hound but nothing stays
[Chorus]
Never swam a river wider, wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
[Verse 2]
I sit right where I used to
My desk chair in a corner in a haze
Oh my God, my whole damn world's
A smoked out pine in a sonic blaze
I still have direction
But I'm digging in my thoughts all day
I see the devil like I used to
I hear my rhythm out of phase
[Chorus]
Never swam a river wider, wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
Never swam a river wider, wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
Em
The dog days of August
And a feeling of being awake
Oh my God, my whole damn world's
Hotel walls and mind decay
How come I never got used to
The feeling of sleeping in a cage?
Too long driving, too damn hungry
A tied-up hound but nothing stays
Never swam a river wider wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
I sit right where I used to
My desk chair in a corner in a haze
Oh my God, my whole damn world's
A smoked out pine in a sonic blaze
I still have direction
But I'm digging in my thoughts all day
I see the devil like I used to
I hear my rhythm out of phase
Never swam a river wider wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
Never swam a river wider wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
Soringer Studio
The dark days of August, and the feeling of being away
Oh my god my whole damn world is hotel walls and mind decay
How come I never got used to the feeling of sleeping in a cage
Two long drives, I'm too damn hungry
Tied up hound but nothing stays
Never swam a river wider, wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a moon in rising, brighter
Never tasted sweeter cider, cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining, shining
I sit right where I used to, my desk chair in a corner in a haze
Oh my god my whole damn world is smoked out pine in a sonic blaze
I still have direction, but I'm digging in my thoughts all day
I see the devil like I used to, I hear my rhythm out of phase
Never swam a river wider, wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a moon in rising, brighter
Never tasted sweeter cider, cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining, shining
Never swam a river wider, wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a moon in rising, brighter
Never tasted sweeter cider, cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining, shining
8BITeyes
This is what I've perceived the lyrics to be. Some lines may be off:
The dark days of August
And the feeling of being away.
Oh my god, my whole damn world
Hotel walls are my own decay.
How come I never got used to
The feeling of sleeping in a cage?
Too long drive
And too damn hungry
Tied up how
But nothing stays.
Never swam a river wider, wider.
Couldn't climb a building taller.
Never seen the moon rising, brighter.
Kahoo Kahoo Kahoo Kahoo
Never tasted sweet or sour, sour.
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger.
Never had a need for shining, shining.
Kahoo Kahoo Kahoo Kahoo
I sit right where I used to.
A desk chair in the corner in a case.
Oh my god, my whole damn world.
Smoked out pine
In a sonic blaze.
I still have direction
But I'm digging in my thoughts all day.
I see the devil like I used to.
I hear my rhythm out of phase.
[Chorus] x2
8BITeyes
This is what I've perceived the lyrics to be. Some lines may be off:
The dark days of August
And the feeling of being away.
Oh my god, my whole damn world
Hotel walls are my own decay.
How come I never got used to
The feeling of sleeping in a cage?
Too long drive
And too damn hungry
Tied up how
But nothing stays.
Never swam a river wider, wider.
Couldn't climb a building taller.
Never seen the moon rising, brighter.
Kahoo Kahoo Kahoo Kahoo
Never tasted sweet or sour, sour.
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger.
Never had a need for shining, shining.
Kahoo Kahoo Kahoo Kahoo
I sit right where I used to.
A desk chair in the corner in a case.
Oh my god, my whole damn world.
Smoked out pine
In a sonic blaze.
I still have direction
But I'm digging in my thoughts all day.
I see the devil like I used to.
I hear my rhythm out of phase.
[Chorus] x2
Scott A.
So your transcription is great, way better than I could have done, but I just got the album today (what, I like owning CDs, ok?) And the booklet inside has the lyrics. I copied them the same as how they're printed, replacing the slashes with new lines.
The dog days of August
And a feeling of being awake
Oh my God, my whole damn world's
Hotel walls and mind decay
How come I never got used to
The feeling of sleeping in a cage?
Too long driving, too damn hungry
A tied-up hound but nothing stays
Never swam a river wider wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
I sit right where I used to
My desk chair in a corner in a haze
Oh my God, my whole damn world's
A smoked out pine in a sonic blaze
I still have direction
But I'm digging in my thoughts all day
I see the devil like I used to
I hear my rhythm out of phase
Never swam a river wider wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
Lucas Oliver
What a wonderful sound, conveys a very great peace . I will share this song for my friends from Brazil . <3
Matilda Pawlega
I'm so glad I discovered you guys a couple months ago, I literally love your songs! I play them everyday !!
Lion
Great way to start my summer mornings. You guys are awesome!
kaitlin lulli
saw them last night, they're even better live!!
Manu Saini
this song has great lyrics and is very nicely composed
Paulo Castro
Great song! Good vibes.
Ariadna Nebula
[Verse 1]
The dog days of August
And a feeling of being awake
Oh my God, my whole damn world's
Hotel walls and mind decay
How come I never got used to
The feeling of sleeping in a cage?
Too long driving, too damn hungry
A tied-up hound but nothing stays
[Chorus]
Never swam a river wider, wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
[Verse 2]
I sit right where I used to
My desk chair in a corner in a haze
Oh my God, my whole damn world's
A smoked out pine in a sonic blaze
I still have direction
But I'm digging in my thoughts all day
I see the devil like I used to
I hear my rhythm out of phase
[Chorus]
Never swam a river wider, wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
Never swam a river wider, wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
Em
The dog days of August
And a feeling of being awake
Oh my God, my whole damn world's
Hotel walls and mind decay
How come I never got used to
The feeling of sleeping in a cage?
Too long driving, too damn hungry
A tied-up hound but nothing stays
Never swam a river wider wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
I sit right where I used to
My desk chair in a corner in a haze
Oh my God, my whole damn world's
A smoked out pine in a sonic blaze
I still have direction
But I'm digging in my thoughts all day
I see the devil like I used to
I hear my rhythm out of phase
Never swam a river wider wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
Never swam a river wider wider
Couldn't climb a building taller
Never seen a morning rising brighter
Never tasted sweeter cellar cider
Couldn't hold a hammer stronger
Never had a need for shining china
Sriezan Koirala
Lots of love and appreciation from Nepal. This song is truly amazing.
V G
greets back from Frankfurt Germany mate