Like many before him, Colin Meloy (The Decemberists) was a frustrated colle… Read Full Bio ↴Like many before him, Colin Meloy (The Decemberists) was a frustrated college student before he was an acclaimed songwriter. While majoring in English, with an emphasis on creative writing at the University of Montana, he also played in an alternative-countryish band called Tarkio from 1996 - 1999. Members included Colin Meloy, Gibson Hartwell, Louis Stein, and Brian Collins. In 2006, Kill Rock Stars released a 2-cd discography of Tarkio's material entitled "Omnibus".

Kickaround
Tarkio Lyrics

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So I guess I'll make due
with all that was handed down
and shyly return
from this all night kickaround

Quiet and cursed
these tired bones demured
to shuffle it homeward

it's all I could endure

And have I waited too long
or did I not wait long enough?
These old walls remind me
I guess I was hoping for something more

So lost in the live touch
of comfort and company
and whisper so coy
and all that surrounded me

And after we walk
down avenues endlessly
and stave the sunrise
from afirming our misery

And have I waited too long
or did I not wait long enough?
I put it all behind me

I guess I was hoping for something more
I guess I was hoping for something more

Overall Meaning

The song "Kickaround" by Tarkio tells the story of someone who is feeling lost and unfulfilled with their current situation. The singer is making do with what they have been given and returns home after a night spent playing soccer, feeling tired and defeated. The singer's tired bones are no longer able to keep up with their desires, and they find themselves shuffling back home. The singer wonders if they have waited too long to find something more fulfilling or if they didn't wait long enough. The walls around them remind them of their unfulfilled hopes and aspirations, leading them to feel lost.

The lyrics describe the singer as being lost in the live touch of comfort and company. They are surrounded by people, but they still feel empty and incomplete. The singer acknowledges their misery but chooses to stave off the sunrise and avoid affirming their feelings of despair. The song ends with the singer admitting that they were hoping for something more, but they put it all behind themselves and move on.

The overall theme of "Kickaround" is one of feeling lost and unfulfilled. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who is searching for something more but is not sure what that something is. The imagery throughout the song is vivid and helps convey a feeling of emptiness and despair. However, it also encourages the listener to keep searching for something more fulfilling.

Line by Line Meaning

So I guess I'll make due
I will just accept the situation and try to work with what I have.

with all that was handed down
with everything I've been given in life.

and shyly return
and come back quietly.

from this all night kickaround
from this informal game we played all night.

Quiet and cursed
I'm silent but unhappy.

these tired bones demured
my exhausted body reluctantly moved forward.

to shuffle it homeward
to slowly make my way home.

it's all I could endure
I could only take this much.

And have I waited too long
Did I wait too much and now it's too late?

or did I not wait long enough?
Or did I give up too soon?

These old walls remind me
Being back here makes me remember.