The Acorn is a Canadian indie folk band from Ottawa, Ontario, formed in 20… Read Full Bio ↴The Acorn is a Canadian indie folk band from Ottawa, Ontario, formed in 2003. Rolf Klausener is their principal songwriter, as well as vocalist and guitarist. Their most recent album, "No Ghost", came out in summer 2010.

Anchored by vivid songwriting and eclectic instrumentation, The Acorn produce an original brand of experimental, popular folk music that effortlessly marries modern and traditional forms. Inspired by the natural beauty of the Outaouais region, and with his principle projects all on hiatus, Rolf Klausener started writing under the moniker The Acorn in the summer of 2002.

Initially an excuse to teach himself home-recording, these furtive experiments quickly started eating up the majority of his free time. These early musings would eventually become The Acorn’s first full-length release, The Pink Ghosts. A mellifluous, mostly-instrumental tribute to the Ottawa region, The Pink Ghosts was by released in July 2004 on Jon Bartlett’s proudly independent community-based label, Kelp Records. By this time, The Acorn had grown to include the talents of guitarist Jeff Debutte, visual artist and guitarist Howie Tsui and drummer Jeffrey Malecki.

In the fall of 2005, they released Blankets! , a more melodically focused effort showcasing the bands emerging synthesis of experimental folk and pop. Blankets! earned the band notable praise from CBC radio, independent media, and campus radio stations across the country. Inspired by the road and the communities they discovered beyond their sleepy capital city, The Acorn made every effort to travel the country, touring independently and as often as they could. Throughout 2005, they forged ties with a new, burgeoning independent Canadian music scene which grew to include Ohbijou, We’re Marching On, Snailhouse, Elliott Brood, Montreal’s People for Audio and many more.

A genealogical quest in late 2005 would prove to be the bands most challenging and sprawling project to date. Having lost his father to cancer at the age of 16, Rolf began conducting interviews with his Honduran-born Mother, Gloria Esperanza Montoya, to help form a more complete picture of his family. These interviews, both harrowing and awe-inspiring, would push Rolf to apply for several arts grants to produce a song-cycle based on them. In the spring of 2006, The Acorn was awarded an Ontario Arts Council grant and City of Ottawa music grant to produce Glory Hope Mountain. The immensity and scope of the project triggered an insurmountable bout of writers block, forcing Rolf to spend his time poring over his recorded interviews and researching Honduran native music and culture. Taking a break from the album, the band called up Montreal friend, pianist Keiko Devaux, and booked three days at Ottawa’s legendary Little Bullhorn Prods (Kathleen Edwards, Wooden Stars, Howe Gelb, etc.) to document some older material. It might have been the nausea-inducing heat, or the clock on the wall, but the band squeezed out three new songs as well, and walked out of the studio that weekend with a new six song EP titled Tin Fist.

Tin Fist was released on Toronto’s Paper Bag Records (Woodhands, Laura Barrett, Deadly Snakes, Tokyo Police Club, etc.) in late 2006 to glowing reviews. The band followed with their first headlining tour. With the unerring expertise of Little Bullhorn’s Jarrett Bartlett and a lot of borrowed equipment, The Acorn spent the first seven months of 2007 finishing Glory Hope Mountain in a rented house in Ottawa’s Centretown.

Not quite biography nor musical folk tale, Glory Hope Mountain, harbours the triumphs, discoveries, sorrow and life-affirming adventures of a life both remarkable and happily modest. Armed with drums, gut-strings, ukuleles, marimbas and the collective’s best songwriting to date, The Acorn created a stirring musical document. Since the release of Glory Hope Mountain, The Acorn have graced the cover of Canada’s National music magazine, Exclaim, garnered innumerable rave reviews across Canada, the United States, and abroad, both online and in print, and were nominated to the 2008 Polaris Award long list.

free EPs available at the band's web site: http://theacorn.ca

http://www.myspace.com/theacorn

Crooked Legs
The Acorn Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I looked up, picked out a map in the sky
No need for the nude of the moon as I'm guided by fireflies
You whisper prayers to my feet
I tiptoe through gardens, minding the slumber of parakeets
A lover's on the way
I won't feel the pull of the coming day
Or the compromise of sleep
Cause i got a fire on the soles of my feet

I'm going as far as these crooked legs take me
Not stoping for water at dew covered daisies
Not waiting for rivers or meadows to bleh me
Not washing the blood that has covered and stained me

Oh, oh, to be
Fooled by the wool that has covered me
Oh, oh, to be
Lead by the light of the melody

I'm making my way while the sun can not save me
I'm watching the road with 2 young eyes to guide me
Not looking behind to ensure that the home fires are shrinking
The fireflies fade as the city lights find me

Oh, oh, to be
Fooled by the wool that had covered me
Oh, oh, to be
Lead by the light of a melody

I'm going as far as these crooked legs take me
I'm watching the road with 2 young eyes to guide me

I'm making my way while the sun can not save me
I'm going as far as these crooked legs take me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Acorn's song "Crooked Legs" describe a journey which is both physical and metaphorical. The singer is embarking on a journey, guided by fireflies and with a lover on the way. At the start of the journey, the singer looks up and sees the sky as a map - this image suggests a sense of purpose and direction. The idea of being guided by fireflies and whispering prayers to the singer's feet creates a dreamlike, almost mystical atmosphere.

Throughout the song, the singer emphasizes their determination to keep moving forward, not stopping for water or waiting for anything to slow them down. The image of "crooked legs" suggests that the journey may be difficult or challenging, but the singer is unyielding in their pursuit. The repeated phrase "I'm going as far as these crooked legs take me" emphasizes this point, as if the singer is willing to go as far as it takes, regardless of obstacles.

The chorus of the song expresses a sense of being lost or fooled - "fooled by the wool that has covered me" - but also suggests that there is a way forward, "lead by the light of the melody". Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of determination, of a journey which may be difficult but is ultimately purposeful, and of a willingness to keep moving forward despite all obstacles.

Line by Line Meaning

I looked up, picked out a map in the sky
I searched for guidance from the stars, creating a map in my mind for myself to follow.

No need for the nude of the moon as I'm guided by fireflies
I don't rely on the brightness of the moon, but instead follow the subtle glow of fireflies.

You whisper prayers to my feet
You ask for blessings upon the path that I walk.

I tiptoe through gardens, minding the slumber of parakeets
I move carefully and respectfully through the natural world, being mindful of the creatures that inhabit it.

A lover's on the way
I anticipate the arrival of someone to share my journey with.

I won't feel the pull of the coming day
I won't be hindered by the responsibilities of tomorrow or the constraints of time.

Or the compromise of sleep
I won't let the need for rest slow me down.

Cause i got a fire on the soles of my feet
My passion and drive propel me forward.

I'm going as far as these crooked legs take me
I'm determined to go as far as I'm able, even with the limitations of my imperfect body.

Not stopping for water at dew covered daisies
I won't be distracted by every small pleasure or obstacle along the way.

Not waiting for rivers or meadows to bleh me
I won't wait for external forces to push or direct me.

Not washing the blood that has covered and stained me
I won't let past traumas and struggles slow me down or define me.

Oh, oh, to be fooled by the wool that has covered me
Oh, to be deceived by the illusions or lies that I've believed about myself.

Oh, oh, to be led by the light of the melody
Oh, to be inspired and guided by the beauty of music and art.

I'm making my way while the sun can not save me
I'm forging my own path, even when the warmth and comfort of the sun isn't enough to sustain me.

I'm watching the road with 2 young eyes to guide me
I'm approaching my journey with a fresh perspective, open to learning and growing each step of the way.

Not looking behind to ensure that the home fires are shrinking
I'm not letting my responsibilities or personal life hold me back from my aspirations and dreams.

The fireflies fade as the city lights find me
As I progress further into my journey, my connection to nature and simplicity is replaced by the chaos and complexity of the city.

Contributed by Sydney M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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