Led by songwriters Isaac Horn and Lincoln Mick and with Bailey Warren on fi… Read Full Bio ↴Led by songwriters Isaac Horn and Lincoln Mick and with Bailey Warren on fiddle, The Arcadian Wild confidently inhabits and explores an intersection of genre, blending the traditional with the contemporary in order to create a unique acoustic sound that is simultaneously unified and diverse. With roots in formal vocal music and influences from progressive bluegrass and folk, The Arcadian Wild offer up songs of invitation; calls to come and see, to find refuge and rest, or to journey and wonder. Over the course of 2020, The Arcadian Wild released Principium, a four-movement song-cycle that explores human relationship, flourishing, degradation, and redemption, culminating in the release Principium EP in February 2021, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart. Resumed touring found the band playing to increasingly large and enthusiastic audiences in 2021 and 2022, with shows often morphing into impromptu sing-alongs, a true collaboration and connection between artist and audience. The release of two new singles in Fall 2022 gave their followers just a taste of a newfound well of creativity, with more to come in 2023!

Stay tuned and come along to journey and wander.

Silence A Stranger
The Arcadian Wild Lyrics

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Silence is a stranger that I’ve never let inside
I hear him knocking but I do not dare reply
God knows what he would say if I opened up my door
I’ll keep up this clamor so he can’t tell me the score

Solitude’s an old friend from the other side of town
When he comes across the river, I pretend I’m not around
His voice brings me comfort and his counsel's always wise

I can’t stand to face the disappointment in his eyes

Quiet, come another time
Isn’t on my side
I need to look alive

Suffering, my mother, she has loved me since my youth
Never have I wondered if her teaching wasn’t true
When she speaks, she whispers gently, never does she shout
But sometimes when I’m weary, it feels good to drown her out

Quiet, come another time
Isn’t on my side
Give me a reason why
I should let it lie
I need to look alive

Stillness is a woman I’m too cowardly to kiss
A hallowed thing too holy for my unclean lips
She told me she loved me, but I ran away and hid
I’m convinced she’d do the same if she saw beneath my skin

Quiet, I’m listening this time
I need you on my side
I’m out of reasons why

I can’t keep up this fight
I want to feel alive

Overall Meaning

The Arcadian Wild's song "Silence A Stranger" is a song about the push and pull of different forces in one's life, particularly with one's relationship with quietness, companionship, and solitude. The lyrics revolve around a character who is having a hard time coming to terms with silence, which is treated as something uncertain and foreboding. The song's title reinforces this idea since it compares silent space to an uninvited guest or "stranger." The character feels threatened by what silence might offer or demand from them, so they resist and avoid it altogether. Even when the song highlights other forces in the character's life, such as solitude and stillness, the lyrics show how the character is still afraid of these aspects in some ways, despite their value and comfort.

Line by Line Meaning

Silence is a stranger that I’ve never let inside
I have never let myself experience complete silence and stillness.

I hear him knocking but I do not dare reply
I sense the presence of silence but am afraid to confront it.

God knows what he would say if I opened up my door
I fear the unknown truth that silence might reveal.

I’ll keep up this clamor so he can’t tell me the score
I distract myself with noise so that I can numb myself to the reality of my situation.

Solitude’s an old friend from the other side of town
I am familiar with being alone, but keep it at a distance.

When he comes across the river, I pretend I’m not around
When I am confronted with solitude, I avoid it.

His voice brings me comfort and his counsel's always wise
When I do allow myself to be alone, I find comfort in solitude's wise counsel.

I can’t stand to face the disappointment in his eyes
However, I still fear facing the truth about myself that solitude might reveal.

Quiet, come another time
I am not ready to be still and confront the truth.

Isn’t on my side
I am afraid of what I might find in the silence.

I need to look alive
I am desperate to keep myself distracted and avoid dealing with reality.

Suffering, my mother, she has loved me since my youth
My past struggles have shaped me and my mother has supported me through them.

Never have I wondered if her teaching wasn’t true
I have always trusted my mother's guidance and advice.

When she speaks, she whispers gently, never does she shout
My mother's approach is gentle and patient with me.

But sometimes when I’m weary, it feels good to drown her out
However, there are times when I ignore her wise counsel because I am tired of hearing it.

Give me a reason why
I need a justification for facing the truth in the silence and stillness.

I should let it lie
I am tempted to continue living in denial and avoiding the truth.

Stillness is a woman I’m too cowardly to kiss
I am afraid to fully embrace silence and stillness, as it would require me to confront the truth.

A hallowed thing too holy for my unclean lips
I feel unworthy of the purity and sanctity that comes with fully embracing silence and stillness.

She told me she loved me, but I ran away and hid
Silence has the potential to offer me love and acceptance, but I have rejected it out of fear.

I’m convinced she’d do the same if she saw beneath my skin
I am convinced that silence would reject me if it saw the true nature of my heart and soul.

Quiet, I’m listening this time
I am ready to truly listen to the silence and embrace its truth.

I need you on my side
I am longing for the support that silence and stillness can offer me.

I’m out of reasons why
I am done making excuses and hiding from the truth.

I can’t keep up this fight
I am tired of fighting against the inevitable truth.

I want to feel alive
I am ready to face the truth and finally experience true life and freedom.

Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ISAAC WAYNE HORN, LINCOLN DANIEL MICK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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