Their live performances, generally at smaller venues, showcase their use of three-part harmony and southern rock feel, and are admired for being intense, energetic, and soulful. The Avetts have been picking up steam opening for Dave Matthews Band and playing SXSW and Newport Folk Festival.
Talk On Indolence
The Avett Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Readin' and writin' and readin' and thinkin'
And searching for reasons and missing the seasons.
The Autumn, the Spring, the Summer, the snow.
The record will stop and the record will go.
Latches latched the windows down,
The dog coming in and the dog going out.
Constantly worried about what I've got.
Distracting my work but I can't make a stop
And my confidence on and my confidence off.
And I sink to the bottom and rise to the top
And I think to myself that I do this a lot.
World outside just goes
It goes it goes it goes it goes it goes
And witness it all from the blinds of my window.
Three, four
I'm a little nervous 'bout what you'll think
When you see me in my swimming trunks
And last night in New York I got raging drunk
Remember one time I got raging drunk with you
Now, I can recall a time when we made the city
Streets our playground, kissing in the fountains
Filled with cigarettes and bottles
Sped through Italian city streets of cobblestone
Because we had to
Because I loved you
Because the damned alcohol
Because what ever at all
Now I've grown to aware of my mortality
To let go and forget about dying
Long enough to drop the hammer down
And let the indolence go wild and flying through
Because we had to
Because I loved you
Because we had to
Because we had to
Because we had to
Because we had to
Because we had to
Because we had to
In "Talk On Indolence," The Avett Brothers present a portrait of a person who has withdrawn from society and becomes consumed with his own thoughts and concerns. The song has an introspective quality and deals with the themes of self-doubt, fear, and mortality. The opening verse describes how the singer has isolated himself in his home and has been reading, writing, thinking, and searching for reasons. He is missing out on the beauty of seasons and nature outside his window. The line "the record will stop and the record will go" suggests the transient nature of life and how one can easily miss out on experiences if they are not fully present and engaged.
The second verse reveals a sense of anxiety and restlessness. The singer is constantly worried about what he has and what he does not have, and this is distracting him from his work. He experiences moments of confidence and moments of doubt, and he feels like he's stuck in a cycle of sinking to the bottom and rising to the top. The chorus states that while the world outside moves on, the singer is stuck inside and watching from his window.
In the last verse, the singer reminisces about a time when he and someone special made the city their playground. They were wild and careless, drunk on alcohol and love. But now the singer is more aware of his mortality and can no longer afford to be reckless. However, he is still holding onto those memories because they were significant and life-altering. Again, the chorus repeats the idea that they did what they did because they had to, and because they loved each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I've been lockin' myself up in my house for sometime now
For a while now, I've been isolating myself from the world in the comfort of my home
Readin' and writin' and readin' and thinkin'
I spend most of my time reading and writing, and pondering over what I read and wrote
And searching for reasons and missing the seasons.
I'm trying to find answers, while feeling the absence of the different seasons of the year
The Autumn, the Spring, the Summer, the snow.
I miss the unique features and characteristics of all the different seasons
The record will stop and the record will go.
Things come and go, and they do so without any control or influence from me
Latches latched the windows down,
I've closed and secured the windows in my house with latches
The dog coming in and the dog going out.
My dog keeps coming in and out of the house as it pleases
Up with caffeine and down with a shot.
I consume caffeine to stay alert and alcohol to numb my anxiety
Constantly worried about what I've got.
I'm always anxious about my possessions, my achievements, and my overall status in life
Distracting my work but I can't make a stop
These worries interfere with my work, but I can't seem to stop obsessing over them
And my confidence on and my confidence off.
My self-assurance fluctuates between highs and lows
And I sink to the bottom and rise to the top
I experience extreme emotions, ranging from deep sadness to euphoria
And I think to myself that I do this a lot.
I reflect on how this pattern of behavior is not new to me, and how it's become a part of who I am
World outside just goes
The world outside my house continues to move on and change, regardless of my isolation
It goes it goes it goes it goes it goes
The world moves on without stopping, like an unstoppable force
And witness it all from the blinds of my window.
I watch the outside world from the safety and comfort of my home
I'm a little nervous 'bout what you'll think
I'm anxious about how other people perceive me
When you see me in my swimming trunks
I'm specifically anxious about being seen in a vulnerable state, such as wearing swimming trunks
And last night in New York I got raging drunk
I recently indulged in excessive drinking while in New York
Remember one time I got raging drunk with you
I recall a time when we were both drunk together and had a good time
Now, I can recall a time when we made the city
I have a fond memory of a time when we had fun in the city
Streets our playground, kissing in the fountains
We enjoyed our time together in the city, exploring and being affectionate with each other
Filled with cigarettes and bottles
We were smoking and drinking during our city adventure
Sped through Italian city streets of cobblestone
We had a thrilling experience driving quickly through the streets of Italy that were made of cobblestones
Because we had to
We did all of these things due to a certain necessity, desire or obligation
Because I loved you
I was motivated to do these things because of my love for you
Because the damned alcohol
Alcohol played a significant role in our city adventure and the feelings that fueled it
Because what ever at all
Overall, our city adventure was due to a combination of factors, not just one specific reason
Now I've grown too aware of my mortality
As I've gotten older, I've become more conscious of the finite nature of human life
To let go and forget about dying
I try to let go of my anxiety about death and just live in the present moment
Long enough to drop the hammer down
I push myself to take action and make life decisions without letting my anxiety get in the way
And let the indolence go wild and flying through
I allow myself to let loose and indulge in laziness, free from the pressure of anxiety
Because we had to
Just like how we had to do things in the past for specific reasons, in this moment, I have to let myself indulge in indolence due to my need for respite
Because I loved you
As I let myself relax, I remember how my love for you motivated me to do things that were out of my comfort zone in the past
Because we had to
Just like the past, the present moment also calls for certain actions and decisions, albeit different ones
Because we had to
Overall, our life is a continuous cycle of doing what we have to do, successful or not, based on our motivations, desires and circumstances
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ROBERT WILLIAM CRAWFORD, SCOTT YANCEY AVETT, TIMOTHY SETH AVETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jpthebeast78
Being a Wilkes county boy here in North Carolina I love seeing the Merle fest sign back there
@tobenator15
This is still the best opening song to one of the best records maybe ever.
@adaswedentr
YES
@hiboy2004
This is one of the greatest bands ever. They are stinking awesome!
@justingarman
As everything the Avett Brothers do.. All you can ever say is AMAZING!!
@ShawnChedda
Damn it's crazy how much these guys have developed the past 8 years
@ericfoster8411
I met them in an apple orchard in nj several years ago. Such amazing dudes.
@ElPresidenteFerry
These guys make bluegrass awesome for me again
@MusicIan423
we all can enjoy this band :)
@autumnhaywood1851
I wish they had more music like this. (I love and respect their other stuff! It's just that this, and colorshow, are soooooooo good!!!) Anyone have any recommendations for similar music to this & Colorshow?!?!