Best known as founding members of the spirited and unpredictable rock trio The Slip, brothers Andrew and Brad Barr had spent most of the 90s criss-crossing North America. In the spring of 2004, the band was playing a small club in Montreal, QC when a fire broke out in the venue. They grabbed a few guitars/drums and rushed out onto the rainy street with the rest of the concert goers. As the club's mezzanine was swallowed by flames, Andrew offered his coat to one of the waitresses from the bar. One year later, Brad and Andrew Barr were living in Montreal. That waitress is now one of their managers.
In his first apartment in the new city, Brad shared an adjoining wall with Sarah Page, a classically-trained harpist from Montreal, whose melodies would seep through the cracks of the wall and into the music Brad was writing. From this nebulous relationship, a friendship developed and the brothers, with Sarah, began recording and performing around Montreal. Soon, their friend and multi-instrumentalist Andres Vial was brought in to lend his wide array of expertise to the outfit, playing keyboards, bass, vibes, percussion, and singing. In 2006 they began to call themselves The Barr Brothers.
Let There Be Horses
The Barr Brothers Lyrics
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You would not be the woman that you are
If someone could mend your troubled heart
That would be easier
but that would be wrong
Water,
Sometimes I think my cup might overfill
Sayin' you can have this one
after I'm done
Oh, let me hear music
Like you hear music
Like you were just born
Oh, let there be horses
Let there be danger
Let there be one song
A song for the little man
A song for his wife
and his two charmed children's children and his noble life
People,
Want love but have little for themselves
They pray for a stranger to lift their veil
That would be everyone
That would be us
Children,
That would never keep us from itself
We'll dance through a window
We reap and yell
But you are a daughter
You are a son
Oh, let me have patience
Like you have patience
Like you were old
Oh, let there be horses
There will be danger
Let there be one song
A song for the little man
A song for his wife
and his two charmed children's children and his noble life
The lyrics of "Let There Be Horses" by The Barr Brothers speak to the complexities of life and the struggles people face. The first verse is addressed to a woman named Mary whose heart is troubled. The singer acknowledges that it would be easier to have someone come along and mend her broken heart, but he also recognizes that such a solution would be wrong. Mary's troubles are part of who she is and cannot simply be fixed.
The second verse talks about water and the feeling that one's cup might overfill. This could represent the overwhelming nature of life's challenges. The idea that God and the Devil may have struck a deal further emphasizes this point. Life is full of both positive and negative experiences, and sometimes it can be hard to keep them in balance.
The chorus then calls for music and horses, which are both symbols of freedom and escape. There is a desire to experience life as if one were just born, with all the possibilities ahead. The call for a song for the little man and his family suggests a desire for community and solidarity in the face of life's challenges. The final verse brings things back to the idea of struggle, with a reference to people who want love but have little for themselves. The idea of praying for a stranger to lift one's veil speaks to the hope that someone else may be able to help ease the burden of one's troubles.
Overall, the lyrics of "Let There Be Horses" are an ode to the complexities of life and the struggles that people face. The call for music and horses represents a yearning for freedom and escape, while the references to the little man and his family speak to a desire for community and solidarity.
Line by Line Meaning
Mary,
The person addressed is named Mary.
You would not be the woman that you are
Mary's life experiences have shaped her into the person she is today.
If someone could mend your troubled heart
Mary has experienced heartache and someone offering an easy solution would not be helpful.
That would be easier
Mending Mary's heart would be simpler but not necessarily better for her growth.
but that would be wrong
Offering a quick fix for Mary's problems would not be morally justified.
Water,
The topic changes to water.
Sometimes I think my cup might overfill
The singer feels overwhelmed by their circumstances.
As if God and the Devil had struck a deal
The artist feels like they are being tested by opposing forces.
Sayin' you can have this one
The forces are agreeing to divide what the artist has.
after I'm done
The forces will take turns testing the artist's limits.
Oh, let me hear music
The singer wants to experience music in a certain way.
Like you hear music
The artist wants to perceive music as someone else does.
Like you were just born
The singer wants to experience music with fresh ears.
Oh, let there be horses
The singer wants horses to exist.
Let there be danger
The singer is okay with accepting the risks that come with having horses.
Let there be one song
The artist prefers a straightforward, simple song.
A song for the little man
The artist's song is for ordinary people.
A song for his wife
The singer's song is for a married couple.
and his two charmed children's children and his noble life
The singer's song extends beyond the married couple's children to their grandchildren and beyond to enhance their life experiences.
People,
The topic changes to people.
Want love but have little for themselves
People crave love, but they have a hard time loving themselves.
They pray for a stranger to lift their veil
People look to others to help them overcome their barriers and reveal their true selves.
That would be everyone
This issue applies to everyone.
That would be us
The artist and Mary are included in this group of people who struggle with self-love.
Children,
The topic changes to children.
That would never keep us from itself
Children never let anything get in the way of their joy or sense of wonder.
We'll dance through a window
Children will find joy even in unexpected places like dancing through a window.
We reap and yell
Children will also have fun while playing outside, even if it means yelling and being rowdy.
But you are a daughter
Mary is someone's daughter.
You are a son
The singer is someone's son.
Oh, let me have patience
The singer wants to possess the same trait as someone else.
Like you have patience
The artist admires someone's patience and wants to emulate them.
Like you were old
The artist sees being old as a marker of possessing great patience.
There will be danger
The artist understands that taking risks, as with horses, comes with danger.
Contributed by Riley O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.