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.
You Would Have to Lose Your Mind
The Barr Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a song, it carries the memory still
Waited 'til the river froze, to come and find me
With your voice, speaking the words of my throat
That dream you dream of falling, out of the blue child
Like a stone, think I've been dreaming with you
We were never forced to love
You would have to lose your mind
You would have to lose your mind
You would have to lose your mind
When Icarus was falling
Burning and blinded
He was born and buried along with his pride
Woke up in the bed last night
Her features were golden
And the walls, they were crowded with symbols of lust
And then, an emperor returning
Dragging his sword from the guerre
Cutting the snow on the ground
We were never forced to love
You would have to lose your mind
You would have to lose your mind
You would have to lose your mind
The line that you were drawing
Buried in silver
You would have to lose your mind
You would have to lose your mind
Your mind, your mind, your mind, your mind
Your mind, your mind, your mind, your mind
Your mind, your mind
In "You Would Have to Lose Your Mind," The Barr Brothers seem to be exploring themes of love, memory, and loss. The song opens with a reference to the speed of love returning to a "depraved heart," which sets a contemplative tone. This is followed by a reference to a dream in which the singer falls with another person, possibly a lover. However, the singer seems to recognize that love is not something that can be forced, as evidenced by the line "We were never forced to love." The chorus repeats the title phrase, suggesting that losing one's mind may be necessary to truly experience love or to find oneself.
The middle section of the song takes a dreamlike turn, with references to the Greek myth of Icarus and an image of waking up next to someone with "golden" features. The walls are "crowded with symbols of lust," which could suggest a feeling of being overwhelmed or lost in the face of desire. The final verse introduces an emperor figure with a sword, cutting through the snow. This image could be interpreted in a number of ways, but may suggest a triumph or resolution after a period of struggle or uncertainty.
Overall, "You Would Have to Lose Your Mind" is a complex and evocative song that invites multiple interpretations. The lyrics are poetic and sometimes opaque, but the overall feeling is one of questioning, searching, and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
The speed of love returning, to my depraved heart
Love comes back quickly to impact my broken heart.
Like a song, it carries the memory still
The feeling of love carries remnants of the past.
Waited 'til the river froze, to come and find me
Waiting for a specific time before reaching out to me.
With your voice, speaking the words of my throat
Your words feel like they come directly from me.
That dream you dream of falling, out of the blue child
The dream of letting go, happens unexpectedly.
Like a stone, think I've been dreaming with you
It feels like I have been sharing a similar dream with you.
We were never forced to love
Our love was never mandated or required.
You would have to lose your mind
You would have to abandon logical thinking.
When Icarus was falling, Burning and blinded
When things are going wrong, it's hard to see beyond the pain.
He was born and buried along with his pride
Pride and ego can lead to downfall.
Woke up in the bed last night, Her features were golden, And the walls, they were crowded with symbols of lust
A dream or memory of an intense romantic and intimate encounter.
And then, an emperor returning, Dragging his sword from the guerre, Cutting the snow on the ground
Feeling powerful, with the ability to conquer and dominate.
The line that you were drawing, Buried in silver
The intentions or boundaries you set for yourself have become more valuable over time.
Writer(s): Philip Bradford Barr, Andrew Gilmore Barr, Sarah Paga
Contributed by Harper P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@joanagouveia159
You Would Have To Lose Your Mind
The Barr Brothers
The speed of love returning to my depraved heart
Like a song, it carries the memory still
You waited til' the river froze to come and find me
With your voice, speaking the words of my throat
That dream you dream of falling, out of the blue child
Like a stone, think I've been dreaming with you
We were never forced to love
You would have to lose your mind
You would have to lose your mind
You would have to lose your mind
When Icarus was falling
Burning and blinded
He was born and buried along with his pride
Woke up in the bed last night
Her features were golden
And the walls, they were crowded with symbols of lust
And then, an emperor returning
Dragging his sword from the guerre
Cutting the snow on the ground
We were never forced to love
You would have to lose your mind
You would have to lose your mind
You would have to lose your mind
@MariaEduarda-pu4le
My favorite song by far. I used to listen to it while I was pregnant and played the day before my daughter was born... this song stills plays in my head everytime i remember my pregnancy and labor, and now breastfeeding my little one. So precious. Thank you
@tristantsosie769
You should watch spinning out on Netflix. It's the best show I have ever seen I just wish they were making season 2
@brianboru8858
Absolutely brilliant track and has so many different elements to it. Really impressive music!
@_Solaris
The Barr Brothers keep the musical torch going while others snuff it out like they don't care.
These guys just get it.
@brendaantolik9040
The raw emotion and freedom of the interpretive dancer is inspirational.
@reginarannit391
I used to listen to The Barr Bros so much, it's a shame you can't catch a show unless you live in Canada. Totally forgot about them for a min. :(
@wml1950
I love this.....thank you whomever....
@lepidlolepidlo6502
YEAH !!! I knew one girl who had exactly the same spark in her, it was an element that could not be described or bound in any way, beauty itself. and your music really blew me away with the documentary Fear of Dancing, thanks for that.
@nothingzavailable
Absolutely gorgeous dancing. Ya’ll couldn’t have picked a better dancer/choreographer 👌👌👌
@deboranavega7834
I knew this song right in time I was meeting my boy, and it became like a hymn for me. These lyrics matchs so perfectly with everything I've been feeling since he came in my life. It's strange how a person you barely know, can be the love of your life, and how is strange, to be completely sure about this. I just love that man, and I wan't to spend all my days at his side. Thank u for this song, thank you for being part of the most beautiful time in my life.