Williams and White met in 2008, during a song-writing session or "writing camp" at a music studio in Nashville, Tennessee. According to Williams, the idea for the band's name came as she "was driving around town looking at all the Civil War monuments." Their first recording was of a 2009 performance at Eddie's Attic in Georgia which they released as a free Internet download called Live at Eddie's Attic. Later that year, they released a digital extended-play album, called Poison & Wine, produced by Charlie Peacock, and the title song appeared on the TV show Grey's Anatomy.
In 2011, The Civil Wars released the album Barton Hollow; which reached No. 12 on the Billboard 200 chart, No. 54 on the UK Albums Chart and received Grammy nominations in the Best Folk Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance categories. The album was included on several critics' Best Albums of 2011 lists, including NPR Music, Paste, Time, Associated Press, AllMusic.com The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly and USA Today. They released the singles "Tracks in the Snow" and "Safe & Sound".
In 2012, The Civil Wars partnered with T-Bone Burnett on the film score for the documentary A Place At The Table (previously known as Finding North) and collaborated on the song "Lily Love" with The Chieftains. They released a 7" vinyl album with cover versions of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and Portishead's "Sour Times" in April. The duo was featured in American Way magazine, USA Today, on the cover of Billboard, and released a photo book called To Whom It May Concern.
In November 2012, the duo went on hiatus, citing "internal discord and irreconcilable differences of ambition". In August 2014, The Civil Wars announced an official break-up through press release.
Eavesdrop
The Civil Wars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just want your arms wrapped around
Me and this moment before it runs out
Oh, don't say that it's over
Oh, no, say it ain't so
Let's let the stars watch, let them stare
Let the wind eavesdrop, I don't care
Just hold me
I can't pull you closer than this
It's just you and the moon on my skin
Oh, who says it ever has to end
Oh, don't say that it's over
Oh, no, say it ain't so
Let's let the stars watch, let them stare
Let the wind eavesdrop, I don't care
For all that we've got don't let go
Let's let the stars watch let them stare
Let the wind eavesdrop I don't care
For all that we've got don't let go
Just hold, just hold me
Just hold me
Just hold me
Just hold me
The lyrics to The Civil War's song Eavesdrop beautifully capture a moment of intense intimacy between two people who are aware that their time together is fleeting. The singer pleads with their partner to hold them tight and savor the present moment, not allowing their love to slip away. The image of the stars watching and the wind eavesdropping adds to the sense that this is a private, sacred moment that the rest of the world is not privy to.
The lines "I can't pull you closer than this/it's just you and the moon on my skin" are particularly evocative, painting a sensual picture of the physical closeness between the two lovers. The repetition of "just hold me" at the end of the song drives home the desire for this moment to last as long as possible.
Overall, the lyrics to Eavesdrop capture the bittersweet quality of intense, fleeting love, and the desire to hold onto it with all your might for as long as possible.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to talk right now
I don't want to discuss our problems or anything else; I just want your physical presence to comfort me.
I just want your arms wrapped around
I want you to hold me tightly and keep me warm and safe in this moment.
Me and this moment before it runs out
I want to savor this moment that we have together at this very moment, because I know it won't last forever.
Oh, don't say that it's over
Please don't declare that our relationship is finished, or that this particular moment we're sharing is coming to an end.
Oh, no, say it ain't so
I'm begging you not to say that our time together is finished, or that you're going to leave me.
Let's let the stars watch, let them stare
We should feel free to show our love to each other, even if the outside world is watching and judging us.
Let the wind eavesdrop, I don't care
We should feel free to speak our hearts and minds to each other, even if the elements are listening in.
For all that we've got, don't let it go
We've built something special together, and I don't want to lose it.
Just hold me
All I want is for you to continue holding me and letting me feel your love and warmth.
I can't pull you closer than this
I'm already holding you as tightly as I possibly can, trying to emphasize how much you mean to me.
It's just you and the moon on my skin
It's just the two of us together in this peaceful, intimate moment.
Oh, who says it ever has to end
Why does our time together have to come to an end? Can't we just stay in this moment forever?
For all that we've got don't let go
We have something special and rare that we need to hold on to tightly and not let go.
Just hold, just hold me
Please don't stop holding me; let me continue to feel your love and support.
Just hold me
All I want is for you to continue holding me and letting me feel your love and warmth.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, TWENTY TEN MUSIC
Written by: CHARLIE PEACOCK, JOHN WHITE, JOY WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
rozyy21
My 2 favorite sets of lyrics from this song:
Let's let the stars watch, let them stare
Let the wind eavesdrop, I don't care
For all that we've got, don't let go
Just hold me
I can't pull you closer than this
It's just you and the moon on my skin
(how can you not fall in love with them with lyrics like these)
Ozan Alpaslan
I don’t want to talk right now
I just want your arms wrapped around
Me in this moment
Before it runs out
Oh don’t say that it’s over
Oh no say it ain’t so
Let’s let the stars watch
Let them stare
Let the wind eavesdrop
I don’t care
For all that we’ve got, don’t let go
Just hold me
I can’t pull you closer than this
It’s just you and the moon on my skin
Oh who says it ever has to end
Oh don’t say that it’s over
Oh no say it ain’t so
Let’s let the stars watch
Let them stare
Let the wind eavesdrop
I don’t care
For all that we’ve got, don’t let go
Just hold me
Let’s let the stars watch
Let them stare
Let the wind eavesdrop
I don’t care
For all that we’ve got, don’t let go
Just hold me
Just hold me
Just hold me
Just hold me
Just hold me
Sofia
It's 2019 and I'm STILL SAD that they are not making music together anymore. I always dreamed of seeing them live one day...
C W
It's 2020 and I'm still so sad I only got to see them ONCE, right before they broke up! They were instantly my favorite music.
Damaris Rivera
Same. It was really upsetting that they couldn't work through things. The energy of this album was so different. 💔
frizzij
I will never get over it to be honest. They both still make solo music and as much as I love John Paul White, joy Williams still makes music in the style of the civil wars and her new album is so good
Chellee Rebel
It’s 1 month shy of 2022 and I’m still heartbroken that these two are adamant on not getting back together for the sake of beautiful music.
Sofia
Honestly, I don't think any of us will ever get over this 😅 All the emotions they conveyed in such a raw and beautiful way through their music...it's simply unmatched, it was magical. And we, the fans, are still here, after all this time 🖤
thebenefitofthedoubt
I'm not sure what it is about this track that makes it one of my favorites off the album. It is slightly haunting and incredibly evocative. I love the tenseness of the melody, and the lyrics, as always, are wonderful. Hopefully their problems will diminish and Joy and John Paul will be able to write together again. Individually they are gifted, and together their talent is such that shouldn't be held back. I wish them the best.
smartalek180
That was perfectly put.
They do have responsibilities to other people than us...
If they can work it out, and be back in operation, so much the better.
If not, well, it just makes what we got from them while we could all the more precious for its rarity.
Joy Rusinova
So I'm 6 years late in finding this masterpiece. Better late than never.
KD Isac
I just discovered them last week ! In love