Born of the 2010's folk boom and now comfortably stationed in their rock an… Read Full Bio ↴Born of the 2010's folk boom and now comfortably stationed in their rock and roll era, The Crane Wives epitomize the evolving sound of the indie genre. Having performed hundreds of shows on stages across the country, they gravitate toward high-energy melodies, featuring the kinetic percussion of Dan Rickabus, the silky, driving bass lines of Ben Zito and playful guitar leads from front women Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury. Counterbalancing their lively stage presence, their lyrics extol the shadow side of the human condition, delving into mythology and themes of darkness and inner conflict. The band softens the blows of their emotional candor with soulful three-part vocal harmonies, like a 21st century Cerberus, the hound of Hades reimagined as an emotional support animal. To date, they have released five full length albums, including their 2020 live album, "Here I Am".

The Diving Bell
The Crane Wives Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I will drown for you
Sink to black from blue
And let the water win

Wear you 'round my waist
Hold your heart like waves
Open my lungs to let you in

Oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh
Oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh

I descend so well
In an open diving bell
The beauty of the deep

Far into abyss
In your silent lips
Call me, will I sleep?

Swallow my heart whole
Sink me like a stone
I am not afraid
Of anything

The warmth against my ear
Echo heartbeats here
Crashing inside my head

Far too soon for this
But I am all in
No matter how it ends

Water rushes in
I will welcome it
I am not afraid
To give you everything

I am not afraid
To give you everything

Oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh
Oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh

Oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh
Oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Crane Wives's song "The Diving Bell" speak about a willingness to sacrifice everything for the one you love. The singer pledges to drown for their loved one, to wear them around their waist like the ocean's waves, and to open their lungs to let them in. They are not afraid of the deep abyss and are able to descend well in an open diving bell. They are willing to take that risk and allow the water to win, to let themselves be consumed by it. If their loved one calls them from the silent lips, they will descend far into the abyss and ask if they will sleep, giving themselves completely to the unknown. They welcome the water rushing in and are not afraid to give everything they have to their beloved.

The song speaks of a love that is all-encompassing, all-consuming, and yet incredibly beautiful. It is a love that transcends fear and, instead, embraces the unknown. The lyrically beautiful and poetic verse in the song speaks of the pain of deep love and the willingness to take a risk and give everything for it. It is a beautiful love song that is not about the happy and easy parts of love, but about the deep and raw feelings that make it so powerful and real.

Line by Line Meaning

I will drown for you
I am willing to sacrifice myself for you

Sink to black from blue
I am willing to sink into despair for you

And let the water win
I will surrender to my emotions for you

Wear you 'round my waist
I will keep you close to me

Hold your heart like waves
I will protect your heart like it's part of me

Open my lungs to let you in
I will expose myself to vulnerability for you

I descend so well
I am comfortable in the darkness for you

In an open diving bell
I am open to exploration for you

The beauty of the deep
I am entranced by your mystery

Far into abyss
I am willing to go deep for you

In your silent lips
I hear the power of your stillness