Connecting The Dawdler's floating works to the sonic heft of Edgar's band-driven outpourings is a continuum of mournful sentiment and connection to narrative - crafting songs and tales based loved ones pervades throughout. “I live in a flat with walls and floors made of paper,” explain Edgar. “I hear the neighbours, they hear me. Over the last couple of years, when I write music I plug my guitar and microphone in, put my headphones on, and play and sing at a whisper… Some of the tunes were recorded entirely in my room of paper walls.”
“It’s easy to feel completely alienated and alone when you see the world as totally impersonal, abhorrently superficial, violent, and selfish,” Edgar continues. “Escaping from this through alcohol and drugs, existing within an Agatha Christie novel or the world of Inspector Morse, fully immersed, detached from reality. Songs [from 'Keith In Ballachulish'] such as ‘Around Eve’, ‘Feast on the Calm’, and ‘Soup For One’ express this way of life.”
These delicate compositions nestle against the more assertive rallying cries of ‘Mr. Sot’ and ‘Sylvie’, the latter proclaiming “give the demons hell, bloody tooth and nail” and “you’ve a heart that bleeds, big enough for three”, as though a sonic representation of a person picks themselves off the floor until standing as strong as a highland mountain over an empowering 3 minutes. Across much of the album Edgar is aided by longtime friends and collaborators Will Thorneycroft and David Turnbull, who fill out a number of arrangements with synth, cello, piano, autoharp and additional vocals.
“Let me talk about Keith,” John begins. “Keith is in his 70s, he’s a widower, and his family are all dead. Every conversation is tinged with death and ill health. I’m sometimes overwhelmed by the weight of the sadness and nostalgia when he recounts stories of his past. The eponymous track is a verbatim account of what occurred when Keith said goodbye to his wife in Ballachulish, a quaint village in West Scotland. The album draws upon memory and stories like this. As with ‘Flickering Out’, ’Pete’, ‘Donald’, and ‘Jimmy and Steve ’94’. Snippets of nostalgia and memory that blur and fade.”
“‘Keith in Ballachulish’. It’s the kind of thing you would find written on the back of an old beaten up photograph.”
credits
released May 10, 2019
Music & Lyrics by The Dawdler
Mixed & Produced by Will Thorneycroft
Mastered by Tom Woodhead
Artwork by Wolfgang Paradisio
Contributors;
Will Thorneycroft
David Turnbull
James King
Mark Brown
Break
The Dawdler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're the only who talks
Make little flames from your fingertips
Shape them like a dinosaur
Do you really think that nothing ever comes home
I don't want to wake up
Every time my heart just breaks
California sounds nice this time of year
We could get a little stoned
I never thought it could feel so far
I've never felt such weight
Are we really floating over sleeping angels
I don't want to wake up
Every time my heart just breaks
The lyrics to The Dawdler's song "Break" delve into themes of loneliness, longing, and the inability to find solace amidst heartbreak. The opening lines, "Hold up the moon and say goodnight, You're the only who talks, Make little flames from your fingertips, Shape them like a dinosaur," paint a picture of a character who yearns for connection and comfort. The act of holding up the moon and talking suggests a desire to find solace in something bigger than oneself, while the creation of flame dinosaurs may represent a childlike attempt to escape from reality.
The next set of lines, "Do you really think that nothing ever comes home, I don't want to wake up, Every time my heart just breaks," express a sense of disillusionment and fear of emotional pain. The character questions whether there is any hope for finding fulfillment or a sense of belonging. The desire to avoid waking up from a state of blissful ignorance suggests a deep fear of facing the harsh reality of heartbreak and disappointment.
The mention of California and the suggestion of getting stoned implies a desire to escape one's current circumstances and find relief in a different environment. However, the distance and weightiness that the character feels suggest that physical relocation alone cannot solve their emotional struggles. They've never felt such weight, indicating an overwhelming burden that goes beyond geographical location.
The closing lines, "Are we really floating over sleeping angels, I don't want to wake up, Every time my heart just breaks," allude to a dreamlike state where the character questions the nature of their existence. The mention of sleeping angels suggests a sense of otherworldliness or a longing for transcendence. Once again, the character expresses a desire to avoid facing the pain that comes with a breaking heart, indicating a fear of vulnerability and emotional turmoil.
Overall, the lyrics to "Break" by The Dawdler convey a sense of longing, disillusionment, and the desire to escape from emotional pain, all while questioning the nature of existence and searching for solace in various forms.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold up the moon and say goodnight
Expressing the desire to create a magical moment and bid farewell to someone.
You're the only who talks
Acknowledging the uniqueness of the person being addressed, who is the only one who communicates.
Make little flames from your fingertips
Having the ability to produce small fires with one's hands, symbolizing creativity and power.
Shape them like a dinosaur
Showing the ability to transform the flame into something resembling a prehistoric creature, representing imagination and playfulness.
Do you really think that nothing ever comes home
Questioning the belief that nothing ever returns or finds its way back to its origin.
I don't want to wake up
Expressing a reluctancy to face reality or be fully conscious.
Every time my heart just breaks
Referring to the constant emotional pain that is experienced.
California sounds nice this time of year
California is described as appealing during a particular season, suggesting a desire for a pleasant and enjoyable environment.
We could get a little stoned
Suggesting the idea of consuming cannabis to relax and alter one's state of mind.
I never thought it could feel so far
Expressing surprise at the emotional distance or detachment that is experienced.
I've never felt such weight
Acknowledging the intensity or heaviness of the emotions being felt.
Are we really floating over sleeping angels
Questioning the possibility of being in a state of bliss or tranquility, reminiscent of angels sleeping.
I don't want to wake up
Reiterating the reluctance to face reality or be fully conscious.
Every time my heart just breaks
Reiterating the repeated experience of emotional pain.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: John Edgar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind