After the release of some EPs and singles, the group signed with Merge Records who released their second album, Long Goodbye, in 2003. After a world tour, they headed back to the studio in fall of 2005 to begin work on their third album, Cannibal Sea, which was released in March of 2006.
Carballo
The Essex Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
halfway to sleep, sleep so restlessly.
for want of a place where lovers we'd be
darling, Carballo
we'll walk the red earth
a windy Mars olive-tree covered plain
the ground started to bleed with the falling rain
darling, take my weight in gold
it forms any figure you want it to know
no need of a polish, won't rust or erode
and forever to hold
yours to hold.
The Essex Green's song "Carballo" is a beautiful tribute to love and the desire for a place to belong. The opening lines, "I lie. Halfway to sleep, sleep so restlessly," set the tone for the dreamy, introspective nature of the song. The singer is restless, perhaps in search of something more or someone with whom to share their life. They long for a place where lovers can be together, a place like "darling, Carballo."
The second verse takes us to a windswept olive tree plain on Mars, a metaphorical escape from the mundane reality of everyday life. The image of the ground bleeding with the falling rain is striking, suggesting the intensity of the emotions being expressed. Throughout the song, there is a sense of longing for a deeper connection, as evidenced by the lines "and you're holding my hand" and "yours to hold" in the final stanza. The singer is offering their love and commitment to the listener, a gift that is as precious as gold and enduring.
Overall, "Carballo" is a song about the power of love to overcome distance and uncertainty. It's a poetic meditation on the human desire for connection and belonging, and the lengths we will go to find our place in the world. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but the emotional impact of the words is undeniable.
Line by Line Meaning
i lie.
I am lying down, presumably in bed or somewhere comfortable.
halfway to sleep, sleep so restlessly.
I am not fully asleep yet, and am having trouble finding a comfortable position.
for want of a place where lovers we'd be
I am yearning for a place where my partner and I can be intimate with each other.
darling, Carballo
I am speaking to my partner, calling them by the name of a place (Carballo) that I associate with love and romance.
we'll walk the red earth
My partner and I will take a walk together on a red-colored terrain.
a windy Mars olive-tree covered plain
The terrain we are walking on is a vast, windy plain covered with olive trees, resembling the planet Mars.
the ground started to bleed with the falling rain
It is raining heavily and the red earth is being turned into mud, giving it the appearance of blood.
and you're holding my hand.
My partner is holding my hand as we walk through this picturesque but treacherous landscape.
darling, take my weight in gold
I am telling my partner they are more valuable to me than all the gold in the world.
it forms any figure you want it to know
My love for you is malleable, and will take the form you desire.
no need of a polish, won't rust or erode
My love for you is strong and will never fade or deteriorate.
and forever to hold
You will be able to hold onto my love for eternity.
yours to hold.
My love belongs to you, and only you.
Contributed by Vivian L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.