Their seventh CD, Last Days of Wonder (June. 2006) was one of Mojo’s top ten American Albums for 2006 and called “an unqualified triumph” by Uncut. Of their sixth CD, Singing Bones, The UK’s Independent wrote, “Rarely, even in the fatalistic world of country music, has the precarious mystery of mortality been captured with such poetic grace as on Singing Bones.”
They have appeared in the movie, I’m Your Man (2005), a tribute to Leonard Cohen as well as Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus (2004). In 2004, a reader's poll in Mojo named The Handsome Family's third CD, Through the Trees one of the ten essential Americana records.
Last Days of Wonder is a collection of love songs sung in airports, garbage dumps, drive-thru windows and shark-infested waters. The CD celebrates the little miraculous moments of beauty found in everyday life: a golf course shining in the rain, hanging lights bouncing in the breeze, pigeons singing from billboards, trees blooming in squares of dirt. The songs linger on those moments when we’re pulled from the ordinary to feel awed by mystery, bewildered by beauty, terrified by the vast unknowable around us (whether we wander through shady groves or crowded parking lots).
Brett Sparks, who writes the music, draws from medieval melody, country-politan string arrangements, tin-pan alley crooners, and dusty hillbilly records to weave together the fabric of this record. Rennie Sparks, who writes the lyrics, makes magical realism from polar adventure stories, pagan hunting songs and her own time spent (like most people) riding up elevators, staring out hotel room windows, and driving interstate highways. The entire album was recorded over a year's time in the converted garage studio at the back of the Sparks' Albuquerque house. Brett recorded it all on a Mac and a whole mess of wires, microphones and little metal boxes. Alongside the usual guitar, bass and drums you will hear mellotrons, ukulele, banjo, bowed wine glasses, and trombone.
Brett and Rennie (The Handsome Family) have been married for 18 years. In their live performances The Handsome Family are sometimes up to a six-piece band and sometimes just Brett and Rennie with (or without) a laptop computer.
My Friend
The Handsome Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Calling high in the chestnut trees
The sun was so bright
That bird I couldn't see
No matter where I stood
I couldn't see beak or wing
Just burning, blinding leaves
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
When that cement truck
The mixer turning slow
Drove right past me
Dripping in the road
That swollen body
Spinning in circles
I stopped and watched it roll
Roll and groan
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
When I swam alone at night
Late summer dusk
The air so warm and still
The water wide and dark
Something brushed against me
I splashed and kicked in fright
Such cold hands upon me
Underwater vines
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
In the Handsome Family's song "My Friend," the singer describes a series of eerie and unsettling experiences: a bird calling unseen among the branches of a tree, an industrial truck dripping wet cement, and unseen hands brushing against the singer's body while swimming at night. Throughout the song, the singer repeatedly questions whether their friend was with them during these moments, and whether they are still with them now. The song creates a sense of unease and mystery, as the experiences described are never fully explained or resolved.
The song's lyrics convey a sense of isolation and disconnection from the world. The singer is caught in a moment of intense sensory experience - the brightness of the sun, the sound of the bird calling, the feel of the water - but is unable to fully connect with their environment or the people around them. The questions raised throughout the song suggest a longing for connection and a sense of comfort in the presence of a friend.
The song's haunting lyrics and eerie atmosphere have made it a fan favorite and a standout track in the Handsome Family's catalog. However, the exact meaning of the song remains somewhat mysterious, and frontman Brett Sparks has been known to offer different interpretations in interviews. Some fans have speculated that the song is about grief and mourning, while others see it as a meditation on the mysteries and hidden connections present in everyday life.
Line by Line Meaning
I swear I heard a bird
I heard a distant bird call, but couldn't see it amidst the chestnut trees.
Calling high in the chestnut trees
The bird's call seemed to be coming from high up in the canopy of the chestnut trees.
The sun was so bright
The sun was shining so intensely that it made it difficult to spot the bird.
That bird I couldn't see
Despite searching, I was unable to spot the bird that I heard calling.
No matter where I stood
I tried standing in different locations, but couldn't find the bird.
I couldn't see beak or wing
I couldn't see any part of the bird's physical appearance, not even its beak or wings.
Just burning, blinding leaves
All I could see were the bright, colorful leaves of the chestnut trees, which were blinding in the sunlight.
Still and silent trees
Despite the bird's call, the trees themselves were motionless and calm.
Were you with me then, my friend?
I wonder if you were by my side during that moment.
Are you with me now?
And if you're still here with me in the present.
When that cement truck
I recall a memory of a cement truck passing by.
The mixer turning slow
The barrel of the truck was slowly mixing its contents as it drove.
Drove right past me
The truck passed by me as I stood watching it.
Dripping in the road
The cement mixture dripping from the back of the truck onto the road below.
That swollen body
I saw a bulky object in the cement mix rolling around.
Spinning in circles
The object was spinning around in the mix as the truck moved forward.
I stopped and watched it roll
I came to a halt and kept my eyes on the object as it continued to roll.
Roll and groan
As it moved, the object made a groaning sound.
When I swam alone at night
Another memory comes to mind, of me swimming in the dark.
Late summer dusk
It was late in the summer, with a hint of darkness but still some light present.
The air so warm and still
The air around me was hot and not moving.
The water wide and dark
The water around me was wide and dark, hard to see through.
Something brushed against me
While swimming, I felt something touching me.
I splashed and kicked in fright
Startled, I reacted by splashing around and kicking my feet.
Such cold hands upon me
What touched me felt like a pair of cold hands against my skin.
Underwater vines
Eventually, I discovered that the cold sensation was caused by underwater vines.
Contributed by Dylan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Elisabeth Sperare
I swear I heard a bird
Calling high in the chestnut trees
The sun was so bright
That bird I couldn't see
No matter where I stood
I couldn't see beak or wing
Just burning, blinding leaves
Still and silent trees
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
When that cement truck
The mixer turning slow
Drove right past me
Dripping in the road
That swollen body
Spinning in circles
I stopped and watched it roll
Roll and groan
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
When I swam alone at night
Late summer dusk
The air so warm and still
The water wide and dark
Something brushed against me
I splashed and kicked in fright
Such cold hands upon me
Underwater vines
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
nestor mackno
@Roland De Gilead
...c'est vrai la musique est là ...!
Mais , même a ce niveau , les Ouzbeks sont meilleurs...!
Là on dirait du Dick Rivers au bout du rouleau.
Ces gens on fait 2 ou 3 "tubes" , signé la B.O d'une production télévisuelle...mais le reste est passable voire mauvais...!
Et ennuyant surtout....!
En ouzbékistan , on a moins de moyens , mais on produit de la chanson de meilleure qualité artistique........; mais il est vrai que nos oreilles d'Européens ont été formatées depuis 70 ans pour que tout ce qui vient des USA , nous soit "agréable" et donc consommé....!
Dans ce cas précis , c'est mauvais...mais certains ne possèdent plus les références utiles et usuelles pour juger la valeur d(une chanson....(et je ne parle pas de la traduction des paroles...! ) .
Dick Rivers copié par des Yankees ...., c'est la fin des haricots....!
Gavin Wainwright
Beautiful song. Such a haunting voice and the lyrics are masterful. Handsome Family are brilliance
The Misanthrope Man
I think this low production (really low) actually adds something to the song - it's strange. Great track.
Elisabeth Sperare
I swear I heard a bird
Calling high in the chestnut trees
The sun was so bright
That bird I couldn't see
No matter where I stood
I couldn't see beak or wing
Just burning, blinding leaves
Still and silent trees
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
When that cement truck
The mixer turning slow
Drove right past me
Dripping in the road
That swollen body
Spinning in circles
I stopped and watched it roll
Roll and groan
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
When I swam alone at night
Late summer dusk
The air so warm and still
The water wide and dark
Something brushed against me
I splashed and kicked in fright
Such cold hands upon me
Underwater vines
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
Were you with me then, my friend?
Are you with me now?
40rangers
their a conundrum i'm still trying to figure out,but brilliant doesn't do them justice,haunting words, and magnificent voices...I luckily found them by chance.thank you for enriching my life.
Jerm
So haunting and beautiful at the same time. I love these two.
Kozmique
My favorite song on the new album. Thank you for making such beautiful art.
Willie McGee
love these guys, some kickass profound music right here.
Randy D
So haunting and beautiful. What a gift!
Scott R
These guys can do no wrong. Whenever I am stuck for something to listen to they always come through.
Paul Snider
This song could be twice as long without wearing out it's welcome, it's just that good.