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.
Underneath the Falls
The Handsome Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Underneath the falls
Deep in the roar of water
He slowly dreams the world
And those who venture close
To that shadow 'neath the sea,
They fall asleep forever
In the eddy of the reeds
Don't listen, don't listen to the call
Turn away, away, from the whisper in the falls
On the first summer nights
The windows open wide
The world expands in darkness
Black waters rushing by
There are hunters in the hedges
There are whispers in the green
The soaking mud is hungry
Closer now it seeps
Don't listen, don't listen to the call
Turn away, away, from the hissing in the walls
Be careful summer nights
Keep the windows closed
Outside the yard is crawling
The heavy branches bow
In heat the world remembers
When all rushed with the sea
In heat the old waves rise again
To claim what has crawled free
Don't listen, don't listen to the call
Turn away, away, from the one beneath the falls
Don't listen, don't listen to the call
Turn away, away, from the one beneath the falls
The Handsome Family's hauntingly beautiful song "Underneath The Falls" paints a vivid portrait of a mysterious creature that exists deep within the confines of a waterfall. The lyrics describe a ‘green one’ that sleeps beneath the falls and dreams world in the roar of water, luring wayward travelers towards it with the promise of endless sleep. Those who venture too close fall into an eternal slumber in the eddy of the reeds. The song plays out like a dark lullaby warning us against the seductive temptation to listen to the whispers, hissing, and calls of this hidden entity.
The imagery of the lyrics transports listeners into a vivid and eerie world that exists just beyond our own. The song speaks of the dangers of venturing too close to the unknown, reminding us that things may not always be as they seem. The phrase "don't listen, don't listen to the call" repeats throughout the song, as if the singer is desperately trying to warn us to stay away.
Overall, "Underneath The Falls" is a masterful song that expertly blends lyrics, melody, and sound to create a haunting and unforgettable experience for listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
The green one sleeps
There is something or someone sleeping under the waterfalls.
Underneath the falls
This person or thing is located deep beneath the falls.
Deep in the roar of water
The roar of the falls is a constant sound that this creature is surrounded by.
He slowly dreams the world
This entity is dreaming about the world, taking its time to do so.
And those who venture close
People who come near the shadow in the water risk something dangerous.
To that shadow 'neath the sea,
There is a shadow beneath the water where this entity is located.
They fall asleep forever
If someone gets too close to the shadow in the water, they will fall asleep forever.
In the eddy of the reeds
The force of the water around the reeds traps the person who falls asleep.
Don't listen, don't listen to the call
There is something dangerous that is calling out to people, but they should ignore it.
Turn away, away, from the whisper in the falls
People should not be curious about what is whispering in the falls but should avoid it at all costs.
On the first summer nights
The events in the song take place during the first summer nights.
The windows open wide
The windows in the area are open during these nights.
The world expands in darkness
The darkness of the night makes everything seem larger and more ominous.
Black waters rushing by
There is a sense of urgency and danger coming from the rushing water.
There are hunters in the hedges
There are people or beings hiding in the hedges.
There are whispers in the green
There are inexplicable whispers coming from the foliage.
The soaking mud is hungry
The mud is dangerous and could trap and swallow anything that gets too close.
Closer now it seeps
The mud is slowly encroaching on the area.
Don't listen, don't listen to the call
The dangerous entity is still calling out to people, and they should still ignore it.
Turn away, away, from the hissing in the walls
There is some kind of hissing noise coming from the walls that people should avoid.
Be careful summer nights
People should exercise caution during summer nights in this area.
Keep the windows closed
It's better to keep the windows shut to avoid potential danger.
Outside the yard is crawling
It's not safe to venture out into the yard because something dangerous is out there.
The heavy branches bow
The branches of the trees in the area are bending heavily.
In heat the world remembers
The heat of the summer nights recalls something from the past.
When all rushed with the sea
There was a time in the past when everything was different, and the sea had more power.
In heat the old waves rise again
The heat of the summer nights can cause the old waves to rise again, representing power and danger.
To claim what has crawled free
The old waves are trying to take back what has been freed from their grasp, possibly referring to the dangerous creature under the falls.
Don't listen, don't listen to the call
The same message is reiterated to avoid the dangerous entity's call.
Turn away, away, from the one beneath the falls
People should avoid the dangerous entity underneath the falls at all costs.
Writer(s): Brett Sparks, Rennie Sparks
Contributed by Hunter B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alam Coss
Reminds me of The Call of Cthulu by Lovecraft. I love it.
feliperaurich
tantas referencias. Un tema 'clásico '