Then Came the Morning, the second album by the Southern-born, Brooklyn-based indie-folk trio the Lone Bellow, opens with a crest of churchly piano, a patter of drums, and a fanfare of voices harmonizing like a sunrise. It’s a powerful introduction, enormous and overwhelming, as Zach Williams, Brian Elmquist, and Kanene Pipkin testify mightily to life’s great struggles and joys, heralding the morning that dispels the dark night: “Then came the morning! It was bright, like the light that you kept from your smile!” Working with producer Aaron Dessner of the National, the Lone Bellow has created a sound that mixes folk sincerity, gospel fervor, even heavy metal thunder, but the heart of the band is harmony: three voices united in a lone bellow.
"The feeling I get singing with Zach and Brian is completely natural and wholly electrifying,” says Kanene. “Our voices feel like they were made to sing together."
Long before they combined their voices, the three members of the Lone Bellow were singing on their own. Brian had been writing and recording as a solo artist for more than a decade, with three albums under his own name. Kanene and her husband Jason were living in Beijing, China, hosting open mic nights, playing at local clubs and teaching music lessons. Zach began writing songs in the wake of a family tragedy: After his wife was thrown from a horse, he spent days in the hospital at her bedside, bracing for the worst news. The journal he kept during this period would eventually become his first batch of songs as a solo artist. Happily, his wife made a full recovery.
When Kanene’s brother asked her and Zach to sing “O Happy Day” together at his wedding, they discovered their voices fit together beautifully, but starting a band together seemed impossible when they lived on opposite sides of the world. Brian soon relocated to New York and Kanene moved there to attend culinary school a couple years later. The three got together in their new hometown to work on a few songs of Zach’s, he’d been chipping away at the scene as a solo artist for awhile by then. After hitting those first harmonies did they decide to abandon all other pursuits. Soon the trio was playing all over the city, although they considered Rockwood Music Hall on the Lower East Side to be their home. They opened for the Civil Wars, Dwight Yokam, Brandi Carlile and the Avett Brothers, and their self-titled debut, produced by Nashville’s Charlie Peacock (the Civil Wars, Holly Williams) and released in January 2013, established them as one of the boldest new acts in the Americana movement.
After two hard years of constant touring, the band was exhausted but excited. By 2014, they had written nearly 40 songs on the road and were eager to get them down on tape. After putting together a list of dream producers, they reached out to their first choice, the National guitarist Aaron Dessner, who has helmed albums by the L.A. indie-rock group Local Natives and New York singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten.
“It occurred to me that it would be fun to get together and make music with them,” says Aaron. “My main interest in producing records is community and friendship more than making money. I already do a lot of traveling and working with the National, so when I have to time to work with other artists, it should be fun and meaningful.”
“Aaron is just so kind,” Zach says. “And he has surrounded himself with all these incredibly talented people, like Jonathan Low, the engineer. His brother Bryce [Dessner, also a guitarist for the National] wrote these amazing brass and string arrangements, and he got some of his friends to play with us.”
Dessner and the Lone Bellow spent two weeks recording at Dreamland in upstate New York, a nineteenth-century church that had been converted into a homey studio. The singers found the space to inspire the emotional gravity necessary for the material and the acoustics they were looking for. (For Kanene, Dreamland had one other bonus: “I’m a big Muppets fan, and it looks exactly like the church where Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem lived.”)
Aaron set them up in a circle in what had once been the sanctuary, with microphones hanging in the rafters to capture the sound of their voices bleeding together. Most of the vocals were recorded in single takes, a tactic that adds urgency to songs like “Heaven Don’t Call Me Home” and “If You Don’t Love Me.” “There were a couple of times when somebody sang the wrong word or hit a bad note, and we just had to keep going,” says Zach, who says that recording “Marietta” in particular was daunting—especially the moment near the end when he hits an anguished high note, bends it even higher, and holds it for an impossibly long time. It’s a startling display of vocal range, but it’s also almost unbearably raw in its emotional honesty.
“‘Marietta’ is probably the darkest song on the whole record,” Zach explains, “and it’s based on something that happened between my wife and me. The band was getting ready to record that song when all of a sudden my wife showed up with our youngest baby. It was a great surprise, a beautiful moment. So I was able to go out and sing that song, knowing she was there to help me carry the moment.”
“These are true stories,” says Brian. “These aren’t things we made up. We tried to write some songs that had nothing to do with our personal stories, but we just didn’t respond to them. But we’re best buds, so we know each others’ personal stuff and trust each other to figure out what needs to be said and how to say it.” Case in point: Brian wrote “Call to War” about his own struggles during his twenties, but gave the song to Kanene to sing. “The content is painful and brutal,” she says, “but the imagery, the vocals, they build something delicate and ethereal. That kind of contrast illuminates the true beauty and power of a song.”
Says Brian, “We do this one thing together, and we carry each other. Hopefully that makes the listener want to be a part of it. It becomes a communal thing, which means that there’s never a sad song to sing. It’s more a celebration of the light and the dark.”
-Descendant Records
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Bleeding Out
The Lone Bellow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Even if all the dogs in the pound let me know
Saying it's never over, it never ends
Grab the guns and the ammo, let us descend
To the darkest of prisons and break their defense
We will rattle the cages, rules will be bent
Oh, remind us our days are all numbered not spent
And peace, it comes easy, like mist on a ridge
Breathing in, breathing out, the salt in my mouth
Gives me hope that I'll bleed something worth bleeding out
Breathing in, breathing out, the salt in my mouth
Gives me hope that I'll bleed something worth bleeding out
All the horoscopes tell us to break all our ties
To our families and loved ones we leave when we fly
To these cities we think we need in our lives
Oh, you Manhattan jungle, you tangle our pride
Breathing in, breathing out, the salt in my mouth
Gives me hope that I'll bleed something worth bleeding out
Breathing in, breathing out, the salt in my mouth
Gives me hope that I'll bleed something worth bleeding out
All the buildings, they lean and they smile down on us
And they shout from their rooftops words we can't trust
Like "you're dead, you are tired, you're ruined, you're dust
Oh, you won't amount to nothing, like tanks full of rust"
But we scream back at them from below on the street
All in unison we sing, our time's been redeemed
We are all of the beauty that has not been seen
We are full of the color that's never been dreamed
Where nothing we need ever dies
Where nothing we need ever dies
Where nothing we need ever dies
Breathing in, breathing out, the salt in my mouth
Gives me hope that I'll bleed something worth bleeding out
Breathing in, breathing out, the salt in my mouth
Gives me hope that I'll bleed something worth bleeding out
Breathing in, breathing out, the salt in my mouth
Gives me hope that I'll bleed something worth bleeding out
Breathing in, breathing out, the salt in my mouth
Gives me hope that I'll bleed something worth bleeding out
The Lone Bellow's song "Bleeding Out" essentially conveys how amidst all the difficulties and negativities in life, we should still hold on to hope and keep fighting. The song starts off with the singer acknowledging the state of loneliness and being broke, but even then, he is not willing to give up. He says that even if everything around him is telling him that it's over, he will not give up. He wants to break the barriers and rules, and show that every day counts. Peace and hope come easy, like mist on a ridge.
The lyrics then shift towards the pressures and stress that we face in our daily lives - from the pressure of having to break ties with our loved ones, to living up to society's expectations. However, the buildings around us that seem to judge us cannot diminish our spirit or hope. We should all come together as one and make our time worthwhile, fill it with as much beauty as possible. The salt in the mouth represents the tears and sweat we shed while fighting for what we believe in, and it gives the hope that the struggle is worth it when we bleed out something valuable.
Overall, the song is a powerful message of hope and resilience, urging us not to give up, even when we face difficulties in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Even if I was lonely, even if I was broke
I am willing to endure hardships and challenges, even if I am alone and financially struggling.
Even if all the dogs in the pound let me know
No matter how many setbacks and failures I encounter, I won't give up or lose hope.
Saying it's never over, it never ends
I believe that there is always a chance to make a change and to keep working towards my goals even when things don't seem to be going my way.
Grab the guns and the ammo, let us descend
Let's prepare ourselves and take bold action to overcome obstacles and achieve our objectives.
To the darkest of prisons and break their defense
We will not let any challenge stop us, even the most difficult and seemingly impossible ones.
We will rattle the cages, rules will be bent
We will challenge the norms and conventions that limit us, and we will push beyond the boundaries that confine us.
Oh, remind us our days are all numbered not spent
We should remember that our time is limited and we should make the most of it by pursuing our passions and living our lives to the fullest.
And peace, it comes easy, like mist on a ridge
When we are true to ourselves and live with purpose, we find inner peace that is serene and effortless like a fog rising over a mountain.
Breathing in, breathing out, the salt in my mouth
As I take in and exhale deep breaths, the saltiness in my mouth reminds me of the struggles I've faced and the victories I've achieved.
Gives me hope that I'll bleed something worth bleeding out
This hope inspires me to continue striving for my goals and passions, even if it means enduring pain and sacrifice.
All the horoscopes tell us to break all our ties
Society and culture often dictate what we should do, but we should make our own choices and not be bound by expectations or predictions.
To our families and loved ones we leave when we fly
We may need to distance ourselves from those close to us to pursue our own paths and dreams, but we carry their love with us always.
To these cities we think we need in our lives
We may feel drawn to the allure of the big city or its opportunities, but we should also consider what truly matters to us in life.
Oh, you Manhattan jungle, you tangle our pride
The city can be both enticing and challenging, and it can be easy to feel lost or overwhelmed by its fast-paced lifestyle.
All the buildings, they lean and they smile down on us
The structures around us can seem imposing and almost mocking in their presence, but we should not let them intimidate or discourage us.
And they shout from their rooftops words we can't trust
The world can be misleading and full of deceit, and we should be wary of relying too much on external influences or messaging.
Like "you're dead, you are tired, you're ruined, you're dust
Negative thoughts and criticisms can be debilitating, but they should not define us or keep us from pursuing our dreams.
Oh, you won't amount to nothing, like tanks full of rust"
Despite the doubts and naysayers, we have the power to prove them wrong and achieve great things that will leave a lasting legacy.
But we scream back at them from below on the street
We should never give up or be silenced, but rather speak out and fight for what we believe in, no matter how difficult it may seem.
All in unison we sing, our time's been redeemed
Together, we can encourage and uplift one another, and through our collective efforts and collective successes, we can redeem our time and reach our full potential.
We are all of the beauty that has not been seen
We each have our own unique beauty and talents to share with the world, and by expressing them, we can inspire and delight others.
We are full of the color that's never been dreamed
Our potential is limitless, and we have the power to create and imagine new possibilities that have never been seen or thought of before.
Where nothing we need ever dies
When we focus on what truly matters to us and pursue it with passion and conviction, it will never truly die or fade away.
Breathing in, breathing out, the salt in my mouth
As I take in and exhale deep breaths, the saltiness in my mouth reminds me of the struggles I've faced and the victories I've achieved.
Gives me hope that I'll bleed something worth bleeding out
This hope inspires me to continue striving for my goals and passions, even if it means enduring pain and sacrifice.
Breathing in, breathing out, the salt in my mouth
As I take in and exhale deep breaths, the saltiness in my mouth reminds me of the struggles I've faced and the victories I've achieved.
Gives me hope that I'll bleed something worth bleeding out
This hope inspires me to continue striving for my goals and passions, even if it means enduring pain and sacrifice.
Breathing in, breathing out, the salt in my mouth
As I take in and exhale deep breaths, the saltiness in my mouth reminds me of the struggles I've faced and the victories I've achieved.
Gives me hope that I'll bleed something worth bleeding out
This hope inspires me to continue striving for my goals and passions, even if it means enduring pain and sacrifice.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, TWENTY TEN MUSIC
Written by: BRIAN ELMQUIST, CHARLIE PEACOCK, MATTHEW KNAPP, ZACH WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind