In 2004, Elverum abandoned the "Microphones" name to begin recording as Mount Eerie, briefly returning in December 2007 when he began selling a new 7" single by the Microphones ("Don't Smoke" / "Get Off the Internet") on his website and at concerts.
In 2020, Elverum returned to the Microphones name once more to release the project's 14th album Microphones in 2020. Microphones members/collaborators include Karl Blau, Dennis Driscoll, Kyle Field aka Little Wings, Mirah, Khaela Maricich aka The Blow, Adrian Orange aka Thanksgiving, Adam Forkner and K Records' founder, Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening and the Halo Benders.
I'm A Pearl Diver
The Microphones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I spend the night on the shore.
I'm a breath holding pearl diver.
I live on the ocean floor.
I was born in 78 and I grew up on an island.
I learned early on the value of the pearl,
I aged and my lungs aged and my strength,
it grew and grew
I tried beaches and bays that I found along the way
and I made my pay from the pearls I found each day.
Sleeping on the sand, scars on my hands,
here's how I lived my final day.
I woke up early this one morning
cause I had a weird feeling about that day.
I should have noticed the grey cloudy warning
but I swam mysely out into the bay
I dove down deep to feel around
between the rocks and the mud.
There was a sound that dropped down towards me,
a pearly voice from above.
It said, "Wait around,
make yourself drown,
I'll be right down and we'll go to town
and forever just float around."
So I waited and waited and waited and waited
and my weight went away and just went off.
Ssssalty water poured into my lungs
and my precious pearl diver's hands just went soft.
The Microphones' "I'm A Pearl Diver" is a haunting song that tells the story of a hardworking pearl diver who spends his life on the ocean floor. The song starts with the singer introducing himself as a pearl diver who spends nights on the shore and dives deep into the ocean. He was born and raised on an island, where he learned the value of pearls. He says that he has tried many beaches and bays along the way and has made his living by finding pearls. The song takes a chilling turn when the singer talks about his final day. He wakes up one morning with a strange feeling but decides to dive anyway. He hears a pearly voice calling him from above and asks him to wait around. Eventually, the weight of the water drowns him, and his precious pearl diver's hands go soft.
The song is a poignant and moving song that can be interpreted in many ways. Some critics suggest that the song is about greed, loss, and the fleeting nature of life. The singer spends his life diving for pearls and finds temporary pleasure in his work. However, in the end, he realizes the futility of his efforts, and everything he worked for disappears into the water. The song's melancholic tone underscores the sense of loss that the singer feels.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a hard working pearl diver.
I am a dedicated individual who puts in great effort to collect valuable pearls from the ocean.
I spend the night on the shore.
I stay near the beach to rest before and after my deep-sea diving activities.
I'm a breath holding pearl diver.
I am skilled in holding my breath for significant periods of time to search for pearls underwater.
I live on the ocean floor.
During my dives, I go to the depths of the ocean floor in search of pearls.
I was born in 78 and I grew up on an island.
I was born in 1978, and my early life was spent on an island where I was exposed to the value of pearls.
I learned early on the value of the pearl,
From a young age, I was taught the worth of pearls and the rewards they could bring.
I aged and my lungs aged and my strength,
As I grew older, my physical ability to hold my breath and dive deeper for longer periods of time also increased.
it grew and grew until I set off out into the world.
With my growing ability, I ventured out into the world to find more pearls in new locations.
I tried beaches and bays that I found along the way and I made my pay from the pearls I found each day.
I explored various shorelines and profits from the pearls I found and sold helped me make a living.
Sleeping on the sand, scars on my hands, here's how I lived my final day.
My last day alive was spent sleeping on the sand with physical scars on my hands that had been acquired from years of diving.
I woke up early this one morning cause I had a weird feeling about that day.
On the day of my death, I had an uneasy feeling upon awakening in the morning.
I should have noticed the grey cloudy warning but I swam myself out into the bay.
Despite the warning of unfavorable weather, I continued with diving activities in the bay area.
I dove down deep to feel around between the rocks and the mud.
I dove to the bottom of the bay to search for pearls in the stones and sediment.
There was a sound that dropped down towards me, a pearly voice from above.
I heard a strange voice, with a distinctive sound that seemed to come from above the water surface.
It said, "Wait around, make yourself drown, I'll be right down and we'll go to town and forever just float around."
The mysterious voice encouraged me to stay underwater, implying that we would go to a far-off place where we would float around forever.
So I waited and waited and waited and waited and my weight went away and just went off.
In anticipation, I waited indefinitely in the water, losing touch of my physical weight and even letting go of life.
Ssssalty water poured into my lungs and my precious pearl diver's hands just went soft.
Ultimately, my lungs filled with salt water, and the hands that were once tough and skilled from years of diving, became lifeless and limp.
Contributed by Ellie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.