From http://www.dukepitchforks.com/

Founded in 1979, The Pitchforks … Read Full Bio ↴From http://www.dukepitchforks.com/

Founded in 1979, The Pitchforks are the oldest a cappella group at Duke University. They perform across campus and North Carolina throughout the academic year, appearing in venues ranging from dorm common rooms to professional sports arenas. They have sung the national anthem at Chicago Bulls and Duke Basketball games, showcased themselves before the Queen of Jordan, and even opened for Ben Folds at Duke's Last Day of Classes in the spring of 2009. The group has twice won the CARA Award for Best Male Collegiate Album in the nation with its 2006 release, Bring It Back, and its 2008 release, Disconcert. The Pitchforks' most recent album, All In, was released last August and has been awarded runner-up for Best Male Collegiate Album as well as winner of Best Male Collegiate Song and Best Male Collegiate Arrangement for its hit single, "Fireflies."

Black and Gold
The Pitchforks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If the fish swam out of the ocean
And grew legs and they started walking
And the apes climbed down fron the trees
And grew tall and talking
And the stars fell out of the sky
And my tears rolled into the ocean
And now I'm looking for a reason why
You even set my world into motion

'Casue if you're not really here
Then the the stars don't even matter
Now I'm filled to the top with fear
Thats it's all just a bunch of matter
'Cause if you're not really here
I don't wanna be either
I wanna be next to you
Black and gold, black and gold, black and gold

Mmmm

I look up into thenight sky
I thousands eyes staring back
All all around these golden beackons
I see nothing but black
I feel the weight of something beyond me
I don't see what I can feel
If vision is the only validation
Then most of my ife isn't real

'Cause if you're not really here
Then the stars don't really matter
Now I'm filled with fear
That it's all just a bunch of matter
'Cause if you're not really here
I don't wanna be either
I wanna be next to you
Black and gold, black and gold, black and gold
(Black and gold, black and gold, black and gold, black and gold, black and gold and)

Mmmm
Black and goldd, black and gold, black and gold
Oh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

'Cause if you're not really here
Then the stars don't even matter
Now I'm filled to the top with fear
That it's all just a bunch of matter
'Cause if you're not really here
I don't wanna be either

I wanna be, next to you
Black and gold, black and gold, black and gold

Overall Meaning

The Pitchforks' Black and Gold is a song about longing and fear of the unknown. The lyrics depict a scenario where everything seems to be falling apart and the only thing that makes sense is the presence of a loved one. The opening lines utilize an almost surreal scene where fish have legs and apes can talk, but it is the absence of the loved one that makes everything feel like a dream. The fear of the unknown is further elaborated on in the next verse, using the stars and the night sky as a metaphor for the vastness of the world and the sense of insignificance that it creates. The chorus repeats the phrase "black and gold" as a representation of the desire to be by the loved one's side no matter what.

The track's lyrics use strong imagery and simple words to convey a complex feeling. The use of "black and gold" as a phrase to represent the loved one is an interesting choice, as black and gold is often associated with wealth and luxury. However, in this case, it represents something more valuable than money or material things. It represents a feeling of safety, warmth, and familiarity. The chorus repeats this phrase multiple times to reinforce its importance.

Overall, Black and Gold is a simple yet compelling song that uses strong imagery and emotions to create a picture of longing and the fear of being alone. The simplistic approach to the lyrics and the repetitive chorus help to drive home the central message of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

If the fish swam out of the ocean And grew legs and they started walking
Imagining impossible events happening in the world.

And the apes climbed down from the trees And grew tall and talking
Continuing to imagine impossible events happening in the world.

And the stars fell out of the sky And my tears rolled into the ocean And now I'm looking for a reason why You even set my world into motion
Feeling overwhelmed and searching for the meaning behind everything.

'Cause if you're not really here Then the stars don't even matter Now I'm filled to the top with fear That it's all just a bunch of matter
Realizing that without someone special, life loses its meaning and becomes insignificant.

'Cause if you're not really here I don't wanna be either I wanna be next to you Black and gold, black and gold, black and gold
Expressing a strong desire to be with that special someone.

I look up into the night sky I thousands eyes staring back All all around these golden beacons I see nothing but black
Feeling small and insignificant in the vastness of the universe.

I feel the weight of something beyond me I don't see what I can feel If vision is the only validation Then most of my life isn't real
Feeling a deep, unexplainable emotion that cannot be seen or proven.

Contributed by Sydney R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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