Since 2006, Matsson has released four full-length albums and two EPs. He records and produces these in his home, and usually records his voice and guitar together on one track. He is known both by his fans and his enemies for his charismatic stage presence.
Critics have compared The Tallest Man on Earth to Bob Dylan both in terms of songwriting ability and vocal style. When asked about his lyrical style, Matsson explains that he began listening to Bob Dylan at fifteen, and upon hearing Dylan's cover material, he "tried to figure out where those songs came from" and became slowly exposed to early American folk, such as Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie. But he is careful to qualify this, saying "I don't consider my work to be a part of any tradition. This is how I play. This is how I write songs."
With regard to his guitar technique, Matsson uses a variety of open tunings, and standard tuning to a lesser degree. He had classical guitar training in his youth, but says he "never really focused on it" and that by the end of high school he "got bored playing guitar because it was like math", until he then discovered open tunings while listening to Nick Drake in his early twenties. He was drawn to this style of playing because it allowed him to focus on singing while still performing intricate music.
He was previously married to Amanda Bergman, also known by the stage name Idiot Wind. Together, they wrote the music for the Swedish drama film Once a Year.
1904
The Tallest Man on Earth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And there you stand, not even trying
They say it is in line with the aging
Sometimes noise is just your mind
But the lesson is vague and the lightning
Shows a deer with her mind on the moor
And now something with the sun is just different
Since they shook the earth in 1904
And it's 1902 telling people to get out
If there was a just a way I could tell them
It's been long, but you are right
The singing is slow and so quiet
Like the sound when you sweep off the floor
And now something with the dirt is just different
Since they shook the earth in 1904
When the night is young
But the bridge is up
Something passing by our shore
The only one you can tell it to
Is the only one that will know
As one rock was made to go through my window
Here is something so strange and something louder than before
You're living with no light or direction but damn precise
And now you know
That believing is hard but you go now
And you feel what you drag across the floor
And now something in these trails is just different
Since they shook the earth in 1904
Some will say it's not even healthy
But body is young and mind is sure
That at least something is alright with your thinking
Because they shook the earth in 1904.
The Tallest Man on Earth's song 1904 is a poignant ballad that evokes a sense of longing and introspection. The song opens with a line that acknowledges the gravity of the situation, "Some will say it's not even funny." The singer reflects on the human tendency to stand idly by when faced with significant challenges, "And there you stand, not even trying." The lyrics suggest that the message is often lost in the noise, but the lesson is vague, and lightning reveals only a deer with her mind on the moor.
The title of the song, 1904, refers to the year of the great San Francisco earthquake. The singer bears witness to an event that shakes the earth, leaving its mark on the landscape, and forever changing the lives of those who live within its reach. The song's final lines suggest that something in the trails isn't different since the earthquake, and some may say it's not even healthy. However, the singer concludes that at least something is okay with your thinking, because they shook the earth in 1904.
Line by Line Meaning
Some will say it's not even funny
Some people may not find it amusing
And there you stand, not even trying
You're not even attempting to be humorous
They say it is in line with the aging
The joke is deemed appropriate for older people
Sometimes noise is just your mind
Sometimes, the sounds you hear are just in your head
But the lesson is vague and the lightning
The moral is unclear, and the lightning symbolizes confusion
Shows a deer with her mind on the moor
Lightning illuminates a deer's thoughts in the moor
And now something with the sun is just different
The sun seems different now in some way
Since they shook the earth in 1904
Due to an event that caused an earthquake in 1904
As I lower down I hear it's a message
Upon reflection, I realize it's a message
And it's 1902 telling people to get out
The message is from the past, warning people to leave
If there was a just a way I could tell them
If there was only a way to communicate the warning
It's been long, but you are right
It's been a while, but you are correct
The singing is slow and so quiet
The singing is performed slowly and quietly
Like the sound when you sweep off the floor
It's as quiet as the sound of sweeping the floor
And now something with the dirt is just different
Something has changed about the soil
Since they shook the earth in 1904
Since the earthquake that shook the earth in 1904
When the night is young
At the beginning of the night
But the bridge is up
But the bridge is closed
Something passing by our shore
Something is going on near our shoreline
The only one you can tell it to
The only person who can be told is
Is the only one that will know
The only person who will understand the situation
As one rock was made to go through my window
As if someone threw a rock through my window
Here is something so strange and something louder than before
Something unusual and loud has happened
You're living with no light or direction but damn precise
You're living without guidance, but still certain
And now you know
And now you understand
That believing is hard but you go now
It can be difficult to have faith, but you continue on
And you feel what you drag across the floor
You're aware of every little thing you move
And now something in these trails is just different
Something has changed about these paths
Since they shook the earth in 1904
Since the earthquake that shook the earth in 1904
Some will say it's not even healthy
Some may argue that it's not good for you
But body is young and mind is sure
Despite this, your body is youthful and your mind is certain
That at least something is alright with your thinking
At least you're confident in your thinking
Because they shook the earth in 1904.
Due to the earthquake that shook the earth in 1904
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Kristian Matsson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kaschpa7696
Some will say it's not even funny
And there you stand, not even trying
They say it is in line with the aging
Sometimes noise is just your mind
But the lesson is vague and the lightning
Shows a deer with her mind on the moor
And now something with the sun is just different
Since they shook the earth in 1904
As I lower down I hear it's a message
And it's 1902 telling people to get out
If there was a just a way I could tell them
It's been long, but you are right
The singing is slow and so quiet
Like the sound when you sweep off the floor
And now something with the dirt is just different
Since they shook the earth in 1904
When the night is young
But the bridge is up
Something passing by our shore
The only one you can tell it to
Is the only one that will know
As one…
Goosebumps
@wesleyireland3900
Dear Sweden, Thank you. Sincerely, Canada
@P9rkour90
Im so folked up right now
@LC-le9ew
I’m just amazed and a little jealous that a Swedish person can write such poetic English.
@gleam6370
He’s swedish??? Omg
@constantin5573
@@gleam6370yes he is
@Colbbzz
This guy changed my life
@theman2618
You can tell this guy is in it for the music. 100%
@kaschpa7696
Some will say it's not even funny
And there you stand, not even trying
They say it is in line with the aging
Sometimes noise is just your mind
But the lesson is vague and the lightning
Shows a deer with her mind on the moor
And now something with the sun is just different
Since they shook the earth in 1904
As I lower down I hear it's a message
And it's 1902 telling people to get out
If there was a just a way I could tell them
It's been long, but you are right
The singing is slow and so quiet
Like the sound when you sweep off the floor
And now something with the dirt is just different
Since they shook the earth in 1904
When the night is young
But the bridge is up
Something passing by our shore
The only one you can tell it to
Is the only one that will know
As one…
Goosebumps
@daniel_ejs
The sound makes me feel kind of nostalgic
@YREHCorp
This live version is gorgeous! And he plays the guitar so hard, it's like a workout, and now he's all built up