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.
Slow Dance
The Tallest Man on Earth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sure I'm coming back
But I walk along and meet up a tree line
Cover up at last
And they're raging at the beach for some light
But like the birds I was given all this time
And to stop believing in the returning
I went on
So vaguely I still hear the bands but not
What's going on
I guess they're raging at the beach for some light
But like the birds they're forgiven every time
But then I know that I'm a stranger in this land
And I wake you up by speaking what you cannot understand, no
All I said was there were mountains in my way
But they're slowly disappearing
And I balance when I feel you to my skin
In times like these even travelers can win
To be high in trees when they walk
Just forth and back and out
And the vessel's gone and I will stay to
Figure this one out
I bet they're raging in the seas for some light
And like all birds they're given all this time
And now I hold on fall is greeting me to stay
And we slow dance in the kitchen and I dream the days away, oh
And just like Lucinda's you are right on time
There are louder cities somewhere
But I don't think I'll be back where ringing stays
In a place like this I should never feel afraid
Get around
This is handsome life
I guess my rhythm grew
Through my darker time, oh
I was not the killer I was one just setting sail
With the fear of sideway winds just turning
Downward with the hail
Oh, I was raging in the field for some light
But like the birds I was forgiven with this time
In this sunlight I just can't believe your face
We're some laundry line believers
We're just kids in many ways, oh
And you smell like smoke and honey in my arms
I'm somewhere in some falling and I'm learning of your language for to say
In times like these I should never grow away
The Tallest Man on Earth's song "Slow Dance" is a song about a person who goes on a journey to find themselves, but ends up feeling like a stranger in the land they return to. The journey has changed them, and they struggle to connect with those around them. The lyrics describe the person walking along a tree line, covering up, and feeling like they have been given all this time. They hear the bands, but cannot fully connect to what's going on around them. The person acknowledges that they are a stranger in the land they are in and that they wake people up by speaking a language they cannot understand. They mention mountains that were in their way, but are slowly disappearing.
Line by Line Meaning
And so to be one to lie to the captain
I want to be the one who lies to the captain
Sure I'm coming back
I promise to return
But I walk along and meet up a tree line
I walk and come across a line of trees
Cover up at last
Finally, I'm able to take cover
And they're raging at the beach for some light
People are angry at the beach for some reason
But like the birds I was given all this time
But like the birds, I have been given time to fly away
And to stop believing in the returning
I stopped believing in the possibility of returning
I went on
I continued my journey
So vaguely I still hear the bands but not
I can still barely hear the music, but it's distant
What's going on
I don't understand what's happening
I guess they're raging at the beach for some light
I suppose people are still angry at the beach
But like the birds they're forgiven every time
But like the birds, they are always forgiven
But then I know that I'm a stranger in this land
I realize that I am a foreigner in this place
And I wake you up by speaking what you cannot understand, no
I unintentionally wake you up by speaking in a foreign language
All I said was there were mountains in my way
All I mentioned was that there were obstacles in my path
But they're slowly disappearing
But those obstacles are gradually fading away
And I balance when I feel you to my skin
I feel grounded when you are close to me
In times like these even travelers can win
Even in difficult times, travelers can succeed
To be high in trees when they walk
To be perched high in a tree while people walk below
Just forth and back and out
Just moving back and forth
And the vessel's gone and I will stay to
The boat has left, but I will remain
Figure this one out
I will try to solve this problem
I bet they're raging in the seas for some light
I think people are angry in the ocean for some reason
And like all birds they're given all this time
But like birds, they have time to fly away
And now I hold on fall is greeting me to stay
I embrace the arrival of fall and want to stay
And we slow dance in the kitchen and I dream the days away, oh
We dance slowly in the kitchen, and time seems to stop
And just like Lucinda's you are right on time
Like Lucinda Williams' songs, you always come at the right time
There are louder cities somewhere
There are cities with more noise somewhere
But I don't think I'll be back where ringing stays
But I don't think I'll return to where it's always loud
In a place like this I should never feel afraid
I should never feel scared in a place like this
Get around
Move around
This is handsome life
This is a good life
I guess my rhythm grew
I suppose my rhythm developed over time
Through my darker time, oh
During my difficult moments
I was not the killer I was one just setting sail
I'm not a murderer, just someone who started a journey
With the fear of sideway winds just turning
Fearing side winds knocking me off course
Downward with the hail
Falling down with hail
Oh, I was raging in the field for some light
I was furious in the field for some reason
But like the birds I was forgiven with this time
But, like birds, I was given time to fly away
In this sunlight I just can't believe your face
In this sunshine, I can't believe how beautiful you are
We're some laundry line believers
We believe like we're holding onto a clothesline
We're just kids in many ways, oh
We're still young and naive in many ways
And you smell like smoke and honey in my arms
Your scent reminds me of smoke and honey when you're close to me
I'm somewhere in some falling and I'm learning of your language for to say
I'm falling for you and learning how to express my love for you
In times like these I should never grow away
In difficult times, I should never distance myself from you
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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