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.
Troubles Will Be Gone
The Tallest Man on Earth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And salvation in white knuckles on a wheel
And the deer is in the audience by the border of the darkness
Where forgiveness grows and slowly winds away
Well there's a question somewhere asked with all the answers inside
But I'll never find the kid before she's gone
Well the day is never done, but there's a light on where you're sleeping
But now the ghost is in my jacket and my stairs were built in anger
Winding forcefully but end up where I stand
But there are no rocks or salt and nails, I low my cannons not to kill you
Simply lost the words to tell you I'm afraid
And there's a sign up to a hill to see the far of the land
Well the sign will tell you, "Turn if there's a one"
Still the day is never done, but there's a light on where you're sleeping
So I hope somewhere that troubles will be gone
Oh darling, when it's you I see in headlights, driving down the golden highway
And salvation in the beauty of some brace
And the deer is gone without me to the valley of surrender
There is still another world along it's tracks
But there's that sign up to a hill to see the far of the land
Well the sign will say, "There's still a higher one"
And now the day is slowly setting, and the lights on where you're sleeping
So I hope somewhere that troubles will be gone
The first verse of The Tallest Man on Earth’s “Troubles Will Be Gone” opens with a vivid image of a person seeing headlights and presumably praying for their safety. The reference to white knuckles on a wheel paints a picture of anxiety and desperation. The deer being in the audience by the border of the darkness may represent the vulnerability of wildlife on the roads. The songwriter then transitions to a reflective tone and emphasizes the idea that the answers to life's questions cannot always be found. The lyrics suggest that the singer will not be able to find what they are looking for before it's too late. As difficult as it may be to accept, the singer clings to the hope that the troubles will be gone.
The second verse of the song continues to explore the theme of anger and regret. The ghost in the singer’s jacket could be a metaphor for a guilty conscience. The lyrics express that the singer is angry and may even want to lash out at someone, yet they are trying to restrain themselves. They admit to being afraid, indicating that they are building up walls instead of facing and dealing with their fears. Here the lyrics suggest a sense of internal conflict, hinting that the singer is dealing with some form of interpersonal dilemma. Again, there is a sense of hope at the end of the song, as the singer looks towards the future and wishes for a resolution to their problems.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, when it's god I see in headlights kneeling down on frozen highways
The singer is suggesting that when they see a person in religious garb driving on icy roads, they see their god present in that moment.
And salvation in white knuckles on a wheel
The singer sees salvation in the anxiety-ridden grip of someone whose life they believe to be at risk.
And the deer is in the audience by the border of the darkness
The singer is imagining a contemplative moment in the waning light of daylight where a deer takes on an audience in front of which it presents itself.
Where forgiveness grows and slowly winds away
The artist sees forgiving qualities in the fleeting beauty of a dying day, but is also mindful of the fact that this forgiveness is limited by the fact that the day inevitably comes to an end.
Well there's a question somewhere asked with all the answers inside
The artist is referring to a question that carries so much weight that all the answers they'll ever need are encapsulated within it.
But I'll never find the kid before she's gone
The singer suggests that before they can even fully form this question and find clarity in it, they will lose the opportunity to do so. Time is short.
Well the day is never done, but there's a light on where you're sleeping
The singer is pointing out that even as the day never truly ends, there's peace to be found in knowing that there's someone waiting to share a night of rest beside you.
So I hope somewhere that troubles will be gone
The artist desires a place outside of reality where they can escape from their troubles.
But now the ghost is in my jacket and my stairs were built in anger
The artist seems to be speaking metaphorically about the presence of a spectre - perhaps a feeling of guilt or remorse - within themselves as well as the anger that's been building within them over a long period of time.
Winding forcefully but end up where I stand
The artist is acknowledging that even when they take forceful action to cope with the anger and regret that's devouring them, they don't make much progress. Ultimately, they often find themselves stuck.
But there are no rocks or salt and nails, I low my cannons not to kill you
The singer is pointing out that while they're angry and have weapons they can use against their enemies, they choose not to harm others with them. Their anger is internalized and does them more harm than others.
Simply lost the words to tell you I'm afraid
The artist is communicating that their anger and regret has a root cause in their own internal feeling of fear which is so intense that they often can't translate it into words.
And there's a sign up to a hill to see the far of the land
The singer sees a sign atop a hill and imagines themselves standing in front of it, anticipating the joys and hope that landscape might bring. Their thought casts them into the future, and drains them of presence.
Well the sign will tell you, "Turn if there's a one"
The singer interprets the sign as advising someone to turn their life around if they're lucky enough to even have such an option.
Still the day is never done, but there's a light on where you're sleeping
The singer is pointing out that even as the day never truly ends, there's peace to be found in knowing that there's someone waiting to share a night of rest beside you.
So I hope somewhere that troubles will be gone
The artist desires a place outside of reality where they can escape from their troubles.
Oh darling, when it's you I see in headlights, driving down the golden highway
The artist is envisioning their loved one - their darling - as a driver on a beautiful road that holds the promise of a good life ahead. Their hope is that their beloved will walk that path with them.
And salvation in the beauty of some brace
The singer sees a kind of security in the unique combination of beauty and bravery they see in their loved one.
And the deer is gone without me to the valley of surrender
The singer is saying that they have been for too long in a state of internal conflict, like a deer uncertainly standing at the edge of a new environment, uncertain of what lies ahead.
There is still another world along it's tracks
The artist suggests that even as one world fades away into the past, new opportunities are always emerging to replace it.
But there's that sign up to a hill to see the far of the land
The artist sees a sign which they interpret as offering hope - of the possibility of standing atop that mountain and beholding the other side with a sense of wonder.
Well the sign will say, "There's still a higher one"
The artist feels that even when everything seems to be going well, there's still always something further up ahead that they can strive for perhaps a higher level of contentment or achievement.
And now the day is slowly setting, and the lights on where you're sleeping
The singer is pointing out that their sense of time is moving swiftly towards the end of the day, but they take some solace in the fact that there's someone they love waiting for them at home.
So I hope somewhere that troubles will be gone
The artist desires a place outside of reality where they can escape from their troubles.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Kristian Matsson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@inquisitivelittlebird
"Troubles Will Be Gone"
Oh, when it's god I see in headlights kneeling down on frozen highways
And salvation in white knuckles on a wheel
And the deer is in the audience by the border of the darkness
Where forgiveness grows and slowly winds away
Well there's a question somewhere asked with all the answers inside
But I'll never find the kid before she's gone
Well the day is never done, but there's a light on where you're sleeping
So I hope somewhere that troubles will be gone
But now the ghost is in my jacket and my stairs were built in anger
Winding forcefully but end up where I stand
But there are no rocks or salt and nails, I low my cannons not to kill you
Simply lost the words to tell you I'm afraid
And there's a sign up to a hill to see the far of the land
Well the sign will tell you, "Turn if there's a one"
Still the day is never done, but there's a light on where you're sleeping
So I hope somewhere that troubles will be gone
Oh darling, when it's you I see in headlights, driving down the golden highway
And salvation in the beauty of some brace
And the deer is gone without me to the valley of surrender
There is still another world along it's tracks
But there's that sign up to a hill to see the far of the land
Well the sign will say, "There's still a higher one"
And now the day is slowly setting, and the lights on where you're sleeping
So I hope somewhere that troubles will be gone
@jordanthomas4379
I remember listening to this all the time walking to and from high school years ago, such great music.
@svviftghost
We're probably around the same age I graduated 09'
@ronniet6078
Underrated genius!
@kunoislisteningto
agreed
@luandersonmonteiroferraz6471
daquelas musicas que te levam pra longe...
@tupacshakur8515
Beautiful art. Shame the recognition is lacking.
@inquisitivelittlebird
"Troubles Will Be Gone"
Oh, when it's god I see in headlights kneeling down on frozen highways
And salvation in white knuckles on a wheel
And the deer is in the audience by the border of the darkness
Where forgiveness grows and slowly winds away
Well there's a question somewhere asked with all the answers inside
But I'll never find the kid before she's gone
Well the day is never done, but there's a light on where you're sleeping
So I hope somewhere that troubles will be gone
But now the ghost is in my jacket and my stairs were built in anger
Winding forcefully but end up where I stand
But there are no rocks or salt and nails, I low my cannons not to kill you
Simply lost the words to tell you I'm afraid
And there's a sign up to a hill to see the far of the land
Well the sign will tell you, "Turn if there's a one"
Still the day is never done, but there's a light on where you're sleeping
So I hope somewhere that troubles will be gone
Oh darling, when it's you I see in headlights, driving down the golden highway
And salvation in the beauty of some brace
And the deer is gone without me to the valley of surrender
There is still another world along it's tracks
But there's that sign up to a hill to see the far of the land
Well the sign will say, "There's still a higher one"
And now the day is slowly setting, and the lights on where you're sleeping
So I hope somewhere that troubles will be gone
@randomguy4781
ty
@traianmusatescu9045
recognition is here. money maybe not. bot not everytning is for sale
@smiley27b
love this song so much!