Vetiver is an American folk band headed by songwriter Andy Cabic and often … Read Full Bio ↴Vetiver is an American folk band headed by songwriter Andy Cabic and often joined by Devendra Banhart, cellist Alissa Anderson, and violinist Jim Gaylord. They released their debut album Vetiver in 2004 on the small indie folk label DiCristina. Since the album's release Vetiver has toured extensively, opening for and collaborating with Devendra Banhart and Joanna Newsom. Before moving to San Francisco Cabic was a member of the North Carolina indie rock band The Raymond Brake who released some records on the now-defunct Simple Machines label. The band is named after the grass, vetiver. Their music has been described as 'surreal', 'lullingly pleasant', 'tender and accessible' and 'quirky and warm'.

Idle Ties
Vetiver Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I walk alone, but I feel ya there,
Smiling upon me, I wonder
What you have drawn on your hands today,
Runes to show you remember.

Idle ties, ink and dyes
Woven/Open arms, open wide,
You're with me tonight.

Put on a tape that you made for me,
It's got Marc Bolan and Vashti
Ringin' my ear like a mission bell
Come and go dive in the inkwell

Idle ties, sink and sigh.
Token charms kept near by,
You're with me tonight.

Now the wind answers your telephone
Come on, sing the city soft now
Well it'll get to her once you're underground.
Signal can't _____

Idle ties, sing and sigh

Open arms, open wide.
You're with me tonight.

Overall Meaning

The song Idle Ties by Vetiver is a poignant and introspective reflection on the concept of memory and its impact on our lives. The lyrics describe the feeling of walking alone yet feeling the presence of a loved one nearby, smiling and remembering fondly. The mention of runes drawn on the hands suggests an effort to manifest memories physically, as a way of holding onto them. The singer also mentions receiving a mixed tape from this person, filled with musical icons like Marc Bolan and Vashti Bunyan, reinforcing the idea of clinging to nostalgic memories. The imagery of "diving into the inkwell" gives the sense of being submerged in memories, escaping reality for a moment.

As the song progresses, we see the notion of memory change and evolve. The singer implies that eventually, memory fades, and we are left with nothing but tokens of remembrance. This is depicted with the lines "idle ties, sink and sigh, token charms kept near by." The final stanza brings this theme full circle, as now it's the singer's memory, preserved in song, that is reaching out to retrieve an answer. The final line, "you're with me tonight," completes the central message of the song: that even when memories and connections fade, we keep them alive by continually revisiting them.

Line by Line Meaning

I walk alone, but I feel ya there,
Although I'm physically alone, I sense your presence with me.

Smiling upon me, I wonder
I am grateful for your support and wonder what you are thinking as you look upon me with a smile.

What you have drawn on your hands today,
I am curious about the symbols or runes you may have drawn on your hands as a reminder of our connection.

Runes to show you remember.
The symbols on your hands remind you of our bond and close relationship.

Idle ties, ink and dyes
Our bond may seem idle or insignificant to others, but it is strong and enduring, like ink and dyes that bind and color fabric.

Woven/Open arms, open wide,
Our bond is like a woven fabric, or an opening in the arms that invites us to embrace each other.

You're with me tonight.
Even though we may be physically apart, our connection is strong and you are with me in spirit.

Put on a tape that you made for me,
I listen to the mix tape you made for me, and it reminds me of the songs and artists that evoke memories of our time together.

It's got Marc Bolan and Vashti
The tape contains songs from artists like Marc Bolan and Vashti Bunyan that we both enjoy and share a connection to.

Ringin' my ear like a mission bell
The music on the tape is so powerful that it fills my ears and rings in my mind like a mission bell calling me to action or to be present in the moment.

Come and go dive in the inkwell
Let's immerse ourselves in the creative process, symbolized by diving into an inkwell, and explore our connection through new artistic endeavors or experiences.

Token charms kept near by,
I keep small reminders of you, such as tokens or charms, nearby to comfort and inspire me when I feel down or need a boost of inspiration or love.

Now the wind answers your telephone
Although we may be apart, I feel a sense of connection and understanding through the wind that carries your voice as if you were talking to me on the phone.

Come on, sing the city soft now
As we connect through our emotions and shared experiences, we let the city around us soften and become a peaceful, transformative force in our lives.

Well it'll get to her once you're underground.
Although we may have challenges or obstacles between us, I trust that our connection will endure and reach its destination or goal, even if it takes time and patience to realize.

Signal can't _____
This line is incomplete and does not provide enough context to determine its intended message or meaning.

Idle ties, sing and sigh
Our connection may seem small or insignificant to others, but it holds incredible emotional weight and significance, like a poignant song or a heartfelt sigh.

Open arms, open wide.
We are open and receptive to each other's love and support, symbolized by open arms that welcome us in and share our warmth and compassion.

You're with me tonight.
Our connection transcends distance, time, and space, and we are connected and close even when we are physically apart.

Contributed by Christopher A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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