Two years after the release of their critically-acclaimed album Say Somethi… Read Full Bio ↴Two years after the release of their critically-acclaimed album Say Something, Brooklyn’s indie pop quartet Via Audio releases their sophomore opus, Animalore, a melting pot collection of eccentric sounds- songs infused with fairy tales, folklore, science fiction, romance, seduction, and adventure.
Via Audio was formed in 2003 in between classes at the infamous Berklee College of Music in Boston. After releasing a self-titled EP on the small independent Kill Normal Records in 2004, the band first garnered attention when Death Cab for Cutie’s guitarist Chris Walla dubbed them his “new favorite band,” in his column for Under the Radar Magazine.
They soon after caught the attention of Spoon drummer Jim Eno, who would become their longtime producer, collaborator and comrade. With Eno’s help behind the board, Via Audio released their first full-length, Say Something, in 2007 on California-based indie label Sidecho Records. Pitchfork Media described Say Something as having “such a beautiful gloss over everything that it sticks, hurts, and feels delicious" and the album received accolades from Spin, Nylon, Under the Radar, Alternative Press, theTripwire, and Stereogum, among others. The band has since toured the U.S. and Japan alongside the likes of Spoon, White Rabbits, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Ha Ha Tonka, and Modern Skirts, making appearances at the South By Southwest, Monolith, and CMJ festivals.
Shutting themselves up again in Eno’s Austin, Texas home studio in 2009, the group tackled their latest songbook- the lo-fi electronics of “Digital,” the soul-infused funk of “Goldrush,” the ethereal surf-lament of “Wanted,” the glittery R&B pop of “Babies”- as Eno carefully and artfully crafted different sonic palettes for each unique song on Animalore. The result is an album that plays like a pop-up book for adults, bursting with vivid colors and secret corridors at the turn of every page.

Goldrush
Via Audio Lyrics

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I've heard whispers and tail of a gold rush,
and digging through the hills to find your lives.
Soon they'll sail through days and they'll melt away
mansions made skin and ivory white
All I want is to be with you
from the worries that wait to worry me

Ahhh~ I want that gold

I'm gonna bring it home
I'm gonna put my feet on the road
I want that gold
I'm gonna bring it home
I'm gonna put my feet on the road
and get that gold

you were sparkling down like a snow flake
through maple trees everything was green
your silver glaze arranged as if to say
gold is only good as what it needs
If I look I will forget that shine
you're reflection will penetrate my mind
So flow into the light

I want that gold
I'm gonna bring it home
I'm gonna put my feet on the road
I want that gold
I'm gonna bring it home

I'm gonna put my feet on the road
and get that gold

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Via Audio's "Goldrush" are filled with thoughts of wealth, ambition, and love. The song starts with the mention of a "gold rush," which has been whispered and talked about. The idea of people digging through hills to find their lives suggests the desperation people face in their search for success and happiness. The lines "Soon they'll sail through days and they'll melt away/mansions made skin and ivory white" paint a picture of dreams and ambition melting away like snowflakes.

The singer then expresses her desire to be with her loved one and escape the worries that wait to worry her. She wants to obtain the gold, put her feet on the road and bring it home. The repetition of "I want that gold, I'm gonna bring it home, I'm gonna put my feet on the road, and get that gold" reinforces the theme of ambition and the need to achieve goals.

The second verse of the song takes a slightly different turn, with the mention of a snowflake sparkling down through maple trees. The snowflake's silver glaze and reflection are compared to the allure of gold. The singer admits that if she looks too closely at the snowflake, she will forget its shine and become lost in thought. The line "you're reflection will penetrate my mind/so flow into the light" suggests that the singer wants to let go of her thoughts and be one with her love.

Overall, the song talks about the pursuit of goals and the desire for wealth and love. The lyrics are open to interpretation, with the mention of a gold rush possibly representing anything from the California gold rush to the search for success and ambition.

Line by Line Meaning

I've heard whispers and tail of a gold rush,
I've heard rumors of a gold rush and the frenzy it creates.

and digging through the hills to find your lives.
People are searching for untold wealth by digging through hills.

Soon they'll sail through days and they'll melt away
The wealth acquired during the gold rush will be short-lived.

mansions made skin and ivory white
People will build lavish mansions with their newfound wealth.

All I want is to be with you
The singer wants to be with the person they care about during this tumultuous time.

from the worries that wait to worry me
Being with that person will help alleviate their worries.

Ahhh~ I want that gold
The singer is desperate to obtain wealth.

I'm gonna bring it home
The singer will bring the gold back for themselves.

I'm gonna put my feet on the road
The singer is ready to embark on a journey to obtain that gold.

you were sparkling down like a snow flake
The person the singer cares about is described as radiant and beautiful.

through maple trees everything was green
The imagery around the person is vibrant and full of life.

your silver glaze arranged as if to say
The person's appearance and demeanor indicates that gold isn't the only desirable thing in life.

gold is only good as what it needs
The person sees gold as a means to an end, not an end in itself.

If I look I will forget that shine
However, the singer is afraid that their desire for gold will make them forget the value of other important things in life.

you're reflection will penetrate my mind
In other words, the person's influence on the singer is powerful and lasting.

So flow into the light
The singer wants to stay true to what is important and not let their desire for gold corrupt them.

I want that gold
The singer is still fixated on obtaining wealth.

I'm gonna bring it home
The singer is still committed to obtaining the gold for themselves.

I'm gonna put my feet on the road
The singer is ready to embark on that journey again, despite their previous concerns.

and get that gold
The singer will stop at nothing to obtain that gold.

Contributed by Amelia E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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