Wasner and Stack have been playing music together and apart in Baltimore, MD, and chose their name from the honorary state tree of Maryland. If Children is the culmination of many months of recording, polishing and perfecting to achieve what Any Given Tuesday best described as, “. .. . mingling in a room full of shoegaze, alt-country, folk, and noise, shaking hands, kissing cheeks, and making friends with everyone.” If Children is an exuberant debut – noisy and restrained in turn, Wye Oak describe their philosophy: "We'd like to think that if a song is good enough, it'll stand on its own regardless of how much noise you pile on top. On the other hand, we do like noise." Listen, and we think you will have to agree!
The droll tone and fleeting sweetness of a Yo La Tengo are cut into the more deeply textural concerns of shoegaze in the Baltimore group's work. It's an interesting alignment, given the contrast in senses of humor. But Wye Oak successfully shed tonnage from the latter without losing potency.
Keeping Company
Wye Oak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweet simple being?
I look for learning
You are the teaching
I was a body
Captured and proud
When you were thirteen
It wasn't allowed
How you said nothing
But you understood
To cross your boundary
What do you look at?
I am your body
Your only friend
You look in corners
But now I understand
The danger
Danger
Isn't over
Danger
Five years
Two months
And a day
Danger
But danger
Danger
Isn't over
Danger
Way to
Danger
I got away
Danger
I move myself softly
To your favorite groove
The page is on six
And all that I took
I seem to measure
With every inch
Until it is over
I'd do it again
You never noticed
Or else you ignored
So let me show you
What bodies are for
Your look is skinny
As your face is white
I'm spending money
You're spending the light
But danger
Danger
Isn't over
Danger
Five years
Danger
And a day
Danger
Well danger
Danger
Isn't over
Danger
Way to
Danger
All the way
The lyrics to Wye Oak's song, "Keeping Company" are quite enigmatic, but they seem to describe a relationship between two people, one of whom is younger and perhaps more innocent than the other. The first lines of the song ask if the younger person, a "sweet simple being," is deserving of love and attention. The singer describes themselves as having been captured and proud, suggesting that they were once confident in their own power, but felt constrained or oppressed in some way. They then mention that when the younger person was thirteen, something was not allowed, but it is unclear what that might be.
The rest of the song seems to explore the relationship between the two people more deeply. The singer notes that the younger person often looks in corners, and suggests that they are searching for something, though it is unclear what. The singer also notes that they are the younger person's "only friend," which suggests that they may be somewhat isolated. The lines "So let me show you/What bodies are for" are particularly intriguing, as they seem to suggest that the singer is trying to teach the younger person something about intimacy or physicality. However, there is an undercurrent of danger throughout the song, with repeated mentions of "danger" and the sense that something is not fully resolved or secure. In the end, the singer seems to suggest that they would do it all over again, despite the risk.
Overall, the song is somewhat cryptic and open to interpretation, but it seems to suggest a complex and potentially risky relationship between two people who may not fit society's expectations of what a healthy relationship should look like.
Line by Line Meaning
Are you deserving
Do you possess the worthiness and goodness that you appear to have?
Sweet simple being?
Are you an innocent person with a good heart?
I look for learning
I seek knowledge and understanding from you.
You are the teaching
You have the ability to provide me with knowledge and understanding.
I was a body
I was just a physical form.
Captured and proud
I was restrained, but still felt pride in myself.
When you were thirteen
You were a young teenager.
It wasn't allowed
Certain actions or behaviors were forbidden or prohibited.
How you said nothing
You did not speak your thoughts aloud.
But you understood
You comprehended the meaning behind my actions or words.
To cross your boundary
To violate or breach your personal limits or standards.
What do you look at?
What do you see or focus on?
I am your body
I am the physical form that you possess.
Your only friend
I am your sole companion or supporter.
You look in corners
You search in obscure or unobvious places.
But now I understand
I have gained knowledge or insight into the situation.
The danger
The threatening or hazardous situation or circumstance.
Isn't over
The danger has not ceased.
Five years
A period of five years.
Two months
A period of two months.
And a day
An additional span of one day.
Way to
This is just the beginning or start of the situation.
I got away
I managed to escape or leave the situation behind.
I move myself softly
I maneuver or adjust my movements with a gentle touch.
To your favorite groove
To the music that you particularly enjoy or appreciate.
The page is on six
The page number is currently at six.
And all that I took
All that I have gained or received.
I seem to measure
I appear to evaluate or weigh my actions or progress.
With every inch
With every small or incremental step.
Until it is over
Until the situation is resolved or finished.
I'd do it again
I would repeat the same actions or behaviors once more.
You never noticed
You were unaware of what was happening around you.
Or else you ignored
You deliberately chose not to acknowledge or pay attention to what was happening.
So let me show you
Allow me to demonstrate or exhibit to you.
What bodies are for
The purpose or usefulness of physical forms or bodies.
Your look is skinny
Your appearance is thin or narrow.
As your face is white
As your complexion is pale.
I'm spending money
I am using my financial resources.
You're spending the light
You are expending your energy or vitality.
All the way
The situation or journey extends to its full extent.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JENNIFER LYNN WASNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind