Bells
Yearling Lyrics
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Great makeup, hey wake up
Because brown and blue I'm back for you.
It seems so much that this cycle never seems to end.
I'm backburning, it's concering, but, fallen now, the hero asks how dry is
The well?
These shadows always had me tell a great story of how glory can send me back
To life intact.
But great poets, and you know it, would never sing one song too long and get
Their lines wrong.
As you watch the sun swing faster,
And you paint your scene in alabaster,
Now the ringing bells are singing after.
Are you wearing well or still disaster?
"Happy birthday."
This time I trust I'll know,
Do all the things I'm shown,
Begin it, end it slow,
Give in, hold on, let go.
Hey pusher, puller can't you tell the rain is up?
Awake enough to know it's right, it's black, it's night,
It's comfortably right.
You honestly have served me well.
I'm past turning, it's all learning and forward, now, around, around to all
These new sounds.
In Yearling's song "Bells," the singer seems to address a former love interest whom he has come back to despite her constant lies. The line "Great makeup, hey wake up" seems to allude to the idea that the woman is hiding something beneath her physical appearance. The singer states that he is "back for [her]," despite the fact that the cycle of their relationship never seems to end. He is "backburning," meaning that he is consumed by his desire for her, but he is also "concerning" to himself, as he acknowledges the potential destruction that their relationship could bring. The line "fallen now, the hero asks how dry is the well?" suggests that the singer is questioning if there is any good left in the relationship at all.
Despite the flaws in the relationship, the singer is listening to the woman's words, comparing her words to a sonnet, and acknowledges that they are good enough to be sold. However, he also notes that "great poets...would never sing one song too long and get their lines wrong," implying that the woman's words are not true poetry. The line "as you watch the sun swing faster and you paint your scene in alabaster" could be interpreted as the woman attempting to create the image of a perfect life or relationship, but the ringing bells at the end suggest that this is not the case. The singer questions whether the woman is "wearing well or still disaster," implying that she is not as put together as she might seem.
Line by Line Meaning
You, darling, always lied too well.
You were always a skilled liar, my beloved.
Great makeup, hey wake up
You appear to be wearing a lot of makeup- are you asleep?
Because brown and blue I'm back for you.
I am here for you once again, despite everything.
It seems so much that this cycle never seems to end.
We've been trapped in this pattern for far too long.
I'm backburning, it's concering, but, fallen now, the hero asks how dry is The well?
I'm feeling overwhelmed, but even in despair, I'm curious about the state of the well.
These shadows always had me tell a great story of how glory can send me back To life intact.
I have often used illusions to make myself believe that victory will bring me back to life.
I'm listening and your sonnet rhymes enough to sell, But great poets, and you know it, would never sing one song too long and get Their lines wrong.
Your poem is pretty, but true artists know better than to repeat themselves and become stale.
As you watch the sun swing faster, And you paint your scene in alabaster, Now the ringing bells are singing after.
Amidst the passage of time, you've created something beautiful, and now the bells are chiming in celebration.
Are you wearing well or still disaster?
Are you improving or relapsing?
"Happy birthday."
Congratulatory remarks on the occasion of the person's birth.
This time I trust I'll know, Do all the things I'm shown, Begin it, end it slow, Give in, hold on, let go.
I'm confident that this time I'll be able to learn from my experiences and let go slowly.
Hey pusher, puller can't you tell the rain is up?
Can't you see that something's brewing?
Awake enough to know it's right, it's black, it's night, It's comfortably right.
I am aware that this is the right decision to make, even though it is dark and scary- it feels like the right choice.
You honestly have served me well.
You've done all you can, and it has helped me.
I'm past turning, it's all learning and forward, now, around, around to all These new sounds.
It's time to stop hesitating and start growing- embracing all the new and unfamiliar experiences that lie ahead.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANNA GAYE, ANNA GORDY GAYE, MARVIN GAYE, MARVIN P GAYE, IRIS GORDY, ELGIE ROUSSEAU STOVER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Logan Klem
I was trying to remember the name of your band for close to a year now. We played a few shows together back in the 2008-2009 time frame. Any chance you can reach out and send some mp3s or even CD’s? I would love to get this back in my music library!
Anonymous Spencer
Is there anyway we can get the imeem version?