Eskimeaux (renamed Ó, now know as Gabby's World) was originally a project s… Read Full Bio ↴Eskimeaux (renamed Ó, now know as Gabby's World) was originally a project started by Gabrielle Smith. It was a compulsive audio diary, used as a way to document physical stasis and emotional transience that one experiences while living in New Jersey. Through various six-degrees-of-separation connections, Gabrielle and Benjamin Schurr met in 2007 and after being heavily influenced by his project Br'er, they began working on music together. After the completion of their first collaborative record, the lo-fi I Am a Spiral, the follow-up record was shelved indefinitely as a result of a serious rift between the two, causing them to not speak to one another for several years. Over time, they set aside their differences and Benjamin and Gabrielle co-produced the record Two Mountains from across the several state borders between New York and North Carolina. Once Benjamin moved back to Philadelphia they decided to make Eskimeaux a collaborative effort once again and forever.

hills
eskimeaux Lyrics

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Your frame became a gentle nest where I could rest my eyes,
a place to lay and let the country go careening by
Your fingers laced my locks and traced my hillsides
bodies curled about heavily swarmed with butterflies
I recall the day the way you said my name changed
One day we climbed the tallest hill to feel mighty and high
While winds they raced, locked in embrace, we closed our ardent eyes
Ravenous as kings, they nearly had us on our knees

but I swear right then I felt the world had melted at our feet
and all of California was our kingdom
the Golden Gate meant to placate the tyrants we'd become
and all of San Francisco's hearts would synchronize
one beat would quake the earth and make the skyline yours and mine
I recall the day that your brother laid
his face pressed to the grass so green
the wonders before him unseen
Fifty suns arose and fell until back home I came
and forced to face to what I'd gracelessly betrayed
A love I'd left alone in my abandoned bed to lay;
the butterflies all up and died with 'guilt' written on their graves
So, my love, I walk now upon eggshells
teetering like the lightest tree trunk trying not to be felled
So, my love, I bring to you the truth in offering
enlighten you with honesty and warn you tenderly
that I am made of bones as delicate as nature
and I am made of skin tough as an elephant's hide
and I made of two hearts, one that can beat faster
than the hummingbird's wing flies
but it must be fed, it must be excited
It must be pumped by a strong and eager palm

but every hand will inevitably tire
and then my fire's flames, they calm

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of eskimeaux's song "Hills" speak to the memory of a relationship that has ended. The first verse speaks of the comfort and safety that the singer found in the arms of their partner. They describe their lover's body as a gentle nest where they could rest their eyes and let the world go by. The imagery continues in the next line, where the singer describes their lover's fingers tracing the hills of their body, with the sensation of butterflies swarming around them.

The second verse speaks of a shared experience of climbing a tall hill and feeling on top of the world. The winds are racing, and the two of them are locked in an embrace, with the world melting at their feet. The Golden Gate, a symbol of California, is meant to placate the "tyrants" they've become. The skyline of San Francisco is now theirs to claim, with the hearts of the city beating as one.

The third verse takes a darker turn. The singer admits to betraying a love they left behind. They walked away from it without a second thought, leaving the butterflies, a symbol of their love, to die with "guilt" written on their graves. The singer now walks on eggshells, as they try to make amends for their mistakes. They warn their lover that they are fragile, delicate, and need constant care to keep their fiery passion alive.

Overall, the song is about the fragility of relationships and the importance of taking care of the ones we love. It's a bittersweet reminder that even the strongest love can fall apart if we don't nurture it properly.

Line by Line Meaning

Your frame became a gentle nest where I could rest my eyes,
Your embrace gave me a sense of safety and comfort, a place to relax and let my guard down.

a place to lay and let the country go careening by
A place to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life, to just be in the moment and enjoy each other's company.

Your fingers laced my locks and traced my hillsides
You ran your fingers through my hair and explored my body, finding beauty and joy in every part of me.

bodies curled about heavily swarmed with butterflies
Our bodies entwined, surrounded by a feeling of intense emotion and excitement. We couldn't help but be filled with butterflies.

I recall the day the way you said my name changed
There was a moment when everything shifted, when the way you spoke my name seemed to hold deeper meaning and significance.

One day we climbed the tallest hill to feel mighty and high
Together, we set out to conquer the world and to feel strong and powerful.

While winds they raced, locked in embrace, we closed our ardent eyes
The world around us faded away as we focused on each other, lost in our own embrace with nothing else mattering.

Ravenous as kings, they nearly had us on our knees
The challenges we faced were great and almost overcame us, but we persisted and fought through them like kings.

but I swear right then I felt the world had melted at our feet
In that moment, we felt like we could conquer anything and that the world was truly ours to take.

and all of California was our kingdom
We felt like we were capable of ruling the world and that everything was within our grasp.

the Golden Gate meant to placate the tyrants we'd become
The Golden Gate bridge, a symbol of power and control, was seen as a way to appease the tyrants we were becoming.

and all of San Francisco's hearts would synchronize
We felt like everyone around us was in sync with us, that we were all on the same wavelength.

one beat would quake the earth and make the skyline yours and mine
We felt like our love was so strong that it had the power to shake the very foundations of the world around us.

I recall the day that your brother laid
I remember the day when your brother was lying down.

his face pressed to the grass so green
He had his face pressed down on the green grass.

the wonders before him unseen
He was unable to see the beauty and wonder all around him.

Fifty suns arose and fell until back home I came
It felt like an eternity had passed before I returned home from my journey, with countless days and nights passing by.

and forced to face to what I'd gracelessly betrayed
I had to confront the fact that I had betrayed something important to me in a careless manner.

A love I'd left alone in my abandoned bed to lay;
I had neglected a love that I had once cherished, leaving it to wither away and die.

the butterflies all up and died with 'guilt' written on their graves
The excitement, joy, and butterflies that once defined our relationship died with a sense of guilt and shame on my part.

So, my love, I walk now upon eggshells
I am cautious and careful with every step I take, knowing that I have already caused pain and need to be delicate in my approach.

teetering like the lightest tree trunk trying not to be felled
I am like a tree swaying in the breeze, trying to withstand the powerful winds that could knock me down at any moment.

So, my love, I bring to you the truth in offering
I offer you honesty and truthfulness in all of my actions and words moving forward.

enlighten you with honesty and warn you tenderly
I want to be honest with you about my flaws and shortcomings while also being gentle and caring in how I deliver that truth.

that I am made of bones as delicate as nature
I am fragile and vulnerable, like a delicate part of nature that could be easily broken.

and I am made of skin tough as an elephant's hide
Yet I am also strong and resilient, with a toughness that rivals even the toughest of animals.

and I made of two hearts, one that can beat faster
I have a complicated and multifaceted heart, capable of both intense passion and deep feelings of love.

than the hummingbird's wing flies
My heart beats faster than even the fastest of animals, capable of intense emotions that are difficult to control.

but it must be fed, it must be excited
My heart needs to be fueled and fed with love and passion in order to survive and thrive.

It must be pumped by a strong and eager palm
I need someone who is strong and passionate to help me keep my heart pumping and alive.

but every hand will inevitably tire
No one can maintain that level of intensity forever, and eventually, even the strongest of people will tire.

and then my fire's flames, they calm
When the excitement and passion fades, my emotions will calm down and become more manageable once again.

Contributed by Henry L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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