Formed under the banner “a modern American string band,” Joy Kills Sorrow first emerged out of Boston’s thriving folk music scene in 2005, releasing their self-titled debut album in 2007. Two years and several band members later, Joy Kills Sorrow is poised to make its mark with a new lineup of some of the area’s finest young talent. Founding member Matthew Arcara, a subtle and expressive guitarist, was the 2006 winner of Winfield’s National Flatpicking Championship and has performed with such luminaries as Darol Anger. Joy Kills Sorrow’s newest addition, mandolin virtuoso Jacob Jolliff, is Berklee’s first full-scholarship mandolin student and a veteran performer, having toured professionally since age eleven and shared the stage with mandolin legends David Grisman and Mike Marshall. Wesley Corbett, a banjoist of uncommon facility and grace, was featured in the August 2008 issue of Banjo Newsletter and has toured nationally with Crooked Still and The Biscuit Burners. Emma Beaton, the 2008 Canadian Folk Music Awards’ Young Performer of the Year, adds an earthy, powerful presence to the band as its newly-minted vocalist. And bassist Bridget Kearney, winner of the 2006 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, is largely responsible for Joy Kills Sorrow’s inimitable sound, thanks to her impeccable musicality and distinctive songwriting style.
Since its inception, Joy Kills Sorrow has performed at theaters, listening rooms, and festivals across the continent and has been featured on nationally syndicated radio programs. In 2007, the group won first prize in the Podunk Bluegrass Festival Band Contest; that same year, they were deemed the “‘poster children’ for the burgeoning Americana format” by Sing Out! magazine. The band has evolved considerably in the years since then, and their sophomore effort promises to deliver. Slated for release February 23 on Signature Sounds, the new album, entitled Darkness Sure Becomes This City, was produced by Eric Merrill and features a wealth of original material from members of Joy Kills Sorrow as well as some fine new songs from other composers. Darkness Sure Becomes This City is an accomplished piece of work, laced throughout with polished arrangements and pop-inflected melodies. With it, Joy Kills Sorrow gracefully combines the old and the new, and the outcome, however surprising, is sublime.
Such Great Heights
joy kills sorrow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That the freckles in our eyes
Are mirror images and when
We kiss they're perfectly aligned
And I have to speculate
That God himself did make
Us into corresponding shapes
And true, it may seem like a stretch,
But its thoughts like this that catch
My troubled head when you're away
When I am missing you to death
When you are out there on the road
For several weeks of shows
And when you scan the radio,
I hope this song will guide you home
They won't see us waving from such great heights,
"Come down now," they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away,
"Come down now," but we'll stay...
I tried my best to leave
This all on your machine
But the persistent beat it sounded thin
Upon listening
And that frankly will not fly.
You will hear the shrillest highs
And lowest lows with the windows down
When this is guiding you home
They won't see us waving from such great heights,
"Come down now," they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away,
"Come down now," but we'll stay...
They won't see us waving from such great heights,
"Come down now," they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away,
"Come down now," but we'll stay...
They won't see us waving from such great heights,
"Come down now,"
They won't see us waving from such great heights,
"Come down now,"
The song "Such Great Heights" by Joy Kills Sorrow is a beautiful love ballad that is open to various interpretations. The song starts with the singer contemplating the idea that the freckles in their eyes are perfectly aligned when they kiss their lover. This could be interpreted as a sign from God and nature that they are meant to be together like two corresponding puzzle pieces. The singer admits that such thoughts catch their mind when their partner is away, and they're missing them to death.
The next section talks about the singer wishing that their partner will always remember this song when they're on the road for several shows. They hope the song will guide their partner home when they feel lost or missing them.
The chorus includes the phrase "They won't see us waving from such great heights," which could be interpreted in a different way. The singer could be saying that society won't understand the depth of their love and relationship. The repeated line, "Come down now, but we'll stay," could indicate that the singer is ready to face challenges to be together and stay committed to each other.
Overall, the lyrics of "Such Great Heights" are open to interpretation and can signify the depth of one's love and connection with their partner.
Line by Line Meaning
I am thinking it's a sign
I believe that certain things are signs that are indicative of something important
That the freckles in our eyes
The small specks in our eyes that add character and beauty to our features
Are mirror images and when
They reflect exactly the same pattern on each eye
We kiss they're perfectly aligned
Our physical union indicates that we were meant to be together
And I have to speculate
I can only guess with a degree of uncertainty
That God himself did make
It is possible that a divine being orchestrated our coming together
Us into corresponding shapes
It's almost as if we were tailor-made for each other
Like puzzle pieces from the clay
We fit together so snugly and seamlessly, like pieces from the same mold
And true, it may seem like a stretch,
This idea may seem a little far-fetched or unrealistic
But its thoughts like this that catch
Thoughts like these are the ones that grab and captivate me
My troubled head when you're away
When you're gone, my mind becomes restless and uneasy
When I am missing you to death
I miss you so deeply and painfully, it feels like I'm dying
When you are out there on the road
When you're traveling around, giving performances
For several weeks of shows
During a series of events that will last for weeks
And when you scan the radio,
When you switch from one radio station to another
I hope this song will guide you home
I really hope that this song will help you find your way back to me
They won't see us waving from such great heights,
Others won't notice us, because we're up so high
"Come down now," they'll say
People may urge us to descend, but we're going to stay
But everything looks perfect from far away,
When viewed from a distance, everything appears flawless and idyllic
"Come down now," but we'll stay...
We're going to stay where we are, even when invited to come down
I tried my best to leave
I made an effort to communicate with you through the machine
This all on your machine
Leaving all of my messages through your answering device
But the persistent beat it sounded thin
The constant sound of the machine made the communication sound insincere
Upon listening
After I listened to it again
And that frankly will not fly.
That way of communication is not going to work
You will hear the shrillest highs
Instead, I want you to hear the most vibrant and intense sounds
And lowest lows with the windows down
As you're driving, I want you to hear the full spectrum of sound with the windows open
When this is guiding you home
When this song is helping to lead you back to me
"Come down now," they'll say
People may pressure us to come back down to earth
They won't see us waving from such great heights,
Nobody will be able to visually perceive us while we're way up high
"Come down now," but we'll stay...
But even if urged to come down, we'll remain where we are
Contributed by Max A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lacrimos_def
How have I only just met You?!?
Thank You, Father for these beautiful creatures!
@chadbowmar9540
Jacob Jolliff DESTROYS this on the mandolin! Blows me away every time I hear it. Amazing band!
@tonyvirgo7869
Listen. I am partially deaf but this, this song has greatly grabbed my one good ear drum. The melody of it all, as well ads how Emma Beaton sounds, is like Dido's voice meeting Dolores O'Riordan's voice. I loved this. You all must keep this band going as long as you can. The harmonics in this, made me smile today with lots of feel goods blended in with it. Great job guys.
@reearean
best cover of this ever. I watched Minneapolis burn and the reporters get arrested, and then i met some children in a field and felt that maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be that bad.
@hectichive889
Man I never realized how beautiful the mandolin is. It’s like it’s speaking to me
@thebesttastingbleach6915
Holy shit. What did I just walk into? Bravo!
@Ki11ian9
I always thought The Postal Service was an awesome little gem in and of itself. Hearing someone else perform this just made me truly appreciate the genius of the melody and lyrics. That's a compliment to both the original and this group. Good stuff, good stuff.
@smilescomeforfree5855
+Bill Landrum They're.. the.. original..
@giovannijerse9735
+Stellarskyane No they're not, this is The Postal Service's song.
@smilescomeforfree5855
They deleted their comment, or somebody changed the username, because I know who the original artist is