SINGERS
P.W. Elverum & Sun
Let's Get Out of the Romance
Uh-Oh! It's Mourning Time Again
Do Not Be Afraid
Where Is My Tarp?
I Cut My Hands Off
So Your Big Black Cloud Will Come
Human
I'll Shut Up
I Can't Believe You Actually Died
Let's Get Out of the Romance
So I managed to make myself cold, just like I wanted to
So I managed to be buried in snow
I thought that wearing white would make me good,
Bring out my eyes, I thought virtue could be mine
We already know that there's no rock to buy the things we need to live,
So we must open our mouths, and close our eyes,
And tilt back our heads and lift up our arms
Traveling north to winter nights was how I planned on getting pure
And frozen white, soft and snakey northern lights
I stood, and yes, I managed to wash my face there in the snow,
Clean the crud from my eyes, and gasp, and see dawn
The first rays of light coming over the hill
Clearly belted out:
“Let's get out of the romance”
But still I had my hopes of how picturesque I would be watching the sunrise
So the sun surprised, it was on the other side
I gasped, I turned, re-opened my eyes
And felt size rise to clear and towering words
I sang along
Let's get out of the romance
Oh, the sweetness in the world looks so gross in that disguise
Let's get out of the romance
There's only one way
Say "Goodbye" and "No"
Let's get out of the romance
Forget it!
Forget sacred paths
Forget scenic views
Forget truths
Forget golden friendships
Forget your own name
Forget looking good
Forget why you came
This is it
This is what it’s like
Uh-Oh! It's Mourning Time Again
Another of my friends has died
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
The lover that I held up high
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
I held her high and made her blurry
Pressure piled on, hurry hurry
Open wide and let me settle in
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
The lava rocks, the blood, it clots
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
The moonlight lights what had been hot
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
I breathe and breathe and blow your hair
I gently tug your underwear
I take my light to your cave and go in
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
I'm looking for the corpse at night
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
Cavern walls in lantern light
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
While looking for my lady love
I recollected graves we’d dug
Turning ‘round I saw I'd been walled in
Oh! uh oh, it's mourning time again
So if she's dead, then I'm dead too
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
And that dying's just a loop-de-loo
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
I huff and puff, I'm breathy, breezy
Sometimes boiling, sometimes freezing
I will be a dead body again
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
Do Not Be Afraid
Do not be afraid you guys
From now on, even in passing
There are many things that your arms are wrapped around
Your hands are wrapped around
In claps, your hands resound
Your feet, they map the ground
Your whole body, when it’s jostled,
Will spend time in the mountains
Thanks-giving
Where Is My Tarp?
I cannot sink into your bed tonight
I have to go, my arms must row
Your bed is soft, your face is sweet,
Your gaze is true, your eyes are blue,
But mine see through
Where oh where, where lies my tarp tonight?
Where lies my moonlight?
Where lies my sunrise?
Where lies my heart?
There is a ball of fire above your house
You squirm and coo, I’m petting you
But there is a ball of fire inside my chest
I’m a mirror moon, you’re a black lagoon
I’m a birch canoe, I’m a wind that blew
I’m a migrating moose on the prairie, loose
I Cut My Hands Off
Open hands, open paws, I send them off
And hooves and open claws, I send them off
And my arms and goosey down, I send them off
And branches reaching broad, I send them off
To end my reaching out, I send them off
And to end wanting what walks through town, I send them off
And so I won’t hear that enticing sound of approaching voices
I turn me off, I shut my eyes off
I cut my hands off, I close my eyes off
I turn me off, I cut my hands off
So no more hugging in the kitchen,
No more pats on the back in the hall
So no more chest on breasty chest behind the curtain
So no more lip on nape of neck in shower stall
No more rosy garden, no more craving curving hips on my belly
I send them off
I hope to not want
And for hope to not haunt
I want no one ever
I want nothing nowhere
I send them off
So Your Big Black Cloud Will Come
So your big black cloud will come
And press you to the ground,
The air will leave your chest,
You’ll fade from where you're found
When you're finally standing still
And your fingers all go numb,
Get higher on your hill
So your big black cloud will come
Human
Human, human
Where did your life go?
And how do you live and forget that you die?
You were not proud before, you did not used to talk so loud
You dumb ape, you blind bat, you animal, just remember that
There are still songs at night, there are still sounds in the mines below
Let's get out of the romance
You will not, and I will never, be free from the weight of our living
The load that our lungs have to lift,
The armor we wear, though we’re weary, we fight
But you were a baby too, we did not used to be so proud
I know the world looks wide,
So wherever you go, over and over, just keep saying:
"You win! You win! Don't destroy me
But go right through me, take my home and my wife”
Your generous lungs billow warmth
I'll Shut Up
Condescendingly, I said “Do this, do that, my son"
But I'll no longer try in vain to share what cannot be said
I won't spoil it, I'll no longer describe the thing to death
Just look at my face and know me
Feel my hand on your shoulder and know me
Just shut up about it
I Can't Believe You Actually Died
Up and died, you up and died on me
I can't believe you actually died
I haven't cried, it hasn't rained on me because
I can't believe you actually died
I haven't tried, because you're not dead, you're free
I can't believe you actually died
And I know that you're happy there
Even though I don't know where
The other side, the side I try to see
I can't believe you actually died
Your body's gone, but your ghost haunts me
I can't believe you actually died
At grandma's church (the funeral)
I held a baby
I can't believe you actually died
I can't believe that you actually died!
Let's Get Out of the Romance
Uh-Oh! It's Mourning Time Again
Do Not Be Afraid
Where Is My Tarp?
I Cut My Hands Off
So Your Big Black Cloud Will Come
Human
I'll Shut Up
I Can't Believe You Actually Died
Let's Get Out of the Romance
So I managed to make myself cold, just like I wanted to
So I managed to be buried in snow
I thought that wearing white would make me good,
Bring out my eyes, I thought virtue could be mine
We already know that there's no rock to buy the things we need to live,
So we must open our mouths, and close our eyes,
And tilt back our heads and lift up our arms
Traveling north to winter nights was how I planned on getting pure
And frozen white, soft and snakey northern lights
I stood, and yes, I managed to wash my face there in the snow,
Clean the crud from my eyes, and gasp, and see dawn
The first rays of light coming over the hill
Clearly belted out:
“Let's get out of the romance”
But still I had my hopes of how picturesque I would be watching the sunrise
So the sun surprised, it was on the other side
I gasped, I turned, re-opened my eyes
And felt size rise to clear and towering words
I sang along
Let's get out of the romance
Oh, the sweetness in the world looks so gross in that disguise
Let's get out of the romance
There's only one way
Say "Goodbye" and "No"
Let's get out of the romance
Forget it!
Forget sacred paths
Forget scenic views
Forget truths
Forget golden friendships
Forget your own name
Forget looking good
Forget why you came
This is it
This is what it’s like
Uh-Oh! It's Mourning Time Again
Another of my friends has died
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
The lover that I held up high
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
I held her high and made her blurry
Pressure piled on, hurry hurry
Open wide and let me settle in
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
The lava rocks, the blood, it clots
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
The moonlight lights what had been hot
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
I breathe and breathe and blow your hair
I gently tug your underwear
I take my light to your cave and go in
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
I'm looking for the corpse at night
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
Cavern walls in lantern light
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
While looking for my lady love
I recollected graves we’d dug
Turning ‘round I saw I'd been walled in
Oh! uh oh, it's mourning time again
So if she's dead, then I'm dead too
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
And that dying's just a loop-de-loo
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
I huff and puff, I'm breathy, breezy
Sometimes boiling, sometimes freezing
I will be a dead body again
Uh oh, it's mourning time again
Do Not Be Afraid
Do not be afraid you guys
From now on, even in passing
There are many things that your arms are wrapped around
Your hands are wrapped around
In claps, your hands resound
Your feet, they map the ground
Your whole body, when it’s jostled,
Will spend time in the mountains
Thanks-giving
Where Is My Tarp?
I cannot sink into your bed tonight
I have to go, my arms must row
Your bed is soft, your face is sweet,
Your gaze is true, your eyes are blue,
But mine see through
Where oh where, where lies my tarp tonight?
Where lies my moonlight?
Where lies my sunrise?
Where lies my heart?
There is a ball of fire above your house
You squirm and coo, I’m petting you
But there is a ball of fire inside my chest
I’m a mirror moon, you’re a black lagoon
I’m a birch canoe, I’m a wind that blew
I’m a migrating moose on the prairie, loose
I Cut My Hands Off
Open hands, open paws, I send them off
And hooves and open claws, I send them off
And my arms and goosey down, I send them off
And branches reaching broad, I send them off
To end my reaching out, I send them off
And to end wanting what walks through town, I send them off
And so I won’t hear that enticing sound of approaching voices
I turn me off, I shut my eyes off
I cut my hands off, I close my eyes off
I turn me off, I cut my hands off
So no more hugging in the kitchen,
No more pats on the back in the hall
So no more chest on breasty chest behind the curtain
So no more lip on nape of neck in shower stall
No more rosy garden, no more craving curving hips on my belly
I send them off
I hope to not want
And for hope to not haunt
I want no one ever
I want nothing nowhere
I send them off
So Your Big Black Cloud Will Come
So your big black cloud will come
And press you to the ground,
The air will leave your chest,
You’ll fade from where you're found
When you're finally standing still
And your fingers all go numb,
Get higher on your hill
So your big black cloud will come
Human
Human, human
Where did your life go?
And how do you live and forget that you die?
You were not proud before, you did not used to talk so loud
You dumb ape, you blind bat, you animal, just remember that
There are still songs at night, there are still sounds in the mines below
Let's get out of the romance
You will not, and I will never, be free from the weight of our living
The load that our lungs have to lift,
The armor we wear, though we’re weary, we fight
But you were a baby too, we did not used to be so proud
I know the world looks wide,
So wherever you go, over and over, just keep saying:
"You win! You win! Don't destroy me
But go right through me, take my home and my wife”
Your generous lungs billow warmth
I'll Shut Up
Condescendingly, I said “Do this, do that, my son"
But I'll no longer try in vain to share what cannot be said
I won't spoil it, I'll no longer describe the thing to death
Just look at my face and know me
Feel my hand on your shoulder and know me
Just shut up about it
I Can't Believe You Actually Died
Up and died, you up and died on me
I can't believe you actually died
I haven't cried, it hasn't rained on me because
I can't believe you actually died
I haven't tried, because you're not dead, you're free
I can't believe you actually died
And I know that you're happy there
Even though I don't know where
The other side, the side I try to see
I can't believe you actually died
Your body's gone, but your ghost haunts me
I can't believe you actually died
At grandma's church (the funeral)
I held a baby
I can't believe you actually died
I can't believe that you actually died!