Sunken eyed best friend of mine.
Why do you sit so still, still shaking?
Superhero sapped of all powers.
I'll kneel beside you, watch you for hours.
There's an angel on you leaning down to kiss your cheek.
Feathers floating on air.
This is my prayer for you.
Steps of stone, morning bright blue.
Stick of flame, a candle winks at you.
In the pew, head down I'm crying.
I think you have thoughts of dying.
I'm eclipsing them now.
Calling all allies down.
I'm consumed by your eyes.
Keep them open and full.
It's raining in your room.
Angel tears, bask sweet.
Angel eyes on you.
They love all that they see.
Dewy palm, cemetery lawn.
Walk alone in gardens of loss.
You can't have a flower of stone.
Never let this soil come between us.
I'm asking you on a date for the rest of your life.



Lyrics submitted by emoJustin

Track duration: 06:06


Basilica song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:damn, the end of this song is crushing
    Flag Mc Scratchnsniffon February 28, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Calling all allies down."
    That's my favorite part. I kind of feel like he is reassuring himself throughout the song that suicide wasn't the best option. I don't know how to explain, that's just what I feel.
    Flag beebeebrianaon August 29, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:the song is very deep, i can't really find a meaning to it thats how deep and personal it really is
    Flag atankaraon April 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The way I interpret this song:

    Its about a guy whose loved one is in critical condition either from an accident or debilitating illness. At first he describes the person as strong but then the illness or event has zapped them of all their powers. He goes to a church and "calls all allies down" but the lover or friend dies. Its sad. End.
    Flag mjsos53on January 27, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Just some fun background information. I guess Blake posted a list of descriptions of the songs on Dear You upon its re-release:

    "Basilica - It felt like the end, the end-all. It's kind of an extension of Lurker, a rum conclusion. I was spending a lot of time at Mission Dolores, either attending services or just sitting quietly in the pews. I would put on a black suit and walk down there, like an undertaker. I had a lot of heavy shit going on, a lot of worry. The verses come from that church meditation — especially the small graveyard in the back of the Mission. It's such a lovely, sunlit place. Birds, brilliant San Francisco sky, figures at rest. Basilica was fun to record because we used these different amps. We tracked the guitars on this really surreal night. We turned out all the lights; it was ghostly. The instrumental portion adds a lot to the song. When we do it live, it's great to open it up, make it loose and smear things around. When it works live it feels like purging; it becomes really physical in the end. I just used my upper arm and beat the shit out of my guitar. It's pretty satisfying — definitely the rock instinct. A total power trip."
    Flag Rabidon November 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:


    To me this is about him being in love with a girl who has a lot of problems and is pretty suicidal. He's saying that he's there for her and wants to be there for her for the rest of their lives - I want to go on a date with your life."

    He doesn't want her to die and he's telling her that in - Never let this soil come between us. Because if she was buried there would be soil between us. Also, I think you have thoughts of dying. I'm eclipsing them now. So, she isn't dead yet.

    Also, he's saying earlier that he's not the only one that wants to help her - Calling all allies down.
    Flag MrJawbreakingEquilibriumon October 12, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is clearly open enough that it could be about several different things, but my own interpretation is that this is Blake having a conversation with himself, or a fraction of his own personality. His optimistic and hopeful side is describing his depressed and suicidal side, and this song is about him attempting to accept himself.

    I particularly like this lines "I'm consumed by your eyes. Keep them open and full." The eyes are the windows to the soul, and he is truly soul-searching. He wants to makes a decision (to die or not to die) and the only way is to have a frank discussion about himself and his own life.

    He decides in the end not to die.

    "Walk alone in gardens of loss.
    You can't have a flower of stone.
    Never let this soil come between us.
    I'm asking you on a date for the rest of your life."

    A garden of loss is a cemetary; an organic place that is carefully plotted and "planted" with stone flowers (tombstones). He says to his depressed, dead, burried side that he will never let soil come between us. This is an image of the conscious narrating version of himself speaking to the suicidal version of himself burried beneath his own feet, divided by 6 feet of earth. He essentially says he will never let this happen; he will not kill himself.

    By deciding not to kill himself, he is accepting a lifelong relationship with his other half. He can't become one person, but he can at least form a working coalition with himself, as in a marriage.
    Flag MTZon March 10, 2008   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:by bicyclewhoa on 03-07-2006 @ 05:49:25 PM
    by the way - pretty much all of "dear you" is about blake... he's the you in dear you

    I don't think it's as much about Blake as it is directed towards a certain entity. I've always pictured most of the songs on the album (Jet Black, Basilica, Sluttering) as a personal address towards one or two people in particular.
    Flag Rabidon January 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song seems like a short story to me... a friend who is having problems while other friends of his seem to observe him, try to figure out whats wrong or how to help. Soon, his friend dies, most likely suicide. Aftermath of the death, mourning, walking through the cementary. And the whole "dead by not forgotten" message is present. However, the last line... I can't seem to figure out. Unless you were to say this "friend" was a girl he liked, the line would be easy to figure out. But I dunno, just my guess!
    Flag AesopRockon July 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song gives me the chills.
    Flag redandbluejeanson April 10, 2006   Link

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