Lyrics for Broken Yolk in Western Sky as interpreted by Si_duffers

Broken Yolk in Western Sky Lyrics
Broken yolk in western sky
My stomach turned, my mouth went dry
I knew I'd never known fear before
I pressed my palms into the seat
Took one last look at you next to me
I kicked open the sliding door
And I threw myself out on the road
Torn flesh and broken bones
And on the shoulder's patchy grass
I faded into your past

I know it was a cowardly thing to do
And that an explanation is not an excuse
I just want you to understand
That love is only a type of greed
Of equal portions, want and need
And you cannot divorce the two

And I could not sleep at all
With all the rumble strip close calls
In the gravel and scattered trash
I faded into your past

When you think twice
You arrive at the same conclusion
It's bad advice
Only if you use it

Broken yolk in western sky
My stomach turned, my mouth went dry

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  • 17 Comments
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learn2kneel
05-19-2005

Rated 0 
Great little folk song! Can't wait for Plans.

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whyitsjustme
08-06-2005

Rated 0 
this isnt on plans learn2kneel

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lavender sky
08-11-2005

Rated 0 
Is this even a Death Cab song?

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psychobain
08-29-2005

Rated 0 
yes its

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Si_duffers
09-08-2005

Rated 0 
I wish they'd put this on an album already!

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musicforlife!
12-14-2005

Rated 0 
I believe (unless I'm giving Mr. Gibbard too much credit, which is doubtful because he's pretty much a genius) that the title of this song may also be "Broken Yolk in Western Sky." I think it's a double entendre, by way of a homophone: yoke and yolk.

According to dictionary.com, a "yoke" is (among other things) "Something that connects or joins together; a bond or tie" obviously, a "broken yoke" meaning a failing relationship in this case.

But the first time I heard this song, I thought of it as "Broken Yolk In Western Sky," yolk meaning the yellow part of an egg. The sun sets in the west, and I know I've seen at least ten sunsets that makes the sun look like it's actually broken yolk splattered in the western portion of the sky. And as it seems like they're driving (literally or metaphorically, who knows) he could be looking out the window and seeing this beautiful sunset in the west while knowing that he's about to cut ties with his girlfriend.

It works both ways... ahh!

This song is heartbreakingly beautiful and absolutely fantastic.

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LJA90
03-16-2006

Rated 0 
where can you hear this song please!!!?

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emisaurusrex
07-15-2006

Rated 0 
You can download the song at http://www.dcfc-tour.net/dcfc-mp3s.htm

This song is beautiful. I agree with musicforlife's explanation.

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rentacop
09-03-2007

Rated 0 
I have tried twice to get an account on death cab's forums, but have never received "approval". Pissing me off.

Anyway, I have always heard how great this song is, does anyone know how I can get a copy of it?

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infamykillss
11-21-2007

Rated 0 
i thought this was just a ben gibbard solo song??
hm.

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TDDx8
02-22-2008

Rated 0 
Broken Yoke in Western Sky will be featured on Burn to Shine 05. You can hear a small clip of it by going here:

http://trixiedvd.com/bts/

and watching the video.

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LtBlue14
02-27-2008

Rated 0 
It's "yolk" not "yoke" according to the DVD site above (http://trixiedvd.com/bts/), which was put together by Ben Gibbard. Besides, what's a yoke doing in the sky? The double meaning could still be there, but it's the other way around, with "yolk" being intended and "yoke" being inferred.

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liesarelies
04-27-2008

Rated 0 
yolk like an egg yoke, as in the sun.
duh.

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liesarelies
04-27-2008

Rated 0 
yolk like an egg yolk, as in the sun.
duh.

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chordkid
03-14-2009

Rated 0 
This song is breathtaking. I looove it. Looooooooooooooooooove it. Too bad it wasn't on Plans!

You know, I almost wonder if this a suicide song. I mean, I KNOW the "torn flesh and broken bones" thing could be metaphorical, but there's also the "explanation is not an excuse" bit. Makes me wonder. If you think about it THAT way, it kinda changes how the song works.

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1 Reply
mallakka
03-22-2009

Rated 0 
You can watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_eGwK10XMk

It reminds me of 'Couches in Alleys' and therefore Jack Kerouac's book 'On The Road'.
He jumps out of the car to get away from the person (his girlfriend) that drives. Lying at the side of the road he 'faded into your past' which means that the relationship is over.
'Torn flesh and broken bones' means he is injured maybe because it was hard to break off.

Beautiful song but it was really hard to find...

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1 Reply
crazyfool11190
08-26-2009

Rated +1 
To me, it sounds like Ben is saying "and you cannot divorce a tomb" definately making me think that the torn flesh and broken bones are to be taken literally as in the fact that he threw himself out of a moving van to kill himself. A van because he kicked open a sliding door, and I don't think any other type of motor vehicle has sliding doors. I think the person whom killed theirself in the song couldn't stand being alive without the other person in their life, so they decided they'd rather be dead. Ben could also be saying "and I could not sleep alone" instead of at all after the part about you cannot divorce the two or possibly tomb. Just playing devil's advocate here. I think it's amazing that simply changing two words in a song can give an entirely different meaning.

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