Bon Iver – A Song for a Lover of Long Ago

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Rain on the bar
Clinging water mars
Any hints of what I had
Because of what I became

Rain you are me
shake the memory free
can't squelch the molten soul
cant chase away the hole

I have buried you
Every place I've been
You keep ending up
In my shaking hands

Rain, sound the alarm
The sting my broken arm
The faintest violinist buried in my gut
There are chances and choices sometimes you just have to cut

I have buried you
Every place I've been
You keep ending up
In my shaking hands

I have buried you
Every place I've been
You keep ending up
Every place I am

I have buried you
Every place I've been
You keep ending up
In my shaking hands

You keep ending up
Every place I've been
In my shaking hands
Every place I am

Send "A Song for a Lover of Long Ago" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by SleeplessSycophant, edited by Mellow_Harsher


A Song for a Lover of Long Ago song meanings
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8 Comments

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  • +1
    Song Meaning:it's about not being able to let someone go.

    "I have buried you
    Every place I've been
    You keep ending up
    In my shaking hands"

    he attempts to bury her, everywhere he goes he tries to move on, tries to forget.
    but she keep ending up back in his hands, back from where he began.
    she is unburiable.
    like living, going through the same motions. in vain.

    some people just don't leave you.

    Flag sheetghoston December 01, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I think this song is just about someone whom he loved and they ended for whatever reason, but the memories of her have stayed with him and things remind him of her. He doesn't seem forlorn, seems he's moving on but he's just reminded of her by places and things.
    Flag heathbarrrron November 10, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Rain you out of me,
    shake the memory free.
    Can't squash them open sores
    can't chase away the hope
    Flag Godzukion October 24, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think it's:

    Rain on the bar
    Clinging water mark(s);
    it hints at what I had
    and calls up what I can't.

    Rain you out of me....

    ..can't chase away the hope....?
    Flag Godzukion October 23, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This one hits home for me, the girl from long ago that you cut loose for (probably) the right reasons, but can't ever truly get over. My favorite verse by far:

    Rain you out of me
    shake a memory free
    can't squash the molten soul
    can't chase away the hole

    Poetry.
    Flag JonnyLon January 29, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:heres's what i'm hearing (there's also a version of this by DeYarmond Edison, which is great):
    Rain on the bar
    Clinging water mark
    And it hints at what I had
    Because of what I kept

    Rain you out of me
    shake a memory free
    can't squash the molten soul
    can't chase away the hole

    I have buried you
    Every place I've been
    You keep ending up
    In my shaking hands

    Rain, sound the alarm
    The stain, my broken heart
    The famous violinist buried in my gut
    There are chances and choices
    sometimes you just have to cut

    I have buried you
    Every place I've been
    You keep ending up
    In my shaking hands

    I have buried you
    Every place I've been
    You keep ending up
    Every place I am

    I have buried you
    Every place I've been
    You keep ending up
    In my shaking hands

    You keep ending up
    Every place I've been
    In my shaking hands
    Every place I am
    Flag YouKnowStuffon August 17, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:been listening to this a lot lately, and i like the way he's used this idea that certain people just stay with you where ever you go in a lot of his songs. Wisconsin is another example.
    Flag YouKnowStuffon July 08, 2010   Link
  • +3
    General Comment:There is an error..
    after this:

    Rain, sound the alarm
    The sting my broken arm
    The faintest violinist buried in my gut
    There are chances and choices sometimes you just have to cut

    I have buried you
    Every place I've been
    You keep ending up
    In my shaking hands

    goes this:

    I have buried you
    In my shaking hands
    You keep ending up
    Every place I've been

    You keep ending up
    Every place I've been
    In my shaking hands
    Every place I am


    Flag illustrationson November 20, 2009   Link

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