In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Our life's built of tin cans and string
But the cornerstone laid is a
Wondrous and beautiful thing
Sure in the ground
And while the north wind has taken its toll
You have helped me to find my way
Back and to anchor my soul
Safe in the sound
Oh, you know me
Oh, and I know you
And I know that
We can see this through
I bragged of baring my bones
Said if we heard the howling
I'd run out to face it alone
To meet it half way
But I've still got badges to earn
So keep sifting my soul
'Cause I think that I'm starting to learn
To love you that way
Oh, you know me
Oh, and I know you
And I know that
We can see this through
And it's true that you could snap my neck
But I trust you'll save my life instead
'Cause our love is a loyalty sworn
If we hold to our hope
Then I know we can weather the storm
Whatever they say, come what may
Oh, you know me
Oh, and I know you
And I know that
We can see this through
But the cornerstone laid is a
Wondrous and beautiful thing
Sure in the ground
And while the north wind has taken its toll
You have helped me to find my way
Back and to anchor my soul
Safe in the sound
Oh, you know me
Oh, and I know you
And I know that
We can see this through
I bragged of baring my bones
Said if we heard the howling
I'd run out to face it alone
To meet it half way
But I've still got badges to earn
So keep sifting my soul
'Cause I think that I'm starting to learn
To love you that way
Oh, you know me
Oh, and I know you
And I know that
We can see this through
And it's true that you could snap my neck
But I trust you'll save my life instead
'Cause our love is a loyalty sworn
If we hold to our hope
Then I know we can weather the storm
Whatever they say, come what may
Oh, you know me
Oh, and I know you
And I know that
We can see this through
Lyrics submitted by BrandNewAVA
Anthology Lyrics as written by Edward Carrington Breckenridge Dustin Michael Kensrue
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is directly from the CD jacket:
Our life's built of tin cans and string But the cornerstone laid is a wondrous and beautiful thing Sure in the ground
And while the north wind has taken its toll You have helped me to find my way back and to anchor my soul Safe in the sound
Oh you know me, oh and I know you And I know that we can see this through
I bragged of baring my bones Said if we heard the howling I'd run out to face it alone To meet it halfway
But I've still got badges to earn So keep sifting my soul 'cause I think that I'm starting to learn To love you that way
Oh you know me, oh and I know you And I know that we can see this through
And it's true that you could snap my neck But I trust you'll save my life instead 'Cause our love is a loyalty sworn If we hold to our hope then I know we can weather the storm Whatever they say Come what may
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I think most of it seems right, but those first couple lines I'm pretty positive are,
"Our lives spell tin cans and string, but the cornerstone laid is a wondrous and beautiful thing, sure in the ground."
"oh you know me, and i know you" Like Moths to Flame - "but I know you...don't you know me..."
These one's aren't as literal, but some other possible/looser references in the lyrics:
"sure in the ground..." - reminds me of the last line of Child of Dust "safe in the sound..." - brings to mind Digital Sea "slipping beneath the sound"
Some more possible references i noticed:<br /> <br /> "...find my way back..." <br /> Freedom - "I hope that I will find my way"<br /> <br /> "And I know that, we can see this through"<br /> Ultra Blue - "We'll never know unless we try to see it through"
For those who don't already know an anthology is a collection of literature works. You'll notice that this song makes references to previous songs from Thrice.
"It's true that you could snap my neck I trust you'll save my life instead Cause our love is a loyalty sworn If we hold to our hope i know we can weather the storm Whatever they say, come what may"
this verse contains words from beggar's The Weight and Trust from The Illusion of Safety. Those are just the few that immediately caught my attention, I'm sure there are more.
As well as Atlantic in the first verse and In Years To Come in the third verse.
Good looking out. Makes sense.
I think keep safe to my soul is "keep sifting my soul" - a Silhouette reference.
an·thol·o·gy: a collection of selected writings by one author.
Well, several of you have already picked up and commented on the lyrical brilliance of this song and its connection to previous albums, but I thought I'd show the ones I'd found thus far:
Atlantic - "tin cans and string" Flags of Dawn (or probably, more The Whaler) - "north wind is taking its toll...anchor my soul" In Years to Come - "baring my bones...meet it halfway" Silhouette - "keep sifting my soul" Hold Fast Hope - "if we hold to our hope" Trust - "snap my neck...trust you'll save my life instead" The Weight - "our love is a loyalty sworn...come what may"
I'm sure buried in there are more allusory references to even more songs, but these ones clearly stuck out upon first listen. Post if you find more!
Oh...maybe a stretch, but "oh you know me and I know you" has a "Like Moths to Flame" air to it.
Phoenix Ignition - "but the cornerstone laid..."
Actually I think the first line was "Our lives are built on tin cans and strings" Atleast it sounds like it here: youtube.com/watch<br />
"badges to earn" == Stare at the sun?<br /> <br /> might be a stretch, but made me think of the bridge:<br /> I know that there's a point i've missed,<br /> a shrine or stone i haven't kissed,<br /> a scar that never graced my wrist<br /> a mirror that hasn't met my fist...
Dustin said in his interview with Alt Press that this song is a conglomeration of seven different Thrice songs. He mentioned The Weight, Trust, and In Years to Come. It's about his relationship with his wife but it could also be seen as a love for God and whatnot. I think anyway.
It seems that everyone has nailed the songs that he references. With the vinyl it says that these are songs he wrote about his relationship with his wife and that he "pulls bits and pieces of imagery from six previous Thrice songs: Atlantic, The Whaler, In Years To Come, Silhouette, Trust and The Weight." Looks like there were even more judging by what everyone else pulled out of it. Either way, awesome song with really cool references to older songs.
I'm incredible nervous now because this song especially, but also combined with the rest of the album makes me feel like Thrice is going to be calling it quits. That would be terrible, but I know they probably want to move onto the next chapter in their lives. With this song, its like Dustin is giving a recap of the great times they've had as a band highlighting great songs. Does anyone else think the same?
Yes. The first time I heard this song, I immediately thought of this. Sadly, this might be near the end or near a long hiatus for the group. They're starting their lives now and especially with the hardships each member has been through with their families, I think they're starting to set their priorities.
I was very skeptical about that but now I assume it can be true. It's not just the song Anthology; the whole album seems to have references to the past as well.<br /> <br /> As I listened carefully to the songs' lyrics, I strongly recalled past song's names/lyrics.<br /> <br />
I disagree about the band ending their run, or that this song indicates that. Thrice has long shewn a tendency to "start from scratch," by putting their old stuff to bed and revisiting themes and their personal meanings. Melting Point of Wax got revisited with Daedalus, for example. Their sound has repeatedly been given a clean slate through a rather unorthodox cleansing, most notably the Alchemy Index setting the stage for their most recent sound. <br /> <br /> The theme of Anthology is to use something old, or several old things, and make them into something new. It's not an uncommon writing exercise to review how a character or a line strikes the writer just as much as the reader. Surely the understanding that a book or song or poem might mean something different to you as an adult as when you were a child can apply to the person who wrote it. <br /> <br /> In the case of this song, those lines that might have applied to something abstract or ephemeral when Dustin was younger now have a much more concrete meaning. So the lines such as "I'm sure you could snap my neck, but I trust you'll save my life instead" applied to God or something else when he wrote Trust, but now apply to his wife or his children. But putting those songs to bed by revisiting their relevance to him doesn't indicate to me that the band is ending.
Wow, you were right. Thrice is on hiatus now. thrice.net/post/13115093663/an-announcement-from-dustin