Shearwater — You As You Were
Album: Animal JoyAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 1390
Length: 3:34
Plays (last 30 days): 5
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When you fell on the rocks
At a bend in the river
With the blood from your nose
Running hot on your fingers
And through the rest of your life
The electric charge
Of a change in the weather
You are touching my arm
You are holding a feather
And then I open my eyes
And the world goes racing
Suddenly changed
As the shock of the exit leaves you trembling
Like a bursting shell
In the small of your back
Or a jaw bites hard
On a cast of your little line
And an animal life pulls, surging, away
And you are back on the road
Through the worst of the winter
Through the valley of light
Passing through like an arrow
With your vision collapsed
And a stone from the river
Like a holy medallion
Clutching tight in your fingers
But on the slope, at the edge
Where you recover your life
You could stand on the back of a shuddering beam
With a pistol, firing shots into the air
You could run in the blood of the sun's hard rays
You could drive the mountains down into the bay
Or go back to the East
(Where it's all so civilized)
Where I was born to the life
But I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving
At a bend in the river
With the blood from your nose
Running hot on your fingers
And through the rest of your life
The electric charge
Of a change in the weather
You are touching my arm
You are holding a feather
And then I open my eyes
And the world goes racing
Suddenly changed
As the shock of the exit leaves you trembling
Like a bursting shell
In the small of your back
Or a jaw bites hard
On a cast of your little line
And an animal life pulls, surging, away
And you are back on the road
Through the worst of the winter
Through the valley of light
Passing through like an arrow
With your vision collapsed
And a stone from the river
Like a holy medallion
Clutching tight in your fingers
But on the slope, at the edge
Where you recover your life
You could stand on the back of a shuddering beam
With a pistol, firing shots into the air
You could run in the blood of the sun's hard rays
You could drive the mountains down into the bay
Or go back to the East
(Where it's all so civilized)
Where I was born to the life
But I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving the life
I am leaving
Comments (90)add comment
I really, really love this band.
Drawing the lines by Porcupine Tree...
I'm taking control, I'm taking control !
I'm shutting you out !
I'm drawing the line !
I'm taking control, I'm taking control !
I'm shutting you out !
I'm drawing the line !
goozer321 wrote:
Exactly! I looked it up half thinking it was Morten's new band...
But I'm not hearing Billy Joel at all!
A-ha - for those of you old enough.....
But I'm not hearing Billy Joel at all!
goozer321 wrote:
Ha ha, A-ha.
A-ha - for those of you old enough.....
Ha ha, A-ha.
Nice - his singing style reminds me of Pete Townsend
I have come to enjoy this band...Thanks RP !
goozer321 wrote:
I see your point but me, being even older than A-ha, had association that voice is reminiscent of Richard Thompson .
A-ha - for those of you old enough.....
I see your point but me, being even older than A-ha, had association that voice is reminiscent of Richard Thompson .
Shearwater is one of my RP gold nugget finds. Keep dropping the nuggets, Bill and Rebecca.
mephistophelean wrote:
If that's a Pete Townsend likeness I'm the Pope!!!
When are you holding your next Mass?
If that's a Pete Townsend likeness I'm the Pope!!!
When are you holding your next Mass?
Billy Joel called and says he'd like his vocal cords back.
Bonjour
There are a number of sour tracks on RP that I endure to get to sweet stuff like this...
“Just remember, the sweet is never as sweet without the sour, and I know the sour.”
“Just remember, the sweet is never as sweet without the sour, and I know the sour.”
Vocals reminiscent of Jake Thackray, anyone else getting that?
This is lovely.
Plus great image.
Their energy drags you into a good place...whether you want to go or not...
The ending sounds a bit like a Billy Joel song...
My love for this song will never end.
God, I love this song <3
derrylm1 wrote:
Just did! This band is so good.
Always, ALWAYS, I crank this up.
Just did! This band is so good.
I could listen to Meiburg's voice all day.
Always, ALWAYS, I crank this up.
This is probably my favourite Shearwater album (and this one of my favourite songs), with Jet Plane and Oxbow coming a close second - big, bold, emotional, rousing and intelligent.
Always loved the cover.
mephistophelean wrote:
If that's a Pete Townsend likeness I'm the Pope!!!
Your grace!!!
If that's a Pete Townsend likeness I'm the Pope!!!
Your grace!!!
Get me the nail clippers, oh wait before that maybe the restrainer & muzzle.
davboz wrote:
Coulda saved some, by keeping ur trap shut! Didn't say shit anyway.
Shlock! Jeez, settle down. All the build-up! About what? Lotta wasted energy here.
Coulda saved some, by keeping ur trap shut! Didn't say shit anyway.
What a brilliant song. Reminding me of an amazing holiday in Iceland, when I had this on a playlist.
I love this song. I saw them live in Manchester, and it was a quite amazing gig. The guys voice sent shivers down my spine...or that might have been the speaker cabinet I was leaning on...
These guys make tax deadlines bearable!! 
mephistophelean wrote:
If that's a Pete Townsend likeness I'm the Pope!!!
Whatchu talkin bout Willis? This sounds VERY Townsendesque.
If that's a Pete Townsend likeness I'm the Pope!!!
Whatchu talkin bout Willis? This sounds VERY Townsendesque.
Can tell this may be a can't get enough Shearwater kinda day. I'd not heard this gem before, but knew instantly who it was when I Alexa-on'd RP this morning. I think that's the beginning of hardcore fandom.
a bill powerhouse. RP all the way. all hail RP.
Shlock! Jeez, settle down. All the build-up! About what? Lotta wasted energy here.
That constant background plinking makes me want to be in Vegas playing the penny slots...
Bring me smile, on a sad day
YUCK ! REALLY?
Glad to hear Shearwater on RP. Their last few CD's have been very, very good.
MO' TEXASS.....
Zonkers wrote:
Me too.
Wow, I thought this was Pete Townshend at first.
Me too.
I hear this way too often. Once a year would be enough.
REDUNDANT? TOP 40? NEW LOOPS PLEASE...
fun cover art tho, to much play/......
fun cover art tho, to much play/......Austin Texans? this is really cool (Townsendy yup)!!!
Holy 80's Montage Batman.
The lyrics
But on the slope, at the edge
Will you recover your life?
You could stand on the back of a shuddering beam,
With a pistol, firing shots into the air
You could run in the blood of the sun's hard rays,
You could drive the mountains down into the bay
Are perhaps the greatest exhortation to life that I have ever heard in a song. A ten for these lines alone...
But on the slope, at the edge
Will you recover your life?
You could stand on the back of a shuddering beam,
With a pistol, firing shots into the air
You could run in the blood of the sun's hard rays,
You could drive the mountains down into the bay
Are perhaps the greatest exhortation to life that I have ever heard in a song. A ten for these lines alone...
Wow, I thought this was Pete Townshend at first.
7-->8. It's moving up for me.
Kaisersosay wrote:
I nominate as a 3rd for a little Townsendish,,,,,,at times
Townshend with his hands tied behind his back.i had several albums of theirs on my ipod but would not often feel like hearing them----but he caught my ear on a couple of songs on Palo Santo, I think it was.
(They toured with Coldplay and with the piano doing it's thing on here it might turn people off)
but I've been majorly into them since seeing them on Tiny Desk Concert NPR. They're just such wonderful people: gentle, smart and creative ----definitely made me want to move to Austin as so much of what i hear about Austin does.
(They toured with Coldplay and with the piano doing it's thing on here it might turn people off)
but I've been majorly into them since seeing them on Tiny Desk Concert NPR. They're just such wonderful people: gentle, smart and creative ----definitely made me want to move to Austin as so much of what i hear about Austin does.
I nominate as a 3rd for a little Townsendish,,,,,,at times
Sounds a bit like Paul Weller indeed, but only when he uses his power voice. Nice song... Thanks RP.
I got up to comment that this is the worst Billy Joel song I've ever heard.
Ooops.
Still bad.
Ooops.
Still bad.
Sure am digging this song.
ziakut wrote:
Yep. I second that it has a Pete Townshend touch. Something off the 'Cowboys...' album.
I hear it. Nothing wrong with that.
Yep. I second that it has a Pete Townshend touch. Something off the 'Cowboys...' album.
I hear it. Nothing wrong with that.
Powerful - reminds me of Billy Joel at his best.
After hearing this song a few times I just grabbed the album @f iTunes. The whole album is a solid effort. Straight-up, well crafted and performed rock ain't dead quite yet.
mephistophelean wrote:
If that's a Pete Townsend likeness I'm the Pope!!!
Oh, that's your triple tiara on the credenza; I was wondering who left it.
If that's a Pete Townsend likeness I'm the Pope!!!
Oh, that's your triple tiara on the credenza; I was wondering who left it.
mephistophelean wrote:
If that's a Pete Townsend likeness I'm the Pope!!!
The new one or old?
If that's a Pete Townsend likeness I'm the Pope!!!
The new one or old?
Was 7 - move to 8.
All right! More bold young rockers to file next The Decembrists.
ziakut wrote:
Yep. I second that it has a Pete Townshend touch. Something off the 'Cowboys...' album.
If that's a Pete Townsend likeness I'm the Pope!!!
Yep. I second that it has a Pete Townshend touch. Something off the 'Cowboys...' album.
If that's a Pete Townsend likeness I'm the Pope!!!
Is this a cover? I swear that last part I have heard by a female vocalist.
Nicey....
A-ha - for those of you old enough.....
Pete Townsend called...oh never mind, it's a good tune, I'll just sit back and enjoy it.
I'm getting flashes of 80's dance movies. For some reason I'm perfectly ok with that.
I don't share the sense of urgency this song tries to create.
Its missing something. or it missed me.
Its missing something. or it missed me.
I stopped getting ready to play my online game just so I could listen to this song undistracted. Still pretty. :)
Nice track. More.
Thanks RP. Another new group (to me) I can add to my playlist.
In the spirit of RT...everyone in my prison cell be dancin' right now!
joelbb wrote:
Eh? Not based on this song surely?
U2 wannabees.
Eh? Not based on this song surely?
Had to look to make sure this wasn't a Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend project.
lily34 wrote:
yeah! that's what i couldn't put my finger on. thanks! i totally hear that.
Yep. I second that it has a Pete Townshend touch. Something off the 'Cowboys...' album.
yeah! that's what i couldn't put my finger on. thanks! i totally hear that.
Yep. I second that it has a Pete Townshend touch. Something off the 'Cowboys...' album.
U2 wannabees.
VERY POWERFUL! way to crank it with the voice and music! I like the hints of Earnest English Rocker in the voice; I can hear Hollis or Thompson and yes Townshend's "I Am an Animal" definitely comes to mind; the same kind of raw emotion and urgent expression is there behind it, too — and it's good stuff...
Nice set going tonight, RP!
Nice set going tonight, RP!
I'm really diggin this.
Shaken_Bake wrote:
yeah! that's what i couldn't put my finger on. thanks! i totally hear that.
A touch of Pete Townshend in the voice and rhythm. I like!
yeah! that's what i couldn't put my finger on. thanks! i totally hear that.
Rockit wrote:
A three legged dog walks into a bar and says, "I'm looking for the man that shot my paw!"
Hi there...have you met my Pa'?
A three legged dog walks into a bar and says, "I'm looking for the man that shot my paw!"
I love this, makes me want to go back and hear that album again. They are also fantastic live!
Good energy, but kind of dull overall.
Liked the intro, and the buildup.
o/` I need a hero.... o/`
Shaken_Bake wrote:
I hear it too. Like the tune but was really hoping for some big guitar power chords and a Townsend solo. Would have given the song arrangement more variation. Like to hear more from CD.
A touch of Pete Townshend in the voice and rhythm. I like!
I hear it too. Like the tune but was really hoping for some big guitar power chords and a Townsend solo. Would have given the song arrangement more variation. Like to hear more from CD.
Shaken_Bake wrote:
Yeah, I hear it too—although this guy's a better singer I think.
For a second I thought it was the singer from The Killers...who doesn't really sing.
A touch of Pete Townshend in the voice and rhythm. I like!
Yeah, I hear it too—although this guy's a better singer I think.
For a second I thought it was the singer from The Killers...who doesn't really sing.
Interesting...
Singer's voice kind of reminded me of Paul Weller, so I stopped what I was doing to look. Not him, but not bad. Giving it a "7" for now...
A touch of Pete Townshend in the voice and rhythm. I like!
Hi there...have you met my Pa'?
Nice - his singing style reminds me of Pete Townsend
Beat me to it, agree 100%