my heart is wild and my bones are steam
Writing to try to figure out what love is has been one of the main activities of songwriters since time began. As soon as we all realized that love did something to our insides that went deeper and stranger than other kinds of interactions, and as soon as we saw how devastatingly it could crush us, the chord progressions and lyrical twists started flowing. This is nothing new.
When I listen to the weighty “Song For Zula” by Phosphorescent, I feel like I am listening to the first and only song ever written. I don’t feel like I’ve ever heard a song about love before this one. I want very much to write something about how amazing this song is, since I have listened to it dozens and dozens of times on repeat in the last few weeks, and marveled over its story, its structure, its strings. But I don’t have anything else to say that the song doesn’t say already. Holy shit, this song.
Song For Zula – Phosphorescent
See, the cage, it called. I said, “Come on in”
I will not open myself up this way again
Nor lay my face to the soil, nor my teeth to the sand
I will not lay like this for days now upon end
You will not see me fall, nor see me struggle to stand
To be acknowledge by some touch from his gnarled hands
You see, the cage, it called. I said, “Come on in”
I will not open myself up this way again
Muchacho is out in March on Dead Oceans. That label lately. Man.
Name: Heather Browne
Beautiful … the song and your commentary!
Krista — January 12, 2013 @ 11:55 am
Been waiting forever for new Phosphorescent after loving Here’s To Taking It Easy.. and it’s everything I’ve hoped for. Matthew Houck’s got a way about him. Thank you for posting.
Pete — January 12, 2013 @ 2:17 pm
amazing song! Thanks for sharing!
Sar
sarah — January 12, 2013 @ 5:11 pm
me too me too me too
Dan — January 12, 2013 @ 6:45 pm
Song For Zula made it in my Top 10 songs of 2012….Great tune.
Kevin — January 13, 2013 @ 9:18 am
This feels like a Daniel Lanois song. Who did the production?
Jeremy — January 14, 2013 @ 4:46 pm
I hope Zula appreciates this
Jessie — January 20, 2013 @ 2:12 am
“Dead Oceans. That label lately. Man.” what else is worth checking out under this label plse?
AkiJ — January 20, 2013 @ 2:27 am
Aki, the new Night Beds will also be on Dead Oceans (see this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQU6fa9K-rA and http://soundcloud.com/deadoceans) and also the Bill Fay record was on Dead Oceans, and is still killing me.
browneheather — January 20, 2013 @ 8:49 am
and Jessie, I hope she does too
browneheather — January 20, 2013 @ 8:49 am
thanks for sharing this. in-love.
Typewriter — January 31, 2013 @ 5:19 pm
Just somehow stumbled upon this finally. Thank you for sharing. Kinda forgot about this guy. Amazing track.
motovres — May 12, 2013 @ 9:32 am