Your Bones by Of Monsters and Men Lyrics Meaning – The Haunting Voyage Through Loss and Perseverance
Lyrics
Out of feathers, out of bones
We set fire to our homes
Walking barefoot in the snow
Distant rhythm of the drum
As we drifted towards the storm
Baby lion lost his teeth
Now they’re swimming in the sea
Troubled spirits on my chest
Where they laid to rest
The birds all left, my tall friend
As your body hit the sand
Million stars up in the sky
Formed a tiger’s eye
That looked down on my face
Out of time and out of place
So hold on
Hold on to what we are
Hold on to your heart
La-la-la, la-la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la-la
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la
La-la-la, la-la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la-la
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la
Awaken by the sound
Of a screaming owl
Chasing leaves in the wind
Going where we’ve never been
Said goodbye to you my friend
As the fire spread
All that’s left are your bones
That will soon sink like stones
So hold on
Hold on to what we are
Hold on to your heart
La-la-la, la-la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la-la
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la
La-la-la, la-la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la-la
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la
So hold on
Hold on to your heart
Of Monsters and Men, the Icelandic indie folk band known for their ethereal soundscapes, have etched a special place in the hearts of listeners with ‘Your Bones.’ This track from their debut album ‘My Head Is an Animal’ interweaves a rich tapestry of emotional storytelling with stirring melodies, capturing a haunting rumination on the themes of loss, memory, and the enduring human spirit.
Peeling back the onion-skin layers of ‘Your Bones’ reveals a complex core. The song manages a delicate balance, offering a lullaby-like gentleness in its refrain while simultaneously carrying the weight of a darker narrative. Each verse and chorus become a bold foray into the psyche of the collective and individual human experience.
Building a Vessel from Memory: Crafting the Perfect Metaphor
The opening lines, ‘In the spring we made a boat / Out of feathers, out of bones,’ evoke a sense of both construction and impermanence. These fragile materials, feathers and bones, represent the pieces of the past — the remnants of the personal and the ancestral. It is this boat that becomes a metaphor for the memories we cling to and the personal histories we curate and carry.
The idea of setting fire to one’s home suggests a conscious decision to erase the past or to forge ahead into uncertainty. This incendiary image, paired with the striking visual of walking barefoot in snow, merges the pain of departure with the coldness of loneliness, engaging listeners in a dance of destruction and resilience.
The Unsettling Journey: A Baby Lion’s Loss
A pivotal moment occurs with the line, ‘Baby lion lost his teeth / Now they’re swimming in the sea,’ a poetic unraveling of helplessness and the universal process of growing up. The baby lion, often a symbol of strength under development, faces an early setback that quite literally gets cast into the vast uncharted waters of the sea, embodying the theme of innocence interrupted.
A drum’s distant rhythm and a looming storm serve as the backdrop for this loss. Such visceral imageries immerse the listener into a sense of ongoing movement towards an inevitable resolution, however cryptic that may be, underscoring a deep-rooted human fear of the uncontrollable forces of change.
Uncovering the Hidden Meaning: Celestial Guidance in Times of Trouble
‘Million stars up in the sky / Formed a tiger’s eye / That looked down on my face / Out of time and out of place.’ These lines present a cosmic moment of introspection. The tiger’s eye, traditionally seen as a talisman for protection and personal empowerment, here appears as an omniscient force, offering a celestial perspective on one’s tribulations.
Out of time and out of place—these feelings encapsulate the disorienting effect of grief or personal upheaval. When the stars form this watchful eye, the narrative transcends into a realm where humans seek guidance from greater, unknowable forces, urging the listener to ponder their own search for meaning in times of distress.
Elegy for a Friend: The Poignant Promise in the Chorus
The chorus, ‘So hold on / Hold on to what we are / Hold on to your heart,’ is a rallying cry, a call to resilience amidst the chaos. It speaks to the indomitable nature of the human spirit and the need to cling to the core of one’s identity. The affirmation of self becomes a powerful anchor as everything else shifts tumultuously.
This plea reverberates through the song, embedding itself in the consciousness of the listener. It serves as a soothing mantra to ward off the sense of being lost; even amid the shriek of a ‘screaming owl’ and the dissolution brought by a rampaging fire, there remains the essence of what one is and was.
Memorable Lines: The Fateful Conclusion
The finality in the verse, ‘Said goodbye to you my friend / As the fire spread / All that’s left are your bones / That will soon sink like stones,’ is potent and somber. The bones, sinking like stones, imply the ultimate return to the earth, where memories and identities are distilled down to their very foundations—both an end and a return to beginnings.
The song, thus, encapsulates the journey from youthful innocence to the bittersweet acceptance of mortality. It subtly challenges the listener to face their own journey with eyes wide open, embracing both the ephemeral nature of life and the enduring quality of what we hold in our hearts.
