How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

About

Genius Annotation

Lead Justin Vernon said this about Perth and the inspiration behind the track:

The first thing I worked on, the riff and the beginning melodies, was the first song on the record, ‘Perth,’“ Vernon says. "That was back in early 2008. The reason I called it that right away, is because I was with a guy that I didn’t know very well, but basically, it’s a long story, but in the three days we were supposed to spend together — he’s a music video maker — in those three days, his best friend [Heath Ledger] died. And his best friend was from Perth. It just sort of became the beginning of the record. And Perth has such a feeling of isolation, and also it rhymes with birth, and every song I ended up making after that just sort of drifted towards that theme, tying themselves to places and trying to explain what places are and what places aren’t.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What inspired the guitar-playing style in this song?
Genius Answer

From an interview with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon with Pitchfork:

I wanted to build a sound from scratch and then use that sound to make the song. The “Perth” riff came from trying to fuzz-out my guitar and make a really warm distortion, a la Neil Young, or some of the guitar tones we were exploring in [my work with] Land of Talk.

When was it decided that "Perth" would be the first track on the album?
Genius Answer

From an interview with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon with Pitchfork:

I was working on recording “Perth” in January 2008, before For Emma even came out on Jagjaguwar. I already knew that whatever record I was going to make, “Perth” was going to be the first track.

What did Bon Iver say about "Perth"?
Genius Answer

Vernon sees the album as one coherent piece, with “Perth” representing the beginning or birth and “Beth/Rest” the ending, or death.

Vernon wrote this song after director, Matt Amato, learned of the death of his best friend, actor Heath Ledger, while he was shooting a video at Vernon’s parents' house. Vernon told Rolling Stone:

So I’ve got this guy [Matt Amato] in my house whose best friend [Heath Ledger] just passed away. He’s sobbing in my arms. He can’t go back to L.A. because the house is under siege. Michelle Williams is calling my parents' phone. All this stuff.

To Clash Music, Vernon added:

And his best friend was from Perth. It just sort of became the beginning of the record. And Perth has such a feeling of isolation, and also it rhymes with birth, and every song I ended up making after that just sort of drifted towards that theme, tying themselves to places and trying to explain what places are and what places aren’t.

Vernon told Q magazine this was the last track completed for Bon Iver, Bon Iver, delaying the album mastering by an extra two weeks in order to make it perfect. The night he recorded the final vocal alone in his studio, he listened to the playback, broke down, and sobbed.

Comments