A Song for Our Grandfathers Lyrics
Been a long time, in a low place
Surrounded by what I have made
Need to get away
Get away from what relates
And what was done, 'cause it's all over now
Through the woods, I come running to loose leaf
And carve my name
In the lines, there's not a trace
I hear the ghost whisper, and those old eyes watching me
But I feel safe, grandfather looking over me
[Chorus]
He said, "Don't make 'em wait
Gotta go a long way
Let's be brave
Don't make 'em wait
No, don't make them wait"
[Verse 2]
I sat down, with a coffee on my bent knee
Looking out, at the burnt land, looking back at me
These used to be green crops
And high on a summer breeze
Now it's fallow fields and clear-cut barren weeds
They said that if I stared
The abyss would stare back at me
So I did...
And I felt it slowly creep in me
Save for the smoke, that danced when I took a drag
It made me think about the way it all came to be
Grandmama watching over me
And she said, "Don't make 'em wait
Gotta go a long way
Let's be brave, show them the way
Nah, don't make them wait"
[Bridge]
Don't make them wait, nah
Don't make them wait
[Outro]
I hear the ghost whisper
And those old eyes watching me
But I feel safe
I feel safe
About
“The South has a certain poetry and romance to it, lots of old ghosts. That’s kind of what "A Song for Our Grandfathers” was about—just thinking that my grandparents are watching over me, and how things come together and connect to make us who we are.“ says singer/lyricist Samuel T. Herring in an interview.
The official video for this track was released on Fathers Day, June 19th 2015 and is directed by Jay Buim. It depicts the band having picnic in North Carolina, performing before their families.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Samuel T. Herring: “A Song for Our Grandfathers” we wrote at William’s family’s hunting cabin in North Carolina. I was listening to the demo and looking out at the land, which is about half a mile back off this dirt road and surrounded by burnt-out farms and old fields and tall walls of pine trees. I was thinking about this place and the heavy weight of it, but also the beauty in it, because there were all these pictures of William’s family on the walls. I started thinking about my grandparents and the way they lived, the way they came up, and what that land was like then.
- 2.Spirit
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- 6.A Song for Our Grandfathers
- 7.Light House
