Bon Iver

Lyrics

[Intro]
More love
More love
More love

[Verse 1]
All along 'em I can hear me
I go for the caste
I fall off a bass boat
And the concrete's very slow
And the concrete's very slow
All along the sideline's bigger
I'm over the dash
I'm having a bad, bad toke
But the berries still to come
All along them I can hear ya

[Chorus]
I can hear, I can hear
I can hear, I can hear crying (I can hear)
I can hear cry (Crying)
I can hear, I can hear (Crying)
I can hear, I can hear crying
(I can hear, I can hear)

[Verse 2]
All along me I can hear you
I'd occupy that
Can't sit back long while you're forming that
Oh my mind our kids got bigger
But I'm climbing down the bastion now
You take me out to pasture now
Well, I won't be angry long
Well, I can't be angry long
We burnt up in my bed
Standing on the mattress, Laul
Laul, can't we just patch this up?
And I cannot seem to carry it all
All along we I can hear me
[Chorus]
I can hear, I can hear
I can hear, I can hear crying (I can hear)
I can hear cry (Crying)
I can hear, I can hear
I can hear, I can hear crying
I can hear crying
I can hear, I can hear
I can hear, I can hear crying
I can hear cry
I can hear, I can hear
I can hear, I can hear crying

[Verse 3]
All around me I can hear 'em
So what is gonna happen now?
If you don't look away
What's there to pontificate on now?
There's someone in my head
Tell them I'll be passing on
Tell them we're young mastodons
And it can't be that it's all
And it can't be that it's all
I'm telling you that I do feel ya
It's suddenly paths, mama
It ain't about class, mama
And it won't be very long
Oh, it won't be very long
[Bridge]
Hey, hey
Hey, hey

[Outro]
(I can hear)
I can hear (Crying)
I can hear, I can hear (Crying, crying)
I can hear
(I can hear crying)
(Crying, crying)

If you're a fan of Bon Iver, one of the most critically acclaimed indie folk bands of our time, then you've probably heard about their latest release, i,i. The album was released in August 2019, and it's the fourth studio album by the band, marking their second album in four years after a five-year hiatus. One of the standout tracks on the album is "Naeem," a song that's been around since 2017, but it was reworked and repurposed to fit into the album.

"Naeem" is a song that's been shrouded in mystery since its inception, with two different versions of the song floating around online, "Naeem 1" and "Naeem 2." Fans who have been following the band since their early days knows that Justin Vernon, the frontman of Bon Iver, is known for his experimental and unconventional approach to music. So it's no surprise that "Naeem" is a song that defies easy categorization or definition.

About Naeem

The origins of "Naeem" can be traced back to December 2017, when Bon Iver performed the song live in Washington, D.C. Since then, "Naeem" has been used in Bon Iver's collaboration with TU Dance on "Come Through," a contemporary dance performance that features pieces by Bon Iver's Justin Vernon. The song was then reworked and repurposed to be included in the band's latest album, i,i.

If you listen to both "Naeem 1" and "Naeem 2," you'll notice that they share a lot of similarities, but there are also some key differences between the two versions. The final version that appears on i,i could be different from both of these versions, as Justin Vernon is known for his restless and experimental approach to music-making, where songs evolve and change over time, never static or fixed in their form or meaning.

"Naeem" is a song that's full of contradictions and paradoxes. On the surface, the song is a simple love song, but as you delve deeper into the lyrics, you realize that it's much more complex and layered than you initially thought. The lyrics are cryptic and enigmatic, full of twists and turns, and the music is moody and atmospheric, with lush instrumentation that ebbs and flows throughout the song.

In an exclusive interview with Annie Mac on Radio 1, Justin Vernon revealed that “Naeem” serves as the end of the album’s first act. This provides an insight into the creative direction of the album as a cohesive whole and the specific role that "Naeem" plays in the larger narrative arc of the album. Fans of Bon Iver will undoubtedly be eager to unravel the mysteries and secrets of "Naeem" and delve deeper into the enigmatic and poetic world of Justin Vernon's music.

One possible interpretation of the song is that it's about a person or a relationship that's difficult to define or categorize. The name "Naeem" itself is ambiguous and open to interpretation, as it could refer to a person's name or a place or a feeling, or anything in between. The lyrics are full of references to nature and the natural world, with lines like "Lay me down in the tall grass" and "I won’t let your judgment define me" evoking a sense of freedom and wildness.

The song's instrumentation is equally intriguing and defies easy categorization. There are elements of folk, soul, and R&B in the song's sound, but there are also unconventional and experimental elements that keep the listener guessing. The song opens with a burst of horns that sets the mood for the song, and then the vocals come in, soft and plaintive, like a whisper in the ear.

The song builds and swells as it progresses, with layers of instrumentation and vocals piling on top of each other, creating a wall of sound that's both dense and intricate. As the song reaches its climax, the vocals become more urgent and impassioned, with Justin Vernon's voice rising up from a whisper to a roar, as he sings lines like "Sons and daughters of righteous fighters" and "With a heavy heart, and your feet tied up."

"Naeem" is a song that rewards repeated listens, as there are always new details and nuances to discover and appreciate. It's a song that defies easy classification, but that's all part of the appeal of Bon Iver's music: it's never static or fixed, but always evolving and changing, like the natural world that it draws inspiration from.

Wrapping Up

"Naeem" is a song that highlights all the best elements of Bon Iver's music: lush instrumentation, poetic lyrics, and an experimental and unconventional approach to music-making. It's a song that will appeal to both longtime fans of the band and newcomers who are discovering their music for the first time. Whether you're listening to the song on your headphones, in your car, or at a live concert, "Naeem" is a song that will transport you to another world, one that's full of mystery and wonder.

• Release Date: August 8, 2019
• Artist: Bon Iver