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The Decemberists — Carolina Low
Album: What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World
Avg rating:
7.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2735









Released: 2015
Length: 3:23
Plays (last 30 days): 2
I am a boy from the high country
And I got a lil love for the offering

I come down from the mountains, bow to the sea
In Carolina Low I will carry thee
Gonna take you up, gonna take you around
Where your poor lil Pan lays, we'll drag him down
Did you crack your laugh? Did you skin your knee?
In Carolina Low I will carry thee

What is sealed with a handshake - spoiled with a kiss
You got an ugly lil mouth, boy, and it's come to this
I'm bound for the hilltop, gonna make it, please
In Carolina Low I will carry thee

I am a boy from the high country
And I got a lil love for the offering
And I got a lil love for the offering
And I got a lil love for the offering
Comments (68)add comment
 lily34 wrote:

-10. PSD.



Buh-bye.
Exceptional indeed!
The songwriting here is exceptional and the acoustic guitar is haunting.
 Chwkbud wrote:

Also somewhat like Book of Fears "The Water Lets You In" (theme song from "Bloodline" on Netflix).  I like them both!



Me too.
-10. PSD.
Goose-bumps sitting at my desk. Work stopped completely.
Haunting! A definite twenty!
The intro reminds me Iron Maiden's "the number of the beast" acoustic version from "Spun" OST.
 paulstrangeway wrote:

Similar chord structure to some Black Rebel Motorcycle tune...off Howl



who cares?
It's not a 10, but it could be for evocation. 
Buckshot Pepps - nah you’re way off folks. This is an easy 9! Great timbre of voice. Acoustic, great talent 💖
I'm a huge Decemberists fan, but would rank this somewhere around the lower end of their oeuvre, qualitywise. But it's clearly intended as a simple, plaintive melody, and quite throwaway by Colin Meloy's standards, so I won't knock it too hard.
 paulstrangeway wrote:
Similar chord structure to some Black Rebel Motorcycle tune...off Howl
 
It does bear a passing resemblance to Restless Sinner, yes. 

I just purely love this song.
 maxvonevil wrote:
Yes. Great song... but methinks I'm sensing some dark undercurrents in those lyrics? Or am I just hearing something that isn't there? {#Eek}
 
Why do you say "but"?
What a breath of fresh air after 3 skips in a row. Sigh.
 jhorton wrote:
One voice, one guitar, so hard to be this powerful.
 
Plus low drumbeat and synth. Fekin gorgeous!!!! Turn it up!
Atmosphere. Without it, there is no life, either in song or on the Earth. 
Also somewhat like Book of Fears "The Water Lets You In" (theme song from "Bloodline" on Netflix).  I like them both!
Similar chord structure to some Black Rebel Motorcycle tune...off Howl
 maxvonevil wrote:
Yes. Great song... but methinks I'm sensing some dark undercurrents in those lyrics? Or am I just hearing something that isn't there? {#Eek}
 
You're not. Integrate the Shadow.
simple + pure = beautiful
 maxvonevil wrote:
Yes. Great song... but methinks I'm sensing some dark undercurrents in those lyrics? Or am I just hearing something that isn't there? {#Eek}
 
I think you're spot on, maxvonevil - this track has a "Deliverance" vibe to my ears.  I have this at an 8 rating.  Long Live RP!!
Yes. Great song... but methinks I'm sensing some dark undercurrents in those lyrics? Or am I just hearing something that isn't there? {#Eek}
Wow, great song, I'd like to hear more from that album.
 I absolutely agree!



VV wrote:
Good song but seems to be played at the expense of the other great songs on this album.

Bill, how about giving this one a little rest and playing some of the other gems off of this release?

 

Wow, what a great song. Thanks for this one.
such a solid good band - this is just beautiful....
One voice, one guitar, so hard to be this powerful.
Great tune
 Me too!

handyrae wrote:
I love this song and am always slightly surprises when I remember it's The Decemberists.

 


I love this song and am always slightly surprises when I remember it's The Decemberists.
lame
Good song but seems to be played at the expense of the other great songs on this album.

Bill, how about giving this one a little rest and playing some of the other gems off of this release?
 grazie wrote:
Really getting under my skin this. It's rather good.

 
Same here. When I started hearing the Decemberists, on RP natch, they really fecked me off as yet another 'nu-nu-folk' band along the lines of the execrable Mumford & Sons, but repeated exposure to Melloy & Co via RP has really turned me into a fan, such that I've actually bought a disc or two. I'm really getting attuned to Melloy's voice, and the sharp instrumentals of the band. 9 from the assimilated Nottingham jury.
simply fine-oh wine-oh
 masteroflife wrote:
Reminds me of Bert Jansch

 
Poor ol' Bert must be spinning in his grave....
Reminds me of Bert Jansch
Stunningly beautiful.
 rashad wrote:
Had not heard of them .... and then saw them here in Australia at Bluesfest 2016 over Easter.
They were one of my serendipitous happenings at Bluesfest, which is five days of music heaven.

Loved their music, their sound. I think they would benefit from having another singer as well .... maybe a female?
But that's an aside. Their quintessentially American sound and music-making is superb.

 
Bluesfest is definitely music heaven!
 
 grazie wrote:
Really getting under my skin this. It's rather good.

 
Ditto.  The Decemberists really do catch my attention every time I hear them, even when I know it's them.
I burn a mix CD of annual favorites to trade with a group of my friends each year—burning a CD the old-fashioned way limits us all to 79:56 of music, plus we can make cool packaging if we want to—and I thought the song "Lake Song" from the 2015 record What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World was the strongest song on the record. I created a medley using excerpts of "The Singer Addresses His Audience" and "Lake Song" from the album for part of my "best of" mix disc for 2015.
Had not heard of them .... and then saw them here in Australia at Bluesfest 2016 over Easter.
They were one of my serendipitous happenings at Bluesfest, which is five days of music heaven.

Loved their music, their sound. I think they would benefit from having another singer as well .... maybe a female?
But that's an aside. Their quintessentially American sound and music-making is superb.
 baylees wrote:
Joke from a Jewish NY wife:

  question:   Hey what is her favorite wine? 
answer:   I wanna go to fla ri da   (florida)

This tune was a whinny mess 

 
No, No, No  It's "I wanna go to Miami!"  in a Brooklyn accent.   I know for sure, cause I learned that at the University of Forida. 
I live in Virginia, and relate to the carolinas' blues a lot..... 
Love this band, thanks again RP :)
 ivanaus wrote:

Don't need an accent to convey great lyrics in a soulful way. :-)

 
True, maybe someone should tell Colin Meloy that.
Joke from a Jewish NY wife:

  question:   Hey what is her favorite wine? 
answer:   I wanna go to fla ri da   (florida)

This tune was a whinny mess 
 Proclivities wrote:

He's from Oregon by way of Montana; I'm not sure where the accent is from. 

 
Don't need an accent to convey great lyrics in a soulful way. :-)
 DaidyBoy wrote:
Love their melodies and workmanship.  Needs work on his accent though, I can't work out where he is from....

 
He's from Oregon by way of Montana; I'm not sure where the accent is from. 
Liking this more with each listen. {#Cool}
This incredible album is one of my hugest discoveries from RP.
Really getting under my skin this. It's rather good.
 Huey wrote:
Bumping from a 7 -> 8.  Liken' it.

 
9 for me!
PSD; I cannot handle Colin Meloy's droning any longer.
Bumping from a 7 -> 8.  Liken' it.
The band were marvellous at their recent Brighton, UK concert! And as RP hasn't played it yet, check out the Lake Song on the album. Sublime!
Love their melodies and workmanship.  Needs work on his accent though, I can't work out where he is from....
The mannered affected intonation of the singer is annoying, to me!
 I think this is a grower too

Clarentine wrote:
This one's grown on me.  Anyone have an opinion on the rest of the album? 

 


Beautiful guitar picking!   Mesmerizing...{#Clap}
 Clarentine wrote:
This one's grown on me.  Anyone have an opinion on the rest of the album? 

 
I like it!
"I come down from the mountains, bow to the sea
In Carolina Low I will carry thee
Gonna take you up, gonna take you around
Where your poor lil Pan lays, we'll drag him down
Did you crack your laugh? Did you skin your knee?
In Carolina Low I will carry thee..."
This one's grown on me.  Anyone have an opinion on the rest of the album? 
Colin @ his finest!  this is one brilliant recording!
What a beautiful song this is
Cool, a new Decemberists song. I recognized Colin's voice right away but I had to check because I didn't remember the song.