I was born and then orphaned by parents of sin
and the preachers and pastors were listening in
I was baptized with water the day it happened
now I’m leaving my chains all behind
so they called up the neighbors to tell them the news
a young baby child that the world can abuse
I cried and I cried, but they called it a ruse
now I’m leaving my chains all behind
I had realized the night of the day I turned seven
that even if acting nice could get you to heaven
the world that you live in will treat you like hell
so I’m leaving my chains all behind
now, I remember sadly the youth of my day
the minute they found out young jacob was gay
they stoned him with words and they stuck him with trees
now I’m leaving my chains all behind
Then I got to the age when I thought I was a man
and I wondered when we’d learn the grand master plan
but what if the plan is just to live till you die?
well then I’m leaving my chains behind
and you brought me a woman right into my life
and we found out that love is full of heartache and strife
but the jagged edges wear down the more that they grind
so we’re leaving our chains all behind
“But I don’t believe all the things that I did when me and mine lived all the places we live”
It’s ok, baby, to change what you think
change can be good, no, it don’t make you weak.
someday you’ll grow to a beautiful tree:
how I want to sing under your leaves
Now I’m in my twenties and finding my way
you pay for your work, and you work for your pay
if I live, or if I die, at least there’s love either way
now I’m leaving my chains all behind
so bring all your lepers and blind men to see
there’s a love in our bodies, and it won’t let you be
if you open your hands, it’ll set us all free
now I’m leaving my chains all behind
and if he comes through the clouds, it could set us all free
now I’m leaving my chains all behind.
it's such a beautiful album of grieving and loss and acceptance. it speaks to a particular kind of grief -- not a grieving of one who is lost, but the grieving for one who is still present and still causing pain. i love the last song most because while it could end in pain, or end with the narrators decision to permanently push this person out of their life and that would be justified, it doesn't. instead, it offers something. what is offered? acceptance. hope. and a chance for redemption janmisha
I absolutley LOVE the harmonies and the strings with this. It is BEAUTIFUL. You have such a way with layering those things together. It meshes so flawlessly. With the whole EP though I really enjoy the "lived in" feel to it. norma_grace
Sparkling synthpop with an emphasis on high-wattage chords and the kind of melodies that burrow themselves deep in the brain. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 1, 2023
The Oh Hellos sind was besonderes für mich. Ich mag die Wechsel zwischen den ruhigen, atmospherischen Passagen und den rhythmischen Passagen. Ich mag wie ihr Spannung aufbaut. Ich mag die Stimme von Maggie und Tyler. Ich mage den unisono Gesang der ganzen Band. Ich wünsche mir eine neue Produktion von The Oh Hellos und Surfjan Stevens; und eine Tour mit einem Konzert im Westen von Deutschland. Kert Goéland