Blood / Ballad of Fuck All

The Middle East : Blood


"Lie for a while with your ear against the earth, and you'll hear your sister sleep talking."




Well, my two best friends have been begging me to get on my laptop and write another one of my blogs accompanied with one of my "emo" songs, so this is to shut them up. Yes Anna and Sarah, I'm talking to the both of you.


"Blood" is an incredibly special song. It played on Pandora when I was driving, and it completely captured me. The strings of the guitar, the pitch of his voice, and the lyrics that accompany them melt together and become one of the most beautifully poetic songs I have ever heard. Although the entire song's underlining meaning is about the inevitability of death, it approaches it in such a beautiful, peaceful, nature-like way. He speaks to different members of his family and tries to reassure them that through connection with mother nature, they can find the peace of knowing their loved ones are still there, somewhere, waiting for them. There is a certain line that breaks me-


older brother, restless soul, lie down.
lie for a while with your ear against the earth,
and you'll hear your sister sleep talking.
say, "your hair is long but not long enough to reach home to me,
but your beard someday might be."


The imagery of those few lines is breathtaking in my opinion. Imagining grieving the loss of a sibling is overwhelming for me. I love my sisters and my brother so incredibly much. What he says to his older brother, to lie down with your ear against the earth and you'll hear your sister sleep talking, that is so heartbreakingly beautiful! What a peaceful moment. Listen to the earth, deep down in her roots, and you'll hear your sister again. She will always be a part of this world, and if you listen close enough, you'll still hear her. I don't know, maybe I'm a big weirdo, but I think that is just.... perfect.


Clearly, whoever wrote the lyrics feels very passionate about nature and his spiritual beliefs-



and you'll find somebody you can blame-
and you'll follow the creek that runs out into the sea-
and you'll find the peace of the Lord.


Just a beautiful song about loss, love, and faith. My favorite part of the song comes in around 3:25 in the song. It is such a happy, freeing feeling after hearing the end of the song. I LOVE IT! My 15-year-old niece, 10-year-old niece, and 7-year-old nephew all LOVE this part of the song. Every single time they get in my car they ask if we can listen to it. I look in my mirror and can see the two younger ones singing/screaming along, bobbing their heads, and smiling. They turn into little flower children every single time I play this song, makes me smile. :)


To end my little rant about this song, I'd just like to say how nice it is to be reminded that no matter who you have lost in your life, they are still all around you in spirit. In the wind, when the sun kisses your skin, the smell before rain, the sparkle of the water.... they never really leave you completely. 


Below is a cover I found of the song that I think is worth mentioning. I still think the original is a thousand times better, but it is a really good cover, also. 

One last song! Even though he's Scottish, I think you can still enjoy this song for St. Patty's Day. I love it. :)

Malcolm Middleton : Ballad of Fuck All