re: Stacks

Beat Lawrence asked Bon Iver what the purpose of "Re" was in this song title. The singer-songwriter replied: "It's 'Regarding.' People use it in letters and emails. It's about pointing towards and idea, to amplify that 'This song is about the stacks.' I mean, every song title does that in a way, but I just really wanted to point it out: this song isn't the stacks, it's about the stacks." This song's first line is "This my excavation and today is kumran" and Bon Iver's Myspace lists 'the excavation at Kumran' as the album's sole musical influence, Drowned in Sound asked him what he meant by this. The singer-songwriter replied: "It's referring to the excavations where they found the Dead Sea Scrolls. When they found them it changed the whole course of Christianity, whether people wanted to know it or not. A lot of people chose to ignore it, a lot of people decided to run with it, and for many people it destroyed their faith, so I think I was just looking at it as a metaphor for whatever happens after that is new s--t."

[Verse 1] This my excavation and to– –day is Kumran Everything that happens is from now on This is pouring rain, this is paralyzed [Verse 2] I keep throwing it down, two– –hundred at a time And it's hard to find it when you knew it When your money's gone and you're drunk as hell [Chorus] On your back with the racks as the stacks of your load In the back with the racks and the stacks are your load In the back with the racks and you're unstacking your load [Verse 3] I've been twisting to the sun I needed to replace And the fountain in the front yard is rusted out All my love was down in a frozen ground [Verse 4] There's a black crow sitting across from me His wiry legs are crossed And he's dangling my keys, he even fakes a toss Whatever could it be that has brought me to this loss? [Chorus] On your back with your racks as the stacks of your load In the back with the racks and the stacks of your load In the back with your racks and you're unstacking your load [Verse 5] This is not the sound of a new man Or crispy realization It's the sound of the unlocking and the lift away Your love will be safe with me