Bon Iver - Holocene Lyrics Meaning

This is the way the song Holocene plays FOR ME, not the singer per se, FOR ME.

"Someway, baby, it's part of me, apart from me"

Referring to a girl that is part of him as per experience (ex), but the person themselves is gone from his life.

"You're laying waste to Halloween"

Referring to a girl being something they appeared not to be initially. You dress up for Halloween to be something or someone else for one night. This person is "laying waste" to Halloween by doing this on a regular basis. Or perhaps he is just drunk (as the singer himself admitted).

"You fucked it friend, it's on it's head, it struck the street"

Girl fucked the relationship up or perhaps guy did?

"You're in Milwaukee, off your feet"

Girl is with some other dude; thus the off your feet? Sex? Or dude is off his feet being polar opposite to being on your feet as in having your shit together. Job, etc.

"And at once I knew I was not magnificent"

That great feeling of having something you thought was significant gone and not knowing why it's gone or where it went?

"Strayed above the highway"

Far from society or life in general. Isolation.

(Jagged vacance, thick with ice)

Perhaps a scene in the literal sense (beauty) or perhaps a feeling in the figurative sense (isolation).

"And I could see for miles, miles, miles"

Again, perhaps a scene in the literal sense (crisp clear day) or perhaps a feeling of hope (figurative); meaning I can see that I have a future apart from this fucked up relationship and/or situation.

"3rd and Lake it burnt away, the hallway"

As someone noted, a place in Wisconsin in the college district. Sticking with the relationship theme here (this song could be about his brother, a girl, his dog, I don't know), I think this would refer to a back alley or the like (hallway burnt away).

"Was where we learned to celebrate"

That feeling of being with someone new that you love. That young love feeling that you can only experience for a brief period in life.

"Automatic bought the years you'd talk for me"

Relationship(s) are now older and they know each other so well they don't need words.

"That night you played me 'Lip Parade'"

Doesn't have to be 'Lip Parade' could very well be Holocene. Just a time where someone has given you something beautiful that you never would have discovered on your own. For me it was Jerry Garcia.

"Not the needle, nor the thread, the lost decree"

It wasn't a song (the needle), it wasn't an album (the thread), it was something wonderful that you never knew existed (the lost decree; the artist themselves or perhaps the person themselves); as per the explanation above.

"Saying nothing, that's enough for me"

I understand what gloriousness we had by just being alive and having had each other.

"And at once I knew I was not magnificent"

However, life is life and I know that nothing last forever...

"Hulled far from the highway (Jagged vacance, thick with ice)"

Hulled in this case being drifting aimlessly; again, isolation I think.

"And I could see for miles, miles, miles"

That great feeling of having something or someone you thought was significant gone and not knowing why it's gone or where it went? Or perhaps hope???

"Christmas night, it clutched the light, the hallow bright"

(Singer himself admitted this was about smoking a joint with his brother)

However, I digress...

For me it is being somewhere special (with family) with your special someone when things just ain't right with you and your special someone.

"Above my brother, I and tangled spines"

Brother is on the bottom floor of the house. On the second story is dude (I) and girl (tangled spines) doing whatever they are doing, loving each other? Sex?

"We smoked the screen to make it what it was to be"

Opposite of smoke screen. Smoked the screen as in to get the unnecessary information away so we can see what is really going on. As per the relationship theme.

"Now to know it in my memory"

One of those relationships where you cannot ever forget. For better or worse; you will never forget. It has both the bitter and the sweet and that's how you know they both exist.

"And at once I knew I was not magnificent"

Pick any line from above and stick it here, it will work.

"High above the highway (Jagged vacance, thick with ice)"

Totally isolated now...or just high to get away from yourself.

But I could see for miles, miles, miles

"And" changes to "but" and hope is renewed even more. I know that I will get through this; most of the time...

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rcXRopqipqSav7G%2BxK2YraGfo8Bvr86mZpunnmK2t7HRaJ%2BopJ%2BYsq%2Bx