For the past three weeks or so I have been listening to The Avett Brothers pretty much everyday. A song that in the past I always skipped over was “The Weight of Lies” just because it was sad and slow pace, but recently I decided to listen to it all the way through and totally fell in love with the song… The lyrics are below.
“Disappear from you hometown
Go and find the people that you know
Show them all you good parts
Leave town when bad ones start to show
Go and wed a woman
A pretty girl that you’ve never met
Make sure she knows you love her well
But don’t make any other promises
The weight of lies will bring you down
And follow you to every town
Cause nothing happens here that doesn’t happen there
So when you run make sure you run
To something and not away from
Cause lies don’t need an aeroplane to chase you anywhere
I once heard the worse thing
A man could do is draw a hungry crowd
Tell everyone his name, pride, and confidence
But leaving out his doubt
I’m not sure I bought those words
When I was young I knew most everything
These words have never met so much to anyone
As they now mean to me
The weight of lies will bring you down
And follow you to every town
Cause nothing happens here that doesn’t happen there
So when you run make sure you run
To something and not away from
Cause lies don’t need an aeroplane to chase you down”
This has really gotten me thinking about “The Weight of Lies” lately. I think that The Avett Brothers are really onto something with how big of a burden lies can be. We have ALL lied in our past, but how often do they turn out well (even if the only consequence is the weight on our own moral standards)? I would love to hear your thoughts about the song/lyrics/and even the band in general!
Austin,
Don’t find me creepy at all, I know you but you don’t know me. I am best friends with Cassidy Grubbs and Caitlin Jordan, and they have told me all about you. I got curious one day and found you on here (I do not have a Facebook) and I nearly read all of your adventures. I am gravitated to your passion for these issues and more so just for the pure human goodness. This is rare and I admire it! I was moved by many stories but being a girl and all, this one really caught my attention. I am one who will hear songs all day and like them for the over all “tune” or “beat”, but only certain songs do I really read what lies behind. I think this song represents decision making and the domino effect it has on your life as well as so many others. I truly believe that if you could change just one person’s “leaf”, you’ve won. Anything you say or do can impact many, so you should be cognoscent of your lies, and secrets. Perhaps karma is real. I believe in free will, but I also believe in fate when you are on the “right” path. Your question, “why me” is something we all ask ourselves in good and bad situations-unknown situations even. I haven’t traveled as much as you, or have as cool of a story to tell for each. But I definetly get the hunger for answers! What else can we do other than humble ourselves and move forward? Helping too much can hurt…
I’ve learned this the hard way because, like you, I have a burning desire to. Just. Help. It really comes to a disappointment when you didn’t make the change you would’ve like to see, but I read once that, “good men who do nothing do evil.” Seems a bit escalated at first, but I’m sure you get the point.
Best wishes and prayers go out to you, my friend!
Jamie
I’m so glad you gave me this song, Austin. My favorite lyrics, “so when you run make sure you run to something and not away from,” make me think the same thing every time: we are the collections and culminations of everything we have ever thought, experienced, met, and even lied. We can’t run from any of it, whether good or bad. It’s always a part of us for better or worse.
I really liked the lines “So when you run make sure you run to something and not away from.” It’s one of those things that sounds like great advice, but it’s really hard to do. Sometimes when I’ve been faced with a problem, I’ve wanted nothing more than to just run the opposite direction and crawl under the covers. Of course, that doesn’t help solve anything and I eventually had to face my problems. I also think that sometimes it’s really easy to get stuck, especially if what you’re running to is scary or foreign or unknown.
I really like these lyrics too! I have never really given the Avett Brothers much thought but now I want to check them out!
I really like these lyrics! I have listened to the Avett Brothers with friends often, but I do not have any on my own ipod. These lyrics are very meaningful to be. The imagery of running away, especially. But it is true. No matter where you go in the world, your actions follow you. There is no such thing as running away. It is a tough reality, I am still struggling with it today.