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(Length: 3 min 39 sec)
One Daughter
November 2004
she has three sons; she has one daughter
it is younger than the one daughter
golden children and wooden toys
into these walls
they're all grown now and pulling away
all the memories in the clear water
in the northern sky, fading
into these walls
into these silent walls
and I just noticed
this place breathes our lives
only family it's ever known
keeps them warm when the snow's falling
and their laughter is fading
into these doors
into these open doors
and I just noticed
this place breathes our love
rose-strung bulbs unwinding
paper chains strewn in the doorframes
we used to walk through every day
do you feel it fading?
it's fading
into these familiar walls
and I just noticed
this place breathes
into our minds
into our turning minds
and I just noticed
this place breathes our lives
This song is about my house, my home, and my family. After being away from home at college, the house has a different feel to it--almost "old," even though it's "younger than [I am]." It's full of memories--many of which come flooding back around the holidays (namely Christmas day), which is why the song has sort of a holiday/winter slant in the lyrics. I find it fascinating how a place can be enfused with memories, memories that will be here long after we're gone and some other family is living here creating their own stories--making this house, this place, their own.