The Decemberists — 12-17-12
Album: What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful WorldAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 1719
Length: 3:00
Plays (last 30 days): 2
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What a gift, what a gift you can give me
Here with my heart so whole, while others may be breathing
To think of their grieving
and oh my boy, don't you know that you are dear to me
You are a breath of life and a light upon the water
A light upon the water...
And oh, my love, if you only knew how I long for you
How I waste my days wishin' you would come around
Just to have you around
And what a dear, what a sweet little baby
This cannonball in the bosom of your belly
It's just a kick in your belly
And oh my God, what a world you have made here
What a terrible world, what a beautiful word
What a world you have made here
What a world you have made here
What a world you have made here
Here with my heart so whole, while others may be breathing
To think of their grieving
and oh my boy, don't you know that you are dear to me
You are a breath of life and a light upon the water
A light upon the water...
And oh, my love, if you only knew how I long for you
How I waste my days wishin' you would come around
Just to have you around
And what a dear, what a sweet little baby
This cannonball in the bosom of your belly
It's just a kick in your belly
And oh my God, what a world you have made here
What a terrible world, what a beautiful word
What a world you have made here
What a world you have made here
What a world you have made here
Comments (50)add comment
Robb Elementary School, 5/24/21
ploba wrote:
Just bumped my rating a notch too đ
From a 9 to a 10. This song is perfect.
Just bumped my rating a notch too đ
It was RP that introduced me to The Decemberists ~ and I LOVE them!
Pjesnik wrote:
What would you get when applying inverse Fourier transform?
A "square" wave ....
What would you get when applying inverse Fourier transform?
A "square" wave ....
VV wrote:
What would you get when applying inverse Fourier transform?
I think I hear this on on RP every other day. I like it but maybe scale back it's frequency?
What would you get when applying inverse Fourier transform?
All this adulation and it's rated 7,2..... that's about right!
Racquel wrote:
I would prefer a world in which it had never been invented
Blues harmonica - I'm in heaven
I would prefer a world in which it had never been invented
Bill, Rebecca vous ĂȘtes tellement magiques .... vous m"accompagnez dans mes fins de soirĂ©es et vous ĂȘtes TOUJOURS au top. Thanks
jp33442 wrote:
Written 3 days after (based on the title). The shootings occurred on the 14th, forever tied to my wedding anniversary (different year).
Great song about sandy hook
Written 3 days after (based on the title). The shootings occurred on the 14th, forever tied to my wedding anniversary (different year).
Great song about sandy hook
Blues harmonica - I'm in heaven
jhorton wrote:
Such a beautiful song.
This is about Colin's only child, a son who is autistic.
This is about Colin's only child, a son who is autistic.
DAVID DALEY
JANUARY 18, 2015
From Salon Magazine, I believe
"One of the other centerpieces, the song which gives the album its title, is the Sandy Hook song, “12/17/12.” It sounds like a truly personal reaction, as if you wrote this as an emotional pouring-out, trying to make sense of this at a time when children were on your mind."
"Yeah. Hank was a first-grader, so he was the same age as those kids. And there was even one kid who was an autistic kid, and Hank is autistic. The closer you can map your own life onto these things -- is that what makes them real? There’s something really superficial about that."
"So I'm hesitant to say that this is any kind of centerpiece because I don't think it is. And in fact, I didn't initially want to put too much of a point on the fact that it was written about that incident because I didn't feel as if I could really communicate what was happening. I don't know that I have any place trying to write a song that’s directly about what happened. I don't think it’s in my powers. I don't think I’m good enough."
"I think that that was just what a lot of people did at that time, and I think it wasn’t until hearing the names read... It took several days to process. I feel like when the names were read at that press conference, suddenly I was able to start processing it in a way that I think was helpful, in that I think a lot of people were taking stock of their own surroundings in their own world. I was doing that and wanting to bring my family closer to me and bring in the protective embrace -- but then also feeling sort of unmoored from what that pain must be for someone else."
midreaming wrote:
This song doesn't have a low rating.
it makes sense to me that an audience enthralled by the JPG Ringo gingo band would hear sincerity like this, and thoughtfulness, and still rate it so low. . . . 'perfect sense. So how's the Me generation doin this a.m.? Had your fluffy wheat toast and coffee, all ready for a game of golf?
9 cause the bublegummers chaffe my bee hind
9 cause the bublegummers chaffe my bee hind
This song doesn't have a low rating.
Wow... That hurts
From a 9 to a 10. This song is perfect.
jhorton wrote:
What a terrible world, what a beautiful world.
Such a beautiful song.
This is about Colin's only child, a son who is autistic.
This is about Colin's only child, a son who is autistic.
What a terrible world, what a beautiful world.
Love anything with this much harmonica in it!!
Edit: I didn't realise it had such serious meaning, until I read the comments below - this is the first time I've heard it. Respect.
Edit: I didn't realise it had such serious meaning, until I read the comments below - this is the first time I've heard it. Respect.
A song about the 109th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' flight?
fredriley wrote:
And the skirmish afoot, at certain moments, is between those who worship at the altar of statistics, and those who ritualise shared sentiment. This keeps it active, dynamic, social, endless—yet civil; we're tamed by RP, let's face it. Even those who dislike some music to such an extent that they must expend effort and energy and time to make their feelings known, with varying amounts of justification, in the medium where detailed expression occurs. Here, in other words.
reality.)It's also here that Bill, who occasionally appears in the fray, gets lionised. (No offense, Bill, but that's the
It goes on, but this has a particular order to it, a balance that—to me, at least—is just about right. How do you feel?
It's a common trait with RP listeners, myself included, that we pay attention to the play rate of songs that get on our tits more than of songs we like.
And the skirmish afoot, at certain moments, is between those who worship at the altar of statistics, and those who ritualise shared sentiment. This keeps it active, dynamic, social, endless—yet civil; we're tamed by RP, let's face it. Even those who dislike some music to such an extent that they must expend effort and energy and time to make their feelings known, with varying amounts of justification, in the medium where detailed expression occurs. Here, in other words.
reality.)It's also here that Bill, who occasionally appears in the fray, gets lionised. (No offense, Bill, but that's the
It goes on, but this has a particular order to it, a balance that—to me, at least—is just about right. How do you feel?
Much better when he sings through his mouth instead of his nose. This one is actually likeable.
Beautiful. Worth hearing it twice.
Absolutely!
lathyris wrote:
LOL! Good to know it's not just me.... ;)
Yeah! Good song! Play it twice! :-)
LOL! Good to know it's not just me.... ;)
Yeah! Good song! Play it twice! :-)
midreaming wrote:
WTH? There is one negative comment in this whole thread. All the rest are incredibly positive. A 6.8 rating on RP is par for the course and an overall high grade (my rating is a 9 for this track). And yet, somehow, you are insulted by this?
Have you had your chicken nuggets covered in ketchup, all ready for a game of patty-cake?
it makes sense to me that an audience enthralled by the JPG Ringo gingo band would hear sincerity like this, and thoughtfulness, and still rate it so low. . . . 'perfect sense. So how's the Me generation doin this a.m.? Had your fluffy wheat toast and coffee, all ready for a game of golf?
9 cause the bublegummers chaffe my bee hind
9 cause the bublegummers chaffe my bee hind
WTH? There is one negative comment in this whole thread. All the rest are incredibly positive. A 6.8 rating on RP is par for the course and an overall high grade (my rating is a 9 for this track). And yet, somehow, you are insulted by this?
Have you had your chicken nuggets covered in ketchup, all ready for a game of patty-cake?
jhorton wrote:
My guess is that "Rise to Me" on The King is Dead album is also about his son. A beautiful song.
Such a beautiful song.
This is about Colin's only child, a son who is autistic.
This is about Colin's only child, a son who is autistic.
My guess is that "Rise to Me" on The King is Dead album is also about his son. A beautiful song.
Nice for a droll Friday at work ...
jhorton wrote:
Thank you! I wondered about the meaning, so I came to these comments since I knew someone would have written about it. RPers, ya never do me wrong...
Such a beautiful song.
This is about Colin's only child, a son who is autistic.
This is about Colin's only child, a son who is autistic.
Thank you! I wondered about the meaning, so I came to these comments since I knew someone would have written about it. RPers, ya never do me wrong...
midreaming wrote:
Bravo! Hilarious.
it makes sense to me that an audience enthralled by the JPG Ringo gingo band would hear sincerity like this, and thoughtfulness, and still rate it so low. . . . 'perfect sense. So how's the Me generation doin this a.m.? Had your fluffy wheat toast and coffee, all ready for a game of golf?
9 cause the bublegummers chaffe my bee hind
9 cause the bublegummers chaffe my bee hind
Bravo! Hilarious.
it makes sense to me that an audience enthralled by the JPG Ringo gingo band would hear sincerity like this, and thoughtfulness, and still rate it so low. . . . 'perfect sense. So how's the Me generation doin this a.m.? Had your fluffy wheat toast and coffee, all ready for a game of golf?
9 cause the bublegummers chaffe my bee hind
9 cause the bublegummers chaffe my bee hind
VV wrote:
A FAQ. In answer:
Plays in last 30 days: 6
So 1 every 5 days, on average. It's a common trait with RP listeners, myself included, that we pay attention to the play rate of songs that get on our tits more than of songs we like.
I think I hear this on on RP every other day. I like it but maybe scale back it's frequency?
A FAQ. In answer:
Plays in last 30 days: 6
So 1 every 5 days, on average. It's a common trait with RP listeners, myself included, that we pay attention to the play rate of songs that get on our tits more than of songs we like.
This whole album is really good....in case anyone was wondering.
VV wrote:
I think he plays it every time there's an incident of gun violence in America. So, yeah..
I think I hear this on on RP every other day. I like it but maybe scale back it's frequency?
I think he plays it every time there's an incident of gun violence in America. So, yeah..
I think I hear this on on RP every other day. I like it but maybe scale back it's frequency?
wgsu_1978 wrote:
The guy can surely write a lyric. ...got to give him that!
"This cannonball in the bosom of your belly."
Gave it a 7 just for that line.
Gave it a 7 just for that line.
The guy can surely write a lyric. ...got to give him that!
"This cannonball in the bosom of your belly."
Gave it a 7 just for that line.
Gave it a 7 just for that line.
Good uplifting song. I love the sound of the harmonica and the bass at the background. Awesome Friday afternoon song. 
@roger_uk
@roger_ukNot a fan of Decemberists, but I do like this tune very much.
I thought they had called it quits?
With every successive work, it is evident that they are a major band. This is great stuff.
Colin can flat sing....
Such a beautiful song.
This is about Colin's only child, a son who is autistic.
This is about Colin's only child, a son who is autistic.
Solid album...start to finish!
Giving it a strong 6 with room to grow!
I like their older stuff better, but never fault artists for trying to cover new ground.
I like their older stuff better, but never fault artists for trying to cover new ground.
Wow, very good song! Not many bands these days use harp!
Like these guys very much!
It's admirable how they kept the production simple and stark (and held back on the yodeling), especially when addressing such subject matter - one of the darkest days in American history.
Today in Portland, Oregon, the mayor is proclaiming it Decemberists Day. There's a live performance at city hall at 2pm. Wish I could be there instead of stuck at work. :( At least they're playing Edgefield again this summer, and on my birthday too!
The Decemberists — Just say no.
What an outstanding album - this is my favorite.