"You Never Know" is the lead single from Sam Beam aka Iron & Wine's new album Light Verse.
The record is the first solo album released since 2017 Beast Epic.
During these years, Beam released other material too, including a collaboration with Calexico, Years to Burn, in 2019.
In "You Never Know", there is definitely some leftovers from this recent collaboration.
The song is a sort of signpost for the mood of the album:
A delicate tiptoe through a baroque backwoods where ’90s lo-fi meets singer-songwriter melancholy. It’s hushed, a little bleak, and ultimately uplifting – all of Iron & Wine’s charms encapsulated in four-and-a-half hazy minutes (source: hotpress.com).
Sam Beam's vocals exquisitely flourish on a bed of elaborate arrangements for a 24-person string section, written by violinist and composer Paul Cartwright.
The contribution of Cartwright, along with his chamber music accompaniments, probably marks the most significant difference with Iron & Wine's past works:
This is clear from opening tune “You Never Know,” which begins very much in wizened Beast Epic mode before the song becomes subsumed by strings that lend an air of Beatles-esque disquiet as Beam’s layered vocals chant the song’s title (source: nodepression.com).
This leads to more airy, lush, and breezy songs than before.
Finally, "You Never Know" is a song that will appeal both first-time Iron & Wine listeners as well as hardcore fans who have followed the band since 2002.
Lyrics
You could make gray and call it gold
Let it fool your eyes
You could make rain and let it have your life
Being green grass, any little wind
Begs you for a dance
You could say love until it lasts
[Verse 2]
You could make good, there's a lot of ways
With nowhere left to go
Let it be the song on your little radio
You could make light, be the silly word
Sitting on a tongue
You could make nice or beat a drum
[Bridge]
Don't you wanna know how far you're gonna go?
Fickle as tomorrow talking to a wind chime
Folding your hands, empty as glass
Waiting to break
Don't you wanna know how close you're gonna get?
Kissing like people stepping on flowers
Wishing on stars empty as glass
Waiting to break
[Verse 3]
You could have a heart until it's pouring out
If it's in your blood
You could make waves and then you better run
Being black cloud, there's a lot to say
And so much room to grow
You could make rain, you never know
[Refrain]
You never know, know
You never know, you never know, know
You never know, you never know, know, you never
You never know, you never know, know, you never
You never know, you never know, know, you never know
You never know, you never know, know, you never
You never know, you never know, know, you never
You never know, you never know, know, you never
You never know, you never know, know, you never
[Outro]
You could make gray and call it gold
Let it fool your eyes
Follow any wave crashing down to size
You could be wrong, don't you wanna know
Deep into the night
Like a little stone thrown across ice
FAQ
Iron & Wine, Light Verse Tour Dates (2024)
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