I've this creeping
Suspicion that things are not
as they seem
Reassure me
Why do I feel as if I'm in too deep
I've been praying
For some way to show them
I'm not what they see
Yes I have done wrong
But what I did I thought
needed be done
I swear
Unholy day
If I leave now I might get away
This weighs on me
As heavy as stone and as blue as I go
-c h o r u s-
I was just wondering if
you'd come along
To hold up my head when my head
won't hold on
I'll do the same if the same's
what you want
If not I'll go
I will go alone
I'm a long way
From that fool's mistake and
now forever pay
No, run
I will run and I'll be ok
-c h o r u s-
I was just wondering if
you'd come along
To hold up my head when my head
won't hold on
I'll do the same if the same's
what you want
If not I'll go
I will go alone
I need so
To stay in your arms, see you smile, hold you close
And it weighs on me
As heavy as stone and
a bone chilling cold
I was just wondering if
you'd come along
Tell me you will
band: Dave Matthews Band
album: Before These Crowded Streets
The Music
The Stone first opens up with the intense yet haunting interplay of string melodies played by the
Kronos Quartet, and on the
album the strings are a bridge from the previos song,
Halloween, and The Stone. The strings build up to a quiet but tense climax, which drops into silence. A single guitar soon covers the void with a riff comprised of quick single notes, which is repeated, building in volume to then be joined by
Boyd Tinsley with a similar melody on the violin. Right at about 1:15 Dave adds his vocals while at the same time the song drops into a
Gm chord before finishing out the entire guitar arrangement that comprises the verse.
The chorus is basically a 4 chord repetition that provides a happy contrast to the dark overtones of the verse. However, at the end it drops right back into a quick crunching guitar riff that is reminicent of the intro, yet harder. It flows seamlessly back into the verse.
The outro of The Stone is played many different ways depending on which version you're listening to. On BTCS the chorus is repeated without words, joined more heavily by Tinsley and the Quartet on strings, and Leroi Moore on horn. When the song fades, there is a little mini song on the same track to bridge between The Stone and Crush. Though the song is quite short, it's a very uplifting jam played by the band and premiere banjo player, Bela Fleck. It serves as a refreshing break between two somber songs. When The Stone is played live by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, the outro is the same structure as the chorus, but Dave sings Elvis Presley's much covered song, Can't Help Falling In Love With You over it.
The Lyrics
This is just one man's interpretation, but The Stone is a song about the past and the regret that can come from dwelling on it. The beginning of the song seems to take the past as being present, and the character in the song is filled with anxiety over it because of what must be done. The later verse then looks back on the past, and though the actions done on that fateful day were completely necessary and would be repeated if done over, they still hold a large stone's weight of guilt and pain.
The chorus is just a call for someone (friend or lover) to join the character, amidst all the madness, as they continue to go through life. Life is chaos, but we all walk forward anyway. In one version of The Stone, Dave chants 'let it fall in/let it fall out' over and over as the song ends, which symbolizes resignation with the strife that life can be.
Song Number: — 58 —
Available on:
—Before These Crowded Streets
—Listener Supported (CD)
—Listener Supported (DVD/VHS)
—The Warehouse 5, Vol. 2
First Played: 18 April 1998
Songwriters: David J. Matthews (guitar), Carter Beauford (percussion), Stefan Lessard (bass), Boyd Tinsley (violin) and Leroi Moore (horns)
Track Length: 7:28 on BTCS, #7
G U I T A R T A B L A T U R E
Intro
E:-------------------------
B:-------------------------
G:-----2-------------------
D:---------3---5-5--2-3-2--
A:-5-----------------------
E:-------------------------
Verse
E:----------------------------------------------------------------------
B:----------------------------------------------------------------------
G:-----2--------------------3-------------------2-----------------------
D:---------3---5-5--2-3-2---x---5-5--2-3-2---------------3--0--2--------
A:-5------------------------1----------------5-----3--1-----------3--0--
E:--------------------------3-------------------------------------------
Chorus/Jam
E:--------------------
B:--------------------
G:--5----5----5----5--
D:-/3----2----3----2--
A:------------5----3--
E:--------------------
After Chorus Transition
E:-------------------
B:-------------------
G:-------------------
D:-------------------
A:----7-----5-----8--
E:-5-----8-----6-----
http://www.geocities.com/antz12m/stone.html