Released: 2012
“Mountain Sound” by Of Monsters and Men tells a tale of escape and seeking refuge from self-inflicted chaos. The lyrics portray the lead character’s journey fleeing through the wild to a haven deep in the mountains, accompanied by their shadow as their only companion.
The opening lines, “I heard them calling in the distance / So I packed my things and ran / Far away from all the trouble / I had caused with my two hands,” set the stage. Here, we see someone feeling guilt, precipitating a need for escape and new beginnings. It’s not explicit who or what is ‘calling,’ but it could be an inner voice or an outside force compelling our character into the wild.
“Alone we traveled armed / With nothing but a shadow,” this transcendent journey is portrayed as a solitary one, with only a ‘shadow,’ probably symbolising self-reflection, remorse, or the character’s dark side as company. The character is ‘armed,’ signifying they’re ready to face this journey of redemption.
The chorus, “Hold your horses now /(We sleep until the sun goes down)/Through the woods we ran (Deep into the Mountain Sound),” repeats throughout and serves as an anthem of this retreat. ‘Hold your horses’ is an English idiom, asserting the need to slow down or stay calm – perhaps a reminder to themselves amidst the chaos. Sleeping until the sun goes down signifies a nocturnal life, probably representing their wish to hide or escape from the world, while ‘running deep into the mountain sound’ indicates their retreat towards nature, away from civilization.
“Some had scars and some had scratches / It made me wonder about their past / And as I looked around I began to notice / That we were nothing like the rest,” provides a hint at camaraderie with fellow outcasts, bonded by their shared pain and past. These individuals have physical and metaphorical ‘scars and scratches’ from the past that they carry with them into their new existence within the mountain sound.
To wrap up, “Mountain Sound” outpouringly expresses a narrative of self-originated turmoil, escapism, and the pursuit of solace in deep wilderness. This pop-folk hymn portrays a grand narrative of self-reflection, healing, and ultimately, finding refuge in the heart of the mountain sound.
