Grizzly Bear - “All We Ask”
“A nice doo-wop section with hand-claps bookends the intro nicely, but “All We Ask” is too aimless for non-filler designation.” - Tinymixtapes
“Started as a piano demo, then became full band, then Dan added an intro and chorus, then we turned the final phrasing of “I can’t get out of what I’m into with you” on it’s head and had it be a bit more uplifting instead of the original sadness that the song carried.” - Ed Droste, Drowned In Sound
I read those after I heard the song for the first time. The first image that came to mind, listening to it, was of a carnival in the fog (the lyrics do mention a carnival, so I’m not crazy). It is beautiful, that much is obvious. So beautiful. I was confused reading the tinymixtapes review of the track. Aimless? Filler?
But the Droste clarification surprised me too. At the end of this song, I pictured the band standing together, no instruments, in a circle in the dark, chanting and clapping their hands. “I can’t get out of what I’m into with you.” I always want it to go on forever. Of course, it’s not real. A support group, meeting in secret, in the middle of the woods. I hear only the resignation in their voices, the heaviness of their admission: I can’t get out of what I’m into with you. How can it be uplifting, beginning with “I can’t”? And why am I always disappointed when they stop singing? Why do I love it this much, so much? (Besides it just being a wonderful song.)
“sheesh I love this song. the “I can’t get out of what I’m into with you” breakdown gives me chills.” - songmeanings commenter
I basically spent this entire post trying to find a way to say just that. Thank you, Internet.
