Re: Stacks

Album: For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Beat Lawrence asked Justin Vernon of Bon Iver what the purpose of "Re" was in this song title. The singer-songwriter replied: "It's 'Regarding.' People use it in letters and emails. It's about pointing towards and idea, to amplify that 'This song is about the stacks.' I mean, every song title does that in a way, but I just really wanted to point it out: this song isn't the stacks, it's about the stacks."
  • This song's first line is, "This my excavation and today is kumran," and Bon Iver's Myspace listed "the excavation at Kumran" as the album's sole musical influence.

    Drowned In Sound asked Justin Vernon what he meant by this. The singer-songwriter replied: "It's referring to the excavations where they found the Dead Sea Scrolls. When they found them it changed the whole course of Christianity, whether people wanted to know it or not. A lot of people chose to ignore it, a lot of people decided to run with it, and for many people it destroyed their faith, so I think I was just looking at it as a metaphor for whatever happens after that is new s--t."

Comments: 2

  • Chuck from Concord, NhI heard this for the first time on "House" as well. Tracked it down and now I can't stop hitting repeat over & over. Not sure exactly what draws me into this song, but it's in my head for good. Nothing else so far by Bon Iver grabs me like this one. Sounds warm & intimate, like I'm listening to an old LP on my turntable, love it.
  • Tello from Nyc, NyThis song played in the House episode "Wilson's Heart". I liked it so i downloaded it and it turned out to be a really good song. Now im really in to Bon Iver :)
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Angelo Moore of Fishbone

Angelo Moore of FishboneSongwriter Interviews

Fishbone has always enjoyed much more acclaim than popularity - Angelo might know why.

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

Rufus Wainwright

Rufus WainwrightSongwriter Interviews

Rufus Wainwright on "Hallelujah," his album Unfollow The Rules, and getting into his "lyric trance" on 12-hour walks.

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Ian Anderson: "The delight in making music is that you don't have a formula"

Ian Anderson: "The delight in making music is that you don't have a formula"Songwriter Interviews

Ian talks about his 3 or 4 blatant attempts to write a pop song, and also the ones he most connected with, including "Locomotive Breath."