The Circle Married the Line

Album: Metals (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Toronto resident Feist penned most of the lyrics Metals in the fall of 2010. She then headed to Big Sur, on the Californian coast and set up an ad hoc recording studio to record the album. Feist rented a cottage nearby, and each morning walked along a ridge overlooking the ocean to the studio. "My commute to work was with my backpack filled with my laptop, journals, and whatever books I was reading," she told Spin magazine. "I'd tromp along the cliffs between wild cows as condors circled overhead. Some days were stunning and gorgeous; on others the clouds were so thick you couldn't see 10 feet."
  • Feist's morning walks inspired one of the verses for this geometric love song: "All I want is a horizon line / Get some clarity, following the signs / Get some clear ocean signs."
    "It was the only lyric that I wrote there," she explained to Spin magazine. "I added it because I really was getting serious clarity walking across the cliffs every morning."
  • Feist brought in Beck's keyboardist and musical director, Brian LeBarton to help with the song's arrangement.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Tomlin

Chris TomlinSongwriter Interviews

The king of Christian worship music explains talks about writing songs for troubled times.

John Kay of Steppenwolf

John Kay of SteppenwolfSongwriter Interviews

Steppenwolf frontman John Kay talks about "Magic Carpet Ride," "Born To Be Wild," and what he values more than awards and accolades.

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Sugarland

SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Meet the "sassy basket" with the biggest voice in country music.

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," Kiss

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."