"Wolves (Act I & II)" by Bon Iver (Better Version)

[trix2705]

I cry every single time I listen to this. Absolute. Perfection.

[RomirRC]

i'm sorry but slight autotuning and simple chords... come on... this is no masterpiece.

if you're going to show something to your children, be it songs like:

1. Wishbone Ash - Persephone

2. Pink Floyd - Any Colour You Like

3. Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower

4. King Crimson - I Talk to the Wind

5. Albert King - The Feeling

[MrZarathustra001]

@RomirRC I think that all of those guys you listed (especially jimi and albert) would agree that there is time for simple chords just as there is a time for complex chords. And none of those songs are particularly "complex" either. The reason we remember them is the emotion behind them, not the notes in the chords, which is the same reason myself and others enjoy bon iver and will pass that enjoyment on to future generations. Thanks for reading

[akatsukiyondaime2]

@RomirRC A song doesn't need to be complex in order for it to be a masterpiece. Think of it like this, Bon Iver has managed to make such an amazing song using only 3 chords and some autotune.

[Adawehi8]

@RomirRC Everyone is entitled to their opinion. To me, it's not but how the song came-but the final outcome. This song SOUNDS beautiful to me. Wouldn't it be more of a challenge to create something so complex from barely anything. <My opinion. I think that an intelligent person can appreciate the beauty of something for what it is rather than complaining of how it came about.

[JesseRBakerMusic]

The absolute quality and experience you can achieve by listening to a Bon Iver song is out of this world, Over the past year his music has had a great impact on my musical experience, his contemporary sound is now apart of my life on a weekly basis, thank you so much Justin Vernon for your multiple works of art!! If your interested check out my cover!!

[xXPerfectProphecyXx]

Im going to show my children Bon iver. When their old enough to appreciate them.

I'm only 16 and have already planned this far ahead. Shows how much of an impact Bon Iver's music has on people.

[ZeppelinFan122]

Wait, there are people who don't like this song? ...Why? It's...epic.

[gucctastic82]

Here's a tip... If you dont like it dont fuckin listen to it.

[Asimo9819]

everyone stop bitchin on about whether this music is good or not. nobody can make it so that this music is actually considered "sub par or deep". and for those of you who are bombing this song, why are you commenting or even watching it?

[Ragoo1992]

I saw this extraordinary band last night, and wow when they performed this. It took my breath away.

[PromisePerfection]

Ellie Goulding does a beautiful version of this song.



[100dancelover100]

i just cried so hard.

[Damnfool2]

13 people bla bla bla...

[SophusxHoney]

2:40 - 4:30 .

[CptSteiner]

Wow! He self taught himself three cords and montage'd seemingly insignificant clips of himself in the woods to create a sense of depth and mystique. It creates an interesting contrast for those simple enough to look past pure lack of talent. Although anyone not concerned with being a hipster, will only see a lacking musical composition and a badly arranged home video. "This is like a bag of shit but worse" - IdontCareAboutTed. Thank you, Sir. Well put.

[MonkeyySocks]

@CptSteiner if i was concerned about being a 'hipster' then i would not be listening to this song / band, i'd be wasting my time listening to bands up in the charts and well known by nearly everyone. you say its 'pure lack of talent' yet this 'pure lack of talent' has inspired people, made people feel the emotion, fall in love with it and much more. when youve made a song that can do all of that, then you can come back to us and say that.

[CptSteiner]

@MonkeyySocks You obviously don't know what a hipster is... (pssst, a hipster is a douchebag non-conformist, not a 14 year old girl). People fall in love with all kind of stupid garbage by the way. Just because something has a following, doesn't mean it's been created skillfully. Case in point: Soulja Boy. Argue that why don't ya. It's damn funny what kind of garbage people will follow just to say; "Yeah bro, you listen to Bon Iver? Oh well that's no surprise they're pretty obscure."

[NKDP1]

@CptSteiner if it sounds good, there's not a lack of talent, just saying. and i cant really understand a thing he sings in this song, i just like the mellow sound. and I don't get why people talk about categories of people, like punks/ jocks/ hipsters/ etc. like whats the point, that kind of identity makes you selfless. 

[CptSteiner]

@NKDP1 You've inspired me to visit my local elementary school, raid a 3rd grade guitar lesson, single out a child and torture it mercilessly. The resulting sounds should resemble something close to Bon Iver. I will then distribute said noises, with accompanying videos of myself looking lonesome yet satisfied, via the internet. Lastly, I will collect the ensuing praise and hopeful monetary rewards yielded from countless morons who evaluate their music by; "how chill it sounds while baked."

[NKDP1]

@CptSteiner haha i love your humor its great. and yeah, you do that. and dude, the point of music is to enjoy it, not pick it apart and criticize it... you must have serious personal issues. also, if you ever make music, ill do my best to pick it apart and tell everyone how terrible it is. anyways, have a nice day/evening/night or whatever. i mean that sincerely. you probably need one.

[xAtlas1992x]

@CptSteiner You sir, are an idiot. Quit wasting your time criticizing music. Why do you care about what other people listen too? Go live your life, and quit being an ass to those who don't share the same tastes as you.

[CptSteiner]

@xAtlas1992x I disagree. I think you are the idiot, for settling with sub-par music choices. The overall quality of music would be higher for everyone if people would actually listen to music and stop being more concerned with image. Bon Iver isn't deep nor beautiful, it's shallow, poorly constructed and performed. In a couple years you'll be on to the next crappy music scene and be wondering the same thing I'm wondering now; how the hell do people listen to this?

[tehivory1]

@CptSteiner think about how your opinion could be put to better use to solve the problem that you are indicating. like making better music, or writing a full detailed article on this subject instead of wasting your time with this limited 488 letters. This way you could actually make some money off of it and not have to be unsatisfied with whatever menial shit you do now, the menial shit that allows you to sit around and actually care about something like this.

[clippedXwings]

@xAtlas1992x "Quit wasting your time criticising music."? Really?

[ThugIntellect]

Played this when the greatest friend I have ever had, the Rottweiler I rescued and raised since I was 4, died days ago. Tears running down my face knowing one of the most trusted things on this Earth was no longer here for me. I never really get emotional but I cried over that damn dog. Nothing will replace that dog. "Some day my pain....", needed to hear something like this.

[MonkeyySocks]

does anyone know what the inspiration was for this song / lyrics?

thanks x

[YesForNo]

@MonkeyySocks I think - always love. : ))

[MonkeyySocks]

@YesForNo ah thats true, the majority of songs lyrics always somehow come down to love <3

[MitchellPeels]

@MonkeyySocks most of it is inpired by his ex, years ago his girl broke up with him.he stayed at home for a long while, stoped shaving, stoped nearly everything he did. finally he bought an old guitar and studied the instrument untill he wrote some songs of his own. and the aftermath is to find on here :)

[MonkeyySocks]

@MitchellPeels wow! so he self taught himself guitar and turned out like this! i wish i was that tallented! poor guy though, you can deffinatly feel his pain in some of his songs, especially this. really makes you feel emotional

[cosmiclove18]

@MonkeyySocks Do you ever get this feeling when you look at the moon at night and you just feel speechless, its like beyond amazing.. Also, when you think wolves do that all the time, and we dont even know why, but they just do, like they know something we dont... Theyre quiet, peaceful animals and yet their persona speaks VOLUMES! Theyre fascinating.. I THINK thats were some of the inspiration comes from. Also, he wrote this song whilst in a cabin in wisconcin in the winter plenty inspiration.

[MonkeyySocks]

@cosmiclove18 i'd never thought about wolves like that, its interesting how different people come up with different views and thoughts all around one song, it is an amazing song though!

[Lildrummerboy50]

@MonkeyySocks The man who directed this video was best friends with Heath Ledger. Justin wrote it for him.

[MonkeyySocks]

@Lildrummerboy50 ohh thats cool, thank you :) its a truley beautiful song

[Luxoran]

Hey guys, let's encourage a troll, lolz. Nicely done.

Song = ethereal.

[GildedSmile]

@BonIverSUCKS And anyway you created a special account exclusively for this ? BonIverSUCKS ? Are you frustrated in life in general ? What do you do during the day ? Spend your time on music you hate ? What a looser. My GOSH.

[JFnostalgia]

@BonIverSUCKS why would you even waste your time watching videos and listening to music that you don't like? Seems to me that you are very confused and should talk to someone about your feelings, because obviously you do not know where to aim them. I pitty you.

[GildedSmile]

@BonIverSUCKS I don't know what kind of dude can possibly spend his day saying how much he hates an artist. It's been a few times now I saw you posted some kind of stupid comment and now I'm just sick of it! We don't want you here! Just do something useful in your life please! You are SO depressing.

[4TensCakes]

@BonIverSUCKS I am chill with your opinions bro. We all are free to enjoy the music we like. Peace.

[burgeonfire]

when it gets to 4:13 the song just completely breaks my heart. it's so chillingly beautiful.

[hereyeslikethesummer]

I was at his concert tonight. everything about him is beautiful & amazing.

[MrUnavailability]

Almost sounds like autotune at around 2:55 when he sings ''lost'', hope it isn't cuz it would ruin the magic.



[ZacharyKonkel]

@MrUnavailability it is autotune, and personally, it is one of my favorite parts of the songs because he can use it so well and can also back-up the fact that he can sing, unlike the people like T-Pain who take complete advantage of autotune. It's a pretty close-minded statement to claim that autotune would ruin it; it's like saying all people with beanies on are bad because one stole something.

Point is - his use of autotune is just as magical as the other tools he uses to craft music.

[MrUnavailability]

@ZacharyKonkel That's a good point, and i agree that he uses the autotune in a different way, but personnally, I prefer his live version of this song, the glastonbury one for example, but that is a question of taste.

[ZacharyKonkel]

@MrUnavailability true. Have you heard him play Blood Bank live? Simply amazing.

[IntheGrove1]

@robertcrazy226 It can be classified as either indie or acoustic. :)

[robertcrazy226]

I'm into rap and club music but honestly, this is the greatest shit i ever heard. What kinda music do you call this? That shit I can keep on blast for hours

[frickinlovesyou]

You know when you hear a song...that just releases this big rush of emotion within you? That can calm you down or rile you up or that you can just LOSE yourself in? That can convey every emotion you're feeling at that precise moment, no matter what. Be it love, anger, sadness or bliss....

This song is one of those. It's what all music should be like. Where you can hear every drop of emotion in the singers voice. Where you know it means something more than fame or money.

I love this song.

[anniebabez1]

someday my pain, someday my pain, will mark you.

Harness your blame, harness your blame, and walk through...

[Pastelle09]

do they have more official videos?

[lippyBMX]

I fell in love with my girlfriend listening to this song <3

[lippyBMX]

@lachlanSB she's fucking gorgeous, it's unreal.

[jukeldups]

Thiis is beautiful but ellie gouldings too

[WhiteSleevedStu]

Great song, its just such a shame that none of the suggestions on the right are other Bon Iver songs :(

[irishreturner]

Leigh-Ann is gay

[ImmaStarx]

I just had some bad news, and I've played this over and over and over.

It's genius, everything about it.

[lachlanSB]

@ImmaStarx what is your bad news?

[ImmaStarx]

@lachlanSB why are you asking? :s

[Gabriellaella23]

This is my first time listening to this and I was trying to read something else, but I just had to stop and listen to it. Thats all I could do. *replay

[Bonnie2142]

I love this song. I played this album a lot when i bought it, and now it's the soundtrack for a significant chunk of my life.

[waittwhat]

the boy ive liked for 5 years showed me this song a few days before he told me he was in love with another girl.

i can't listen to this song without crying anymore.

[AnnaBjornholt]

He is absolutely an amazing artist. I haven't yet found a song by him I didn't like. So simple, at yet there is so much depth. Bon Iver 'till I die!

[hazzxc]

The seven people that disliked this video fell off of a double rainbow.

[aerobique]

hui

[nojob71]

I didnt give this song much thought, or plays, when I first got into these guys. Only after i started watching every video i could find did i come to fully appreciate this song. Its depth and beauty blows me away every time. Amazing...

[xxKaylaxxShereexx]

Art. Pure art.

[Rockkitty27]

does anyone know what he means by "Can't you find a clue when your eyes are all painted Sinatra blue" ??? great song, very emotional

[jugjugsthekoolaidman]

@Rockkitty27 the song can be interpreted like two ex lovers where one has moved on and the other not and this song is making art to represent their situation thats why there are two acts. so the cant find a clue part is the one thats moved on telling the other that they are blind to the fact that its over and nothing will change that. how can you be so blind when u have such perfect eyes?

[mclavery1]

Ive never felt so many emotions at once...simply breath taking.

[RaelWander]

Alright, that does it! That does it!! I need to find this album...

Thank you, Peter Gabriel, for introducing me and many others to these gems.

[mooners40]

interesting - and did you notice the wolf ear silhouettes idea at the end?

[Astrobasego91]

this song is so incredible.. all of the emotion that gets communicated through it is amazing. originally i didn't like what they did during the drums near the end, but i see how it's such a great depiction of how they felt in the situation... and when you hear it you can almost feel what they did.. I love it. It's so beautiful, so brilliant

[snboring]

one thing that's so amazing about music is that every person interprets it in their own way. songs have different meanings to everyone. i may not hear something in a song that you hear and vice versa. that's what makes it wonderful and timeless.

[lilrose110510]

I, for one, am from Fall Creek...where this was filmed (Very Cool)!!!

I don't think anyone has the right to label Bon Iver's music except for Justin and the rest of the group. Its true he was in a cabin in Nothern Wisconsin when he wrote his songs but the only one that knows where Justin's inspiration came from is Justin himself. So that being said I think you guys should keep your negative comments to yourself, if you don't like the music don't listen to it.

[jonnyhomicide]

I like how this almost feels like a documentary and you're watching him and then you get really wound up in his emotions. This video perfectly compliments the song what I think is already perfec' anyway.

[Failarhya]

I absolutely love this song. As someone who has lost quite a few people near and dear to me. As well as having unresolved feelings from past relationships. This song speaks beautifully to me. It always brings me to tears.

[leggy365]

Don't you all think that by saying it has black musical roots, and should therefore be associated with African heat, that you are making your own random emotional associations? Tall me, exactly how does something SOUND like snowy cabins, or African plains? All links are mere associations, and, clearly the mention of "wolves" in this poem can be associated with arctic wolves or foxes. Secondly, can't you hear North American folk music in this? I can.

[Neurozumim]

I don't understand why people associate this music to snow and cabins in the north. It actually sound bayouesque, influenced by black music, something south, and warm. I have a chalet and I don't associate that music with it at all. Try Inuit Throat Singing.

[Fraserrigg16]

He wrote it in a cabin in the wilderness.. With lots of snow. Thats why.

[Neurozumim]

Well that's my point. To me it doesn't sound like north cabin music, be it folk or christmas music. So that information is irrelevant. Maybe canadian folk has a very winterly "snow cabin" sound. This isn't it.

This guy is coming from elsewhere and brought something in the cabin that was irrelevant to its surroundings. And people try to sell it as snow cabin music. Literally!

[br0wnstar]

His name is Bon Iver, a play on words of Bon Hiver, french for "Good Winter". Winter= Snow. Bon Iver = snow/winter associations.

[Neurozumim]

Mais oui, j'avais compris. Some of the songs on the album are winterly. But I'm interested in how people attach ideas like lyrics or image covers or details of personal lives, and forget that music itself also has a cultural history (i.e. you can tell the DNA of a music piece, where it comes from, once you know a bit about world music). This is closer to cotton field black music (I'm skipping a century of soul and blues, of course), which itself comes from congolean music.

[Neurozumim]

It's very african in sound. I mean, the video would have been someone in a log cabin in Serengeti Park and to me it would have fitted entirely. But when people come and say "this is in winter log cabin music", I just feel like asking "have you been listening really closely?". I'm just talking about this song by the way. Songs by Bon Iver don't sound all the same. Some sound like Red House Painters with a mickey mouse voice, which to me as a Oregon or post-hippie Canada BC feel about them.

[sneakypinch]

gaaahd shut up

just because you have an opinion doesn't necessarily mean you are right, people can interpret things the way they want to

[elmatto2006]

his name is NOT bon iver. his name is justin vernon. the bands name is bon iver.

[br0wnstar]

"Vernon played all the instruments during recording and each song was heavily edited with a large number of overdubs. Vernon wrote most of the lyrics for the album by recording a word-less melody and listening to the recording over and over and writing words according to the sound of the syllables of the melody" He has a band now but the original incarnation of bon iver was just vernon on his own. Please get your facts straight.

[Blackhammer99]

I entirely agree with Neuro.

The setting in which the song was recorded SHOULD NOT dictate its reception.

If I told you I recorded a song that was wonderful in a crack house, and then told you I recorded another in the hospital room for my dieing friend so it was the last thing she ever heard, and now everyone else would hear it, which one would people like more...

If you like the song because of that Cabin story, you are not giving him the credit he deserves.

[rootsm3]

this song brings me to tears every single time

[Neurozumim]

Why ? Can you elaborate?

[tranquilitytrike]

incredible... With the percussive intro of tapping the guitar, with the falsetto voices, I hear echos of anishinabeg singing, like Whitefish Bay Singers... the idea & tempo's slowed down a bit here with bon iver...see also on youtube "northern cree round dance song"--not quite anishinabeg, though there's on occassion a good round dance or two in the North Woods... must be something in the water... turn your thermostats down to 50 degrees F at night and simulate a good lodge/tent sleep...

[jane12289]

I grew up in Eau Claire. This is so beautiful, makes me miss my childhood there.

[megmyatt]

i want to go to wisconsin. this album is all i listen to at the moment, i wish id discovered it sooner.

[kazsiku]

I first heard this song on MTV2 one night at about 2am.

Ive never heard a song with quite so much emotion in my entire life.

It brings tears to my eyes after every listen, no other song has to the power to do that. A touching song about loneliness, regret, hope and any other number of emotions..

I cant do this song justice with mere words.

Listen to it. You'll feel the power and sheer emotion in the track and know exactly what i'm trying to say.

[MrWolfProductions]

Wow.

Just.. wow. Really good music has a strong emotional attachment, and hits you square in the chest with its emotion and feeling.

This song definitely does.

[weetziemileebenjamin]

I was at my cabin up north a few weeks back. It is about an hour from Eau Claire, in the middle of nowhere. I was laying in my tent listening to this song, and once it was over I could hear wolves off howling in the distance. Quite the surreal moment. o_O

[Budel42]

The song and video speaks so much to me of life in Wisconsin. I've been so many night-time winter fires out in the woods. Justin Vernon has come as close as any artist from the state to capture this feeling.

Fantastic work!

[zepeideiro]

A bit of Dylan, Tom Waits, Sigur Rós and something that I'm not remebering now

[benirras03]

anthony & the johnsons maybe?

[leelee0003]

this is nice

[Libra07]

your ignorant

[TheMinstrel]

I don't see how anyone could rate this less than five stars.

[1yeslek]

this is beautiful.

[ScarPred]

i agree completely babe. :)

[ancillamortis]

...............

:)

[firagawing]

yes sir!

[StealingJane]

whoa.

[fucklinkinpark360]

damn

[CartoonMuhammed]

this is a test

[Meathead36]

video is cool, song sucks ass though

[BalladOfWar]

You're a moron.

[brandknewme]

Incredible song, incredible artist!

[VvEnR1kOvV]

you search: "cliccami mano"

it's a funny videoclip ; )

[uriah8297]

cool

[iworkforme]

slow.

[Srtaintegra]

This is really beautiful..

[wooo690]

this video rocks my awesome slash kickass world. aaahhh yeaa and cock aaahhh yeaa for that 2 and why not even my 3 balls and once more aaahhhh yeaaa and im really and i mean really serious aboot my 3 balls and yes i have 3 balls woooo

[nezoone]

woo hoo bon iver!!

beautiful beautiful music!

[CharmingHome]

bellissime riprese!

[melvisparchment]

and what a beautiful shiver that was..

[skyseye]

teletransported... suddenly i can feel the snow... the sound sends a shiver down my spine

[zeph105]

I remember when I first saw this on MTV 2. The three of us in the living room just shut up talking, and stared at the tv like :O

It was amazing :)

[williammaples]

wow... i think i got momentarily "lost" in this song, the layers, the images, the lyrics... i feel infinitesimal.

[Jamiextreme]

beautiful.

[lindsaydakota]

I am honored to say I know the director of this video quite well. He's a genius. His pain is perfectly emoted through this work.

[mivverss]

Make sure to read the story behind it. Absolutely incredible. The most emotional I've ever been watching a video.

[rob068]

...when your eyes are all painted Sinatra blue...

[SUBROMAN]

Love this music, Fantastic.