wild heart lyrics mumford and sons meaning

Mumford has never gone that far on any of the previous albums, and the latest is no exception. All the songs on Delta are not specifically Christian songs about God. Today’s review will consider the lyrics of Delta through a Christian lens, which will offer the fullest and most interesting ‘reading’ of the album possible. This is where mainstream critics keep bumping their toes against the subtlety and brilliance of Mumford and Sons. So, if you are going to try to approach any of the band’s lyrics, you ought to come with some literacy of your own. References to faith and doubt and frustration with God are riddled throughout the band’s lyrics, along with other artful literary references (John Steinbeck shows up big on Sigh No More with songs like ‘Timshel’ and ‘Dust Bowl Dance’). What Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and the other big reviewers seem to miss, though they know as well as anyone, is the fact that Marcus Mumford is a PK (preacher’s kid) and much of Mumford’s music is tinted by a Christian worldview, regardless of Marcus’ ambivalence toward conventional religion. From the very first track it is clear that, while the music may be designed to appeal to the widest possible audience, the lyrics are attempting to dive deeply into the most mysterious and troubling questions about the nature of humanity. Without biblical imagery, this collection of songs would completely fall apart. Thompson’s review comes the closest to making sense of the album, the reason for which becomes exceedingly clear in a single quote: But none have really considered the meaning of the lyrics and the thematic thrust of the album as a whole.

Some may even dip their toes into a little lyrical analysis of their own.

Some may have done their homework well enough to mention that the song ‘Darkness Visible’ contains text from John Milton’s Paradise Lost. However, the expertise of established critics apparently stops with the music because few reviews delve more deeply into the lyrics than to say that they are obscure to the point of being non-sensical. They can tell you how there is some return to the folk origins of the band, but how the old acoustic sounds clash against big production and electronic elements. Mainstream critics can tell you how the orchestration is a little clunky and exceedingly safe for a band that seeks to continue selling out stadiums.

If you are looking for a musical review of Mumford and Sons’ newest LP, Delta, look somewhere else.

Wild heart lyrics mumford and sons meaning