Sold my cold knot, a heavy stone
Sold my red horse for a venture home
To vanish on the bow
Settling slow
Fit it all, fit it in the doldrums
Or so the story goes
Color the era
Film it as historical
My mile could not pump the plumb
In my arbor ’till my ardor trumped
Every inner inertia
Lump sum
All at once rushing from the sump-pump
Or so the story goes
Balance we won’t know
We will see when it gets warm
Peeling Back the Layers of “Lump Sum”
Bon Iver’s “Lump Sum” is a haunting meditation on transition, loss, and renewal. The lyrics are steeped in poetic ambiguity, inviting listeners to interpret the journey of letting go of the past and seeking a sense of home. Imagery like selling a “cold knot” and a “red horse” suggests sacrifice and change, while references to vanishing and settling evoke the slow, often painful process of transformation. The recurring motif of inertia and the struggle to overcome it hints at internal battles and the courage required to move forward. Ultimately, “Lump Sum” captures the complexity of personal evolution, blending vivid storytelling with emotional depth.
Song Credits
- Artist: Bon Iver
- Songwriter: Justin Vernon
- Release Year: 2007
- Label: Jagjaguwar