Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Amazon put out a pretty cool list of the “100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of All Time”, that I ran across yesterday.  It reminded me of a number of tunes that I absolutely love, and have yet to post.  One of the songs I want to highlight comes from, arguably, one of the greatest indie-rock bands of all time, Neutral Milk Hotel.  In the Aeroplane Over the Sea can be found on the band’s sophomore LP of the same name, released in 1998.  The album is Neutral Milk Hotel’s most notable release, due in part to the almost universal critical acclaim it garnered and its continued popularity today.  The album is said to be conceptually based on the beauty that can be found within the horrific fate of Anne Frank.  In the Aeroplane Over the Sea would be the band’s final release.

What a beautiful face
I have found in this place
That is circling all round the sun
What a beautiful dream
That could flash on the screen
In a blink of an eye and be gone from me
Soft and sweet
Let me hold it close and keep it here with me, me

And one day we will die
And our ashes will fly from the aeroplane over the sea
But for now we are young
Let us lay in the sun
And count every beautiful thing we can see
Love to be
In the arms of all I’m keeping here with me, me

What a curious life we have found here tonight
There is music that sounds from the street
There are lights in the clouds
Anne’s ghost all around
Hear her voice as it’s rolling and ringing through me
Soft and sweet
How the notes all bend and reach above the trees, trees

Now how I remember you
How I would push my fingers through
Your mouth to make those muscles move
That made your voice so smooth and sweet
Now we keep where we don’t know
All secrets sleep in winters clothes
With one you loved so long ago
Now he don’t even know his name

What a beautiful face
I have found in this place
That is circling all round’ the sun
And when we meet on a cloud
I’ll be laughing out loud
I’ll be laughing with everyone I see
Can’t believe how strange it is to be anything at all

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