Load the car and write the note
Grab your bag and grab your coat
Tell the ones that need to know
We are headed north
One foot in and one foot back
But it don't pay to live like that
So I cut the ties and I jumped the tracks
For never to return
Oh, Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in
Are you aware the shape I'm in?
My hands, they shake, my head, it spins
Oh, Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in
When at first I learned to speak
I used all my words to fight
With him and her and you and me
Ah, but it's just a waste of time
Yeah, it's such a waste of time
That woman, she's got eyes that shine
Like a pair of stolen polished dimes
She asked to dance, I said, "It's fine
I'll see you in the morning time"
Oh, Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in
Are you aware the shape I'm in?
My hands, they shake, my head, it spins
Oh, Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in
Three words that became hard to say
I, and love, and you
What you were then, I am today
Look at the things I do
Oh, Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in
Are you aware the shape I'm in?
My hands, they shake, my head, it spins
Oh, Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in
Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in
Are you aware the shape I'm in
My hands, they shake, my head, it spins, spins
Whoa, Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in
Dumbed down and numbed by time and age
Your dreams they catch, the world, the cage
The highway sets the traveler's stage
All exits look the same
Three words that became hard to say
I, and love, and you
I, and love, and you
I, and love, and you
About This Song
"I And Love And You" is a deeply personal folk-rock ballad about leaving everything behind for a fresh start, centered on a move to Brooklyn that represents both escape and self-discovery. The song captures the vulnerability of major life transitions, with lyrics that convey the protagonist's shaky emotional state and desperate hope for acceptance in a new place, while reflecting on past conflicts and the courage required to "cut the ties and jump the tracks." Musically, it showcases The Avett Brothers' signature blend of indie folk and alternative rock, building from intimate verses to soaring, anthemic choruses that emphasize the raw emotion in the vocals. The song resonates as both a specific story of geographic displacement and a universal meditation on reinvention, making it one of the band's most beloved tracks and a defining moment in their transition from underground folk act to mainstream success. Its honest portrayal of anxiety, hope, and the search for belonging struck a chord with listeners navigating their own major life changes.
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