Part 3: From the Fires
TLDR; There is conclusive evidence indicating a Grammy Award winning band has been undercover orange-pilling millions of listeners for nearly a decade. Bitcoin is the key that unlocks their “cryptic” music.
Let’s get started interpreting Greta Van Fleet’s first studio album…
Released in 2017, From the Fires won GVF their first Grammy Award for Best Rock Album… Bitcoin’s first Grammy? It consists of 8 tracks; 4 of which were previously released on their debut EP as well as 2 covers. In comparison to their later albums, FTF contains the band’s earliest conceptualizations of Bitcoin. This part will only interpret 7 of the 8 songs due to the 8th needing a little more attention.
Right away, the title From the Fires sounds quite similar to how many describe Bitcoin’s birth “from the ashes” of the 2008 financial crisis.
The album art tells an interesting story as well. The cover shows 5 hooded figures gathered around a fire, but the band only has 4 members. The 5th figure is also holding up what appears to be some sort of technology. My interpretation is that the 5th figure represents Satoshi as well as the ‘mentor figure’ which symbolizes the departure of the Hero’s Journey (more on this another day).
Take a look for yourself…
Jumping into the lyrics, we begin with the 2 cover songs. Up first, Change Is Going To Come by Sam Cooke. Immediately the title resonates with Bitcoin, but how about the lyrics?
“There'd been times where I thought I
Couldn't last for long
Now I think I'm able
To carry on
It's been a long
Long time coming
And I know
Change is gonna come
Oh yes, it will”
Sounds pretty Bitcoin to me! The next cover is Meet on the Ledge by Fairport Convention. This song is a little trickier to interpret but foreshadows numerous ideas related to Bitcoin that the band expands on in later songs/albums.
“The way is up along the road
The air is growing thin
Too many friends who tried
Blown off this mountain with the wind
Meet on the ledge, we're gonna meet on the ledge
When my time is up I'll see all my friends
Meet on the ledge, we're gonna meet on the ledge
If you really mean it, it all comes round again”
Now time for some GVF originals. First up, Black Smoke Rising. This was the titled track of their debut EP. Its lyrics are “a reflection on the lessons of history and that man does not always learn from the lessons of history" and "in a more positive light, embodies a unity of humanity." #Bitcoin
“Many people are dividing
And a world apart with just one heart (dollar, yen, peso, etc)
Is bound to keel and fade away
None of us will be deciding
And the fate of man is in the hands
Of he who stands and heeds the call (J. Powell)
And the black smoke rises (Bitcoin revolution)
From the fires, we've been told
It's the new age crisis
And we will stand up in the cold”
Next up, Edge of Darkness. The band touches on both time preference and decentralization among other things…
“Every day's a new day
Every way's a new way
On the edge of darkness
Finding out what it means to love
And to think we've found the time (low time preference)
All my brothers we stand
For the peace of the land
Is there meaning?
I've got love in my heart
For an army apart (decentralized army… Bitcoiners)
I am bleeding”
Next up, Talk on the Street. This song describes the infamous bear market and the early days of Bitcoin. It also introduces the Mountain of the Sun and marks the beginning of the crypto war we still find ourselves in today.
“Oh mama, you lie in ruin (📉)
Can't you see what you've done?
Well, I've been there before
What's this war that you won?
Everyone knows
That's there's talkin' on the streets
Remember the days
When there's no one to defeat (shitcoins)
Follow me down
To the mountain of the sun (land under the Second Sun)
Forgetting the end
As your new life has begun
And the war has begun”
Next up, Safari Song which personifies Bitcoin as “Mama” with a heart burning full of love. This song was written years before being released and shows the early stages of GVF’s conceptualization of Bitcoin.
“Do you remember what I said
When I got down on my knees
Gotta get your lovin' baby
Your lovin's all I need
Don't make me beg now baby
Don't make me plead
I gave you all a man could give
And you still walked out on me
Ah mama what you gonna do
With all that love in your heart
Ah mama what you gonna say
About that love in your heart
Oh mama when you walk this way
Why don't you give some lovin'
Oo mama what you gonna do
With all that lovin' in your heart
Your heart
Lovin'
Burnin
Fire”
Last but definitely not least we have Highway Tune. This was the first song the band ever wrote together all the way back in 2012..! It was also their debut single in 2017 and to this day remains their most listened to song.
Quick note, their mention of “midnight” refers to the weapon of a main character from the anime series RWBY. The show’s plot is centered around four warriors who defend the world from evil. According to the shows opening narration, mankind was fighting a losing battle against creatures of darkness known as the Grimm. However, through their resourcefulness and ingenuity, humanity managed to discover and harness a scarce energy called ‘Dust’ in order to battle the Grimm. Sound familiar?
In my opinion, Highway Tune is the genesis of Bitcoin music… it is also the bands only reference to EtHeReUm… enjoy!
“We're stopping on the highway girl
'Cause I want to burn my gas (Ethereum)
There's one girl that I know I'm never gonna pass (Bitcoin)
She is my special
She is my special
She is my midnight, midnight yeah
So sweet
So fine
So nice
All mine
Mine mine
Mine mine
Ooh yeah”
That wraps up the intro to From the Fires. The Grammy Award winning album was a huge success putting GVF securely on the map. The album plays with a lot of different ideas but is ultimately the beginning of their storyline and the departure to their Hero’s Journey. The first track of which still remains…
“Oo mama what you gonna do
With all that lovin' in your heart”