This country-tinged number from Jack’s sophomore record talks about, in a way, the history of the earth. From its humble beginnings to the appearances of humans.
On a floating lily island
Movin' over slowly sideways
Rest the temporary creatures
Spendin' all of their days
Waitin' for the floor to
Buckle down below their belts
Crashin' into yet another
Driftin' continental shelf
Movin' without motion
Screamin' without sound
Across an open ocean
Lyin' there on temporary ground
Movin' without motion
Screamin' without sound
Across an open ocean
Lyin' there on temporary ground
The old explorers had it easy
They discovered nothin' new
But returned on home with answers
Of sad existence clues
All the creatures have it hard now
Nothin' but God is left to know
And while He left us all here hangin'
With an illusion of a home
(Chorus)
Movin' without motion
Screamin' without sound
Across an open ocean
Lyin' there on temporary ground
Temporary Ground was written by Jack White.
Temporary Ground was produced by Jack White.
Jack White released Temporary Ground on Tue Jun 10 2014.
And the first lyric is, “On a floating lily island” — again, sort of an accidental coincidence. I had read in National Geographic about these giant Queen Victoria lily pads that could hold up to a hundred pounds, so a person could actually float on a lily pad, which seems like an Alice in Wonderland...