Flowers (j mafi / j boning)
The mood of this song is intended to capture this almost circus level of happiness under the layers of moods you might expect from a group of people coming together to celebrate a life passed, and still processing immense pain but only 1 option - :)
Mumbuni is a band from Tempe, Arizona. Jonathan Mafi - vocals David Pond - Drums, Josef Boning on Guitar. live by summer, album by EOY.
We are a new band hailing from Tempe, Arizona in the US. Hi. My name is Mafi. We're heading to a 4 or 5 or maybe even 6 piece.. but currently there are 3 of us. I grew up in Mumbuni where there was this amazing 700 year old tree called a Mumbu tree. The Mumbu tree died in 2006 but it came calling me in 2024 with something of an origin story that started this band and brought actually all 3 of the current members out of remission - but holy crap y'all what's emerging is so fun and fresh and cool - almost can hardly wait to share with with the world. Until then, I'll share the demos where I aimed to get the ideas cogent enough to just jump in with a band and boy has that been the right plan and working so so well. Ok TLDR alert - cheers. thank you for taking a moment here.
Story behind the song
I was writing the lyrics for this music to be about losing a friend in 2023 to a motorcycle accident, wasn't landing them, got up and got a coffee, and on the return to my computer I looked out the window the second a woman's life was tragically taken, her and her bicycle struck by a van going more than the speed limit. The universe collided my world with this woman's world at that moment, and I had no idea who she even was other than seeing her ride by. But later that week, I was at Melody Mason's celebration of life at a little music bar named The Darkside just down my street and around the corner. I've met this woman through the 100s of people who has stopped to mourn her and I mourned her with every single one of them - frozen, standing and looking out the makeshift little memorial outside my front door. quickly learned her partner of 12 years was a musician too. His birthday was a day after her passing, and I met him - both outside my house on several occasions, and at the celebration of life. He had so much strength, kindness, positive views of where to head directionally. I knew underneath this was even more of a burden for him.. and he gave this gift to hundreds of people and even performed a super emotional song. So, now now this song is my attempt to imagine just a slice of being in his shoes, but keeping what I know his partner Melody would have wanted - love, connection, music to heal and for all of us to move forward - however uneven that process is surely to be. This was the most difficult song I've ever written - emotionally.. it's super raw still - I cannot get Melody out of my mind. I miss her along wtih everyone else now, and I'm still lighting tea lights but the reverse is also my truth for the rest of my life - that my own family and community of people grew exponentially because OF Melody, someone so full of life she is still bringing people together and it's been a tragic gift in my life - so new car smell y'all. 021625
Lyrics
Flowers
oh, hey. hello. this fucking day, but thanks for coming.
caught me smiling. thats a fiction. thats my armor.
so lets pretend well toast and drink were here to party, laugh, embrace
our happy faces, sleeves are hearted, heavy taste, the bittersweetness
underneath still hollow vacancy too obvious our wounds are open
but today is for this semicolon
oooooooh truer has never been truer has never been
through is the only way through
well hey, oh look, its not an end the road kept going
heard someone say how sad their new bouquet was wilting
remember by the time we cut them theyd already finished growing
now theyre just our way of showing love; the flowers, candles, all of us
our beauty is so temporary everything will fade until its gone
but right now we should dance, I love the song the band is playing
perfect melody we all keep singing the refrain
and it goes
oooooooh truer has never been truer has never been
that through is the only way through
and I see you and I see you agreeing
through is the only way through
Ill see you when I see you
brilliant track, lyrics next level for sure and everything works on this piece which is highly original, dig it big!