Day 5: Dangerous Diamonds – Rogue Valley

I’m not an adventurous person by far. I am very much a Bilbo Baggins-type person–I’d rather be home if I can help it. But sometimes going out on a limb can be fun and invigorating.

Like the time I climbed a waterfall in Colorado.

I made it sound way more exciting than it actually was. We hiked a 8-mile roundtrip hike to a really beautiful mountain lake, but the terrain was difficult. There were walking trails until there weren’t. The rocks got slippery. And soon you realized that you have to climb a small cascade to reach your destination. Fun, but a little daunting.

I can’t imagine what it would be like in sub-zero temperatures.

Day 5: Dangerous Diamonds – Rogue Valley

“Dangerous Diamonds” is from Rogue Valley’s album False Floors. A lot of the music in this album is centered around uncertainty and unsure footing (hence, false floors.) In this song, we find the antagonist on a perilous trip up a mountain. Real or metaphorical, who knows? I always picture a chilly scene (you’ll see the imagery in a second.) Rogue Valley focuses a lot of their music on recognizable bits of Americana, so I picture this song as being set in the Rockies, marveling at the beauty–and danger–of the world around us.

Who watches the snowy owl
In a rare winter sun
Knows the breath-taking precision
Of an assassin

Who crosses the frozen lake
Wary of step
Knows the surface groans underfoot
Where a pale, blue likeness says:

Strange days, lie up ahead they’ve just been playing dead
What is done cannot be undone

The opening verses open on an unwelcoming scene–cold, with unkind nature all around. There’s a hungry owl circling around. Our hero is crossing a lake on thin ice. Where is he going? What is he trying to achieve? Well, he’s made it this far. Might as well keep going.

What follows the Northern Lights
Dangerous diamonds
Knows the sky is a great abyss
Opening, swallowing us all

This song is in awe–and almost terrified–of nature. After all, it’s something that we can only begin to understand and will never be able to tame. This song is not meant to put us at peace, but let us know what we’re getting into by being a part of the good ol’ human race.

Climb higher north towards the dangerous diamonds
Hands shake, bones break the bells are ringing
The air is thinning

Being up in the mountains is cool and all, but the air quality is not great. You’ll find yourself losing your breath a lot faster or even fainting (or throwing up, which also happens.) I’m not exactly sure what “dangerous diamonds” they’re referring to, but my mind goes to a black diamond ski hill–the hardest of the hard hills to ski on, one where you risk injury (and sometimes death) to try. I don’t think our hero is skiing, but he’s on a perilous journey, and it’s not about to get any easier.

I chose this song because I love the imagery of it. Right from the intro, you feel like you’re on a frosty mountain top. The entire album has a somewhat chilly feel to it. Go ahead and take a listen.