10 (Death Breast)

Album: 22, A Million (2016)
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Songfacts®:

  • This distorted track with contemplative lyrics about love that will never leave is the second song on 22, A Million. The song title purposely rhymes with "Beth/Rest," which concluded Bon Iver's previous self-titled album.
  • Bon Iver mainman Justin Vernon sped up a You Tube sample of Stevie Nicks singing "Wild Heart" and looped it over the opening of this song. He told Uncut:

    "It's from my favorite YouTube video of all time. It's Stevie Nicks warming up in 1981, while getting her hair done and singing 'Wild Heart.' Somebody offstage is singing harmony and it's the best piece of music."
  • The 22, A Million album was co-produced by Vernon's close friend BJ Burton. The producer told Uncut: "We never put pressure on the music. We never said, This is the next Bon Iver record. It was just making s--t that sounded fresh to us."

    One day Burton recorded Vernon playing a jittery, menacing beat on a drum kit at April Base. Burton recalled: "I just blew it out and made this weird-ass rhythm. We manipulated the tape and played with the pitch until it became this dirty blown out beach. We're like, hell yeah let's roll with this for a second."

    The idea eventually became "10 (Death Breast)."

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