Bon Iver’s second album is mostly inspired by Heath Ledger’s death. He was shooting a music video off in a cabin when it happened and ended up having a 3 day greaving session with the videographer, Matt Amato, who was best friends with Heath. Justin was friends as well, having hung out a few times.
The opening track Perth—where Heath was from and where Justin first met him—was just a riff at that point and ended up being about his death. It’s abstract, like the ending lines, “wire it up, you’re breaking your ground” is referencing the common practice of wiring the jaw up post-death for open coffins, then being put into the ground. And some lyrics are simply personal things Matt had said over the days. All sort of said like a mind flying around I’m grief.
It’s unusual since despite Justin explaining this in several interviews, and most recently in the I Am Heath Ledger documentary, many people don’t know. There’s also a lot of popular rumours meanings out there about the song being about war or long-distance relationships. The lyrics begin to make sense after knowing the actual basis.