Lord Huron Timeline Masterpost
Disclaimer: A lot of this information is speculation and consists of a lot of theories. Feel free to take things with a grain of salt.
Lonesome Dreams:Β
Setting: 19th century Wild West (some theories suggested could be the Middle East in the mid-20th century)Β
- Huron (main character)
- Blaquefut (Huronβs best friend)
- Helena (Huronβs girlfriend)
- nameless Helenaβs Ex (weβre gonna call him Sonny for convenience)
Story: (Iβm sure that most of the songs are in chronological order from the album but a few of them I believe are flashbacks so I had to move them around.)
- She lit a fire/one of the best love songs ever written: The story goes earlier in the timeline technically, as itβs flashing back to how Huron met Helena. This is how the pair met. She lit his fire to travel the world or something.
- Ends of the earth: early on in Huron and Helenaβs relationship. He wants to travel the world but she doesnβt so theyβre kinda like βletβs split up for a bitβ
- Setting sun/the most mindfucking song (yes this bonus track is played at the end of the song, but hear me out ): Sonny has noticed that Helena has found someone else. They both know that Huron is better for her, but Sonnyβs still pissed so he goes full yandere and chases after Huron. This story was put at the end and made βunfinishedβ because Sonny will always have a vendetta while Huronβs alive.
- Time to run: Huron and friends are being chased by Sonnyβs goons. Blaqufut gets shot in the head while helping Huron escape.
- lonesome dreams: now this is a bit of a stretch, but from this theory, LD is basically purgatory and Huron travels to it to rescue Blaqufut from death.
- Ghost on the shore/best song: nothing too significant to the story, itβs just Huron talking about how he misses home/the Great Lakes
- I will be back one day: again, nothing much, just Huron reminiscing over Helena in pursuit to find her.
- Man who lives forever: again nothing too significant, just Huron not wanting to die.
- Brother: this is possibly the aftermath of an altercation between Huron and Blaqufut that they resolve. It pretty much just reaffirms their friendship.
- In the wind: this one actually occurs while Huron is still on the run but from Helenaβs perspective. Itβs basically her reminiscing over him. I think they put this one at the end because itβs spiritually the end of the album, as it discusses how long distances and death can stop love.
- Lullaby: Huron finally makes it back to Helena. Heβs a complete wreck but Helenaβs just happy heβs back
Sidenotes: Lonesome dreams are a collection of stories from Jorge Ranger Johnson, a writer character that Ben made up. Because of this, some of lonesome dreams might not actually be real within the universe of Lord Huron. Or they might be real events and just happened to be written about by an author.Β
Alternate theories suggest that Setting sun was actually about Huron the entire time and it did take place at the end of the album, causing Helena to find someone else and Huron to becoming a murderer.Β
One last important thing, because these are stories and might not actually occur within the universe of Lord Huron, it is possible that there is no afterlife, as suggested in later albums.
Strange Trails:Β
- 1950s, somewhere in America.
- Georgeβs: A bar that several characters tend to spend time at (probably in reference to George Ranger Johnson)
- Frankie Lou: washed up singer who presumably had a failed romance that fucked up bad. Probably an alcoholic. Sings at Georgeβs
- Cobb Avery: zombie brought back to life out of vengeance. His family was killed because his boss gave him a piece of land on a sinkhole. leader of the βWorld Endersβ gang. Basically a bunch of terrorists. Kills everyone from the company that sold him the house. Hangs out at Georgeβs
- Jonnie: member of the world Enders. Kind of trigger-happy in a thrill seeker. Probably one of the less malicious members of the group. Probably 19.
- Buck Vernon: I also think another washed-up singer. Whatβs important though is that he suffers from hallucinations and is desperately trying to find the girl of his dreams.
- Lily: some girl that every guy in town has the hots for. Hangs out at Georgeβs
- Jim: Lilyβs boyfriend. Hangs out at Georgeβs.
- Danielle: Young girl. The only child character, Iβd say 11-14. Best character. Youβre never too young to have an existential crisis.
- Justine: not really important, presumably a writer.
- Louisa: some random girl (Assuming that this theory is true, she might also be a witch and mightβve started out as an asshole, might also hang out at Georgeβs)
- Thereβs also some other guy but he was part of one song and it wasnβt significant so disregard him.
- Love like ghosts: this is Frankie reminiscing over her failed relationship
- When the night ends: Jonnie talking about appreciating the finer things in life while everythingβs going to shit
- Dead manβs hand/also best song: buck finds Avery presumably dead while wandering the desert. He buries him only to find out that Avery is still alive. Avery says that thereβs no afterlife for him and he doesnβt want to go back in the grave. The pair become friends and go their separate ways.
- Hurricane: just Johnny talking about living life on the edge
- La belle fleur sauvage/the beautiful wildflower: just the lead singer gushing over Lily. The guy singing this only shows up in this song, but itβs just meant to establish that everyone has the hots for Lilly. The song could also be talking about Buck in his pursuit.
- Fool for love: Buck goes to Georgeβs to win over Lily, but Jim is already with her. Being delusional, buck tries to take on Jim (in the music video he gets Avery to fight him), he trashed the place and because of this is kicked out. Heβs pretty optimistic but after this, he feels kind of defeated. (*Post-Rejection Depression Time*)
- World ender: focuses on Averyβs story. Follows him as he seeks vengeance and kills the people from the company that sold him the shitty house.
- Meet me in the Woods: more of Frankie reminiscing over her failed romance
- Yawning grave: (OK so this is the first big roadblock in the story, so the character that this song is about is very much left up to interpretation) I assume Avery has kind of calmed down But still intends to pursue the people that have wronged him.
- Frozen Pines: (disappointingly) The only song about Danielle. Her parents were abducted by aliens in front of her. She is sort of in denial and refuses to leave where she is in the middle of the forest out of the delusion that theyβll come back. The song ends with her realizing that she has to move on as she attempts to leave the forest. (also, frozen Pines is the name of the motel so it could also just be that maybe Danielle is stuck at a motel which would honestly be kind of funny.)
- Cursed/best love song ever written: Buck has found himself a new girl. However, due to previous failed romantic endeavors and hallucinations, he thinks that sheβs an asshole trying to put a curse on him. (The song is presumably about Louisa. Itβs entirely possible that Louisa was being manipulative but they sort things out)
- Way out there: (The most difficult song to figure out) presumably about Avery. I can only best describe it as him having an existential crisis and him missing his dead family.
- Louisa: after Buck was tempted to kick bricks, Louisa helped him out and gave him a newfound appreciation for life. Now theyβre happy =]
- Night we met: last song of Frankie reminiscing over her ex. Also, the lyric video confirms that Buck & Louisa either broke up or she was just a figment of his imagination, so uh, ya. Hopefully you werenβt as emotionally invested in these characters as much as I was because that tore me a new one.
Sidenotes: this album definitely had the most interpretations. The biggest issues are the stories of yawning grave and way out there, as I am unsure that it is even about Avery. The real issue tho is the lack of songs about Danielle. Ben Come On!
There are also a couple connections between this album and the next
Vide Noir:Β
Setting: 1960s. Detroit & Los Angeles.Β
Background info: A drug called vide noir has recently been legalized. Itβs basically just a hallucinogenic that destroys the fabric of reality, good times.
- Buck Vernon: Christ Ben just canβt seem to give this guy a break.
- Lee Green: Buckβs new girl. Probably wants to be an actress or something.
- Lady moonbeam: A medium/psychic. I think sheβs black but itβs hard to tell because of the lighting.
- Cobb Avery: Best Boy Electrician on βProducts of the Universeβ TV show. (only mentioned in 1 song)
- Marsha Tanley & Dale Frander: βProducts of the Universeβ host; guy selling vide & its derivatives. (not in the songs)
- Lost in time and space: Buck is upset because Lee left. He decides to chase after her nonetheless.
- Never ever: Buckβs spirits are lifted as he heads out to find Lee.
- Ancient names: Buck goes to Lady Moonbeam For advice but she sees into the future and sees that Buck will become a drug addict. Heβs in denial but she knows otherwise.
- Wait by the river: just Buck talking about how you would do anything for Lee. Also reveals the potential of an altercation between the two of them, presumably the two of them having a fight before she left.
- Secret of life: (OK this oneβs a little hard, the singer is clearly Buck, but itβs hard to tell if heβs confronting either Lee or lady moonbeam) either way, whoever he is confronting has allegedly made a pact with Avery that will cause something bad to happen to Buck. Because of this, he downs a bottle of fukitol/vide noir.
- Back from the edge: the MF dies but comes back (where have we seen that before)
- Balancerβs eye: Buck runs into God and is denied access to heaven. Either because he wasnβt supposed to die or maybe people who take drugs arenβt allowed in. Or God has really high standards and no oneβs allowed in (again, weird knowing that Blaqufut experienced purgatory and Avery said thereβs no heaven at all)
- When the night is over: realizing the effect of VN, Buck is becoming worried for Lee that she might overdose if he doesnβt find her soon enough
- Moonbeam: Like with Louisa, Buck ran into a girl that saved him from a bad place. Hard to tell if itβs Lee (it likely isnβt because of later in the story) Β or lady moonbeam.
- Vide Noir: Buck talking about the effects of the drug.
- Emerald star/The most depressing song ever written: after doing everything he can and fucking dying, Buck finally finds Lee but he is turned down as she would rather be a junkie. Itβs also possible that she might die or be dying, judging by the fact that the second half of this song is just instrumental followed by a sudden halt at the end. {Yay, I get to experience βclose to youβ all over again}
Sidenotes: George ranger Johnson is a spiritual advisor for the show that Avery works on.
The events of the film are claimed to come at the end/after the album.
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All information was aggregated from the albums, interviews with Ben, music videos, articles about the film, Products of the Universe, & whatever else I could scavenge from LHβs YouTube channel.
Iβd also like to give a huge thanks to the fanbase for their theories and research. It really helped out a lot piecing this all together. I had a lot of fun discussing this with fellow Wanderers and Enders and really appreciate being a part of this fanbase.
If you have any alternative theories, timelines, etc, be sure to mention them. A huge chunk of this info will probably become obsolete when the film/next album comes along so enjoy this while we can still be optimistic.
