OHMYGOD IT MAKES ME CRY... 😪 the amazing thing about Aldous is how COMPLETELY DIFFERENT she sounds from song to song. Yet it's always her; it never seems affected or inauthentic. Listen to "Lawn" and "Designer" and "Fever" and "Ennui" . They are SO different !!! 🤯🤯🤯
I'm fascinated by Aldous Harding and this song especially. She's from New Zealand and does get a lot of views on TH-cam so she's much more popular than you would think. The lyrics are very confusing, I don't even know whether or not they are supposed to tell a coherent story. But I did find someone else's comment about it: "To me this song speaks of grief and loss and of a reckoning with religion in the face of suffering. The melody's beauty is reminiscent of a lullaby, which fits the theme of a mother daughter relationship, while the lyrics paint a haunting picture of surrendering to woe and resignation. I imagine a woman who has lost her baby girl (Lord, show me my daughter Show me her before she burned). I imagine the protagonist to come from a world saturated with Christian imagery and belief, the allusion to her daughter burning suggesting that she died before her baptism, so the mother fears her soul in purgatory or hell. The lover of the protagonist and father of the child could be imagined as dead as well (I will never marry my love. I will die waiting for the bells). She will die herself ere she hears her own wedding bells in the church. Although the story would also work if he has disappeared or left in another way. Allusions to death are abundant everywhere, suggesting her own contemplation of suicide (Death, come pull me underwater - I have nothing left to fear from hell / I will arrive at death’s border / The blade is ready for the slaughter). I can also imagine past suicide attempts or at least plans (I keep the pills inside an urn). There is constant imagery of water, (Death, come pull me underwater / Someone has stolen all the water / I am at the river with baby - Her father enters with a leap - Hold her head above the water - She is pale against the stream). Water as a life giving, feminine element, yet at the same time as a threatening and possibly life taking force invoking a connection of death by drowning, possibly of her loved ones or possibly as a thought of her own plans of escaping this world. The last verse seems the most mysterious to me, invoking possibly a memory (did the girl drown? Did the lover die when he jumped in the river to save her?) Or possibly the scene is a vision of the future, a dream of them being united either in this or in the next world. (Is it the river Styx?) With all this hopelessness and grief of the song, the last two lines seem almost out of place in their implied strength and hope. The three of them united in a metaphor of support, unity and vitality. The father providing solid ground and sure footing for the mother, embodied as a mare galloping on his mighty mountain, carrying her child safely. Like an unexpected happy ending of a nightmare." Just two comments about the video which is absolutely mesmeric: I always think that the two at the door (which has its key on the outside) are her lover and her daughter, but why are they ther? Are they still alive? Secondly, that last movement, why does she do that pose and why is it scary? I'm sure that I noticed that you jumped at the end, Harri. By the way, some time ago you played another of her songs, "The Barrel." It's very different but you liked that as well.
I will never marry my love I will die waiting for the bells Death, come pull me underwater I have nothing left to fear from hell I was gifted at the music I was born the day the year was new Someone has stolen all the water I keep the pills inside an urn Lord, show me my daughter Show me her before she burned We go walking in the hallways Now and then a record gives a tune Sometimes we hang from our chambers Baudelaire in the afternoon The yellow rose is a stranger The devil's invitation in bloom I stand looking at my chamber There are many things upon the floor The blade is ready for the slaughter The Virgin Mary hangs on the door I will arrive at death's border Take back the cover God has torn from me I am at the river with baby Her father enters with a leap Hold her head above the water She is pale against the stream I am the horse beneath his daughter He is the mountain underneath
OHMYGOD IT MAKES ME CRY... 😪 the amazing thing about Aldous is how COMPLETELY DIFFERENT she sounds from song to song. Yet it's always her; it never seems affected or inauthentic. Listen to "Lawn" and "Designer" and "Fever" and "Ennui" . They are SO different !!! 🤯🤯🤯
She does a song titled imagining my man....i think you'd like it as well.
Thanks for reacting to a New Zealand artist. We have just as many talented artists as anywhere else.
She evokes an atmosphere with her compositions, this is a very theatrical piece, reminds me of Kate Bush and Bjork...
I'm fascinated by Aldous Harding and this song especially. She's from New Zealand and does get a lot of views on TH-cam so she's much more popular than you would think.
The lyrics are very confusing, I don't even know whether or not they are supposed to tell a coherent story. But I did find someone else's comment about it:
"To me this song speaks of grief and loss and of a reckoning with religion in the face of suffering. The melody's beauty is reminiscent of a lullaby, which fits the theme of a mother daughter relationship, while the lyrics paint a haunting picture of surrendering to woe and resignation.
I imagine a woman who has lost her baby girl (Lord, show me my daughter Show me her before she burned). I imagine the protagonist to come from a world saturated with Christian imagery and belief, the allusion to her daughter burning suggesting that she died before her baptism, so the mother fears her soul in purgatory or hell.
The lover of the protagonist and father of the child could be imagined as dead as well (I will never marry my love. I will die waiting for the bells). She will die herself ere she hears her own wedding bells in the church. Although the story would also work if he has disappeared or left in another way.
Allusions to death are abundant everywhere, suggesting her own contemplation of suicide (Death, come pull me underwater - I have nothing left to fear from hell / I will arrive at death’s border / The blade is ready for the slaughter). I can also imagine past suicide attempts or at least plans (I keep the pills inside an urn).
There is constant imagery of water, (Death, come pull me underwater / Someone has stolen all the water / I am at the river with baby - Her father enters with a leap - Hold her head above the water - She is pale against the stream). Water as a life giving, feminine element, yet at the same time as a threatening and possibly life taking force invoking a connection of death by drowning, possibly of her loved ones or possibly as a thought of her own plans of escaping this world.
The last verse seems the most mysterious to me, invoking possibly a memory (did the girl drown? Did the lover die when he jumped in the river to save her?) Or possibly the scene is a vision of the future, a dream of them being united either in this or in the next world. (Is it the river Styx?)
With all this hopelessness and grief of the song, the last two lines seem almost out of place in their implied strength and hope. The three of them united in a metaphor of support, unity and vitality. The father providing solid ground and sure footing for the mother, embodied as a mare galloping on his mighty mountain, carrying her child safely. Like an unexpected happy ending of a nightmare."
Just two comments about the video which is absolutely mesmeric:
I always think that the two at the door (which has its key on the outside) are her lover and her daughter, but why are they ther? Are they still alive?
Secondly, that last movement, why does she do that pose and why is it scary? I'm sure that I noticed that you jumped at the end, Harri.
By the way, some time ago you played another of her songs, "The Barrel." It's very different but you liked that as well.
I will never marry my love
I will die waiting for the bells
Death, come pull me underwater
I have nothing left to fear from hell
I was gifted at the music
I was born the day the year was new
Someone has stolen all the water
I keep the pills inside an urn
Lord, show me my daughter
Show me her before she burned
We go walking in the hallways
Now and then a record gives a tune
Sometimes we hang from our chambers
Baudelaire in the afternoon
The yellow rose is a stranger
The devil's invitation in bloom
I stand looking at my chamber
There are many things upon the floor
The blade is ready for the slaughter
The Virgin Mary hangs on the door
I will arrive at death's border
Take back the cover God has torn from me
I am at the river with baby
Her father enters with a leap
Hold her head above the water
She is pale against the stream
I am the horse beneath his daughter
He is the mountain underneath