36:20 No, Better! Nothing F#@&% with his baby because SHE'S terrifying. It has nothing to do with him! He just loves a terrifying entity and is singing about how cool and scary she is and how much he wants to support her endeavors, whatever they may be. (World ending, world saving, who knows? who cares? Hozier's ride or die like that.)
NFWMB is one of the best Hozier songs imo - and the fun in it is that you can interpret it as you did, about possessiveness and protectiveness over your lover, BUT you can interpret it as Hozier being an absolute simp, a sub, and in awe of their loved one - the end of the world fears them, he wants to give himself completely to help destroy those who wronged them, and nothing fcks with my baby turns into a cautious "run if you want to live cause my beloved WILL crush you" 😌
To me it definitely reads more like a warning that his baby is the dangerous one. When he says "I want to be felled by you / Held by you / Fuel the pyre of your enemies" it's has sort of "hold my flower" vibes like he's standing ready to support her as she lays absolute waste to all who stand in her way. :D
Man... hearing you talk about Swan Upon Leda, and your first reading of 'a child pushes a child into the night' as a fun, playful scene... I just had this thought strike me: what a world it would be to live in, where I could hear that lyric and not have the context to interpret it how it was written. I could never hear that lyric and think anything other than 'god, how horrific'. It's a kind of fear some of us even grow up with, whether in good homes or bad. Just kinda rocked me to imagine that it would need interpreting. It would be a good world where that needed explaining as a fictional concept.
Right?! Him describing it as having a "folktale/mythical" feeling was heartbreaking - whereas when I first heard it, I felt like finally someone was putting a voice to the invisible/ignored reality of women
This may be a good example of different experiences in live fueling different first interpretations between us humans. I am very much along the lines of his first reading of this. I thought that this sounds like a tale of two children that starts of as harmless fun and could maybe get one of them into trouble unkowingly^^
@@christophhanke6627 Oh yeah, for sure, no judgement. It just kinda came outta leftfield for me, because of my own life experiences it genuinely never occurred to me that there was room for alternate interpretation of that line. It is interesting how everything is viewed through context no matter how obvious or generic we may think something is.
Fun fact from your local history nerd: Swan Upon Leda refers to a story of Zeus who turns into a swan in order to seduce Leda, a girl. So it is a folk tale but a pretty violent one. I‘m pretty sure the song is about colonialism as well which is really fitting when you connect it with the story of Zeus forcing himself onto a woman as the colonists force themselves on their colonies. Edit: After some research it seems to be more about women being oppressed through anti-abortion movements etc. which also makes a lot of sense. Also Moment‘s Silence (Common Tongue) is about bl*wjobs lmao. He said that people misinterpreted a line from Take Me To Church so he took that and went ‚That wasn‘t what i meant but here‘s what it would sound like if I did‘ My favourite of these has to be Blood Upon The Snow. Love God of War and the drama of it all. Its incredible.
ok wow did not realise that! itll be so cool to listen back now I know that about swan! also I am lolling sm over all the comments about moments silence 🤣
@@Luscent You have to listen to Moment's Silence again now that you know. Listening to Hozier is like reading old poetry, when suddenly it clicks and you realize this flowery prose about the ocean is actually _Filthy._ 🤣 I still hear things when re-listening and then go OH! THAT'S what he meant?!?!?! Man's got me blushing like a Victorian seeing some ankle.
Swan Upon Leda Like many of Hozier’s songs, there are multiple meanings to be taken from this one. The title itself refers to the myth of Leda and the Swan in which Zeus transforms into a swan and, depending on the interpretation, seduces or sexually assaults Leda. Many lines of the song point towards sexual assault and the ways in which men have attempted to conquer the female body and control women when they should be revered as precious and sacred. A woman’s womb and the power she holds to create/grant life is referred to as “the gateway to the world” and when he says that it never belonged to angels or men, he means that a woman’s body cannot be owned/controlled by men or any faith that suggests otherwise. The first line, in my opinion, is the most tragic when Hozier writes “A husband waits outside, a crying child pushes a child into the night” painting the picture of a woman who was assaulted and giving birth to her attacker’s child while her husband waits outside, and of a young girl, still a child herself, crying in pain and confusion as she literally pushes a child out of her body- forced pregnancy and childbirth after being assaulted. “Was told he would come this time without leaving so much as a feather behind” most likely means that the person giving birth was told that the man would not impregnate her or leave any evidence, while also pulling imagery of the swan (Zeus) with the “feather”. The second subject of the song is Ireland and an Irish myth that I will do my best to explain what I have read on the subject as I am not Irish or very familiar with the tale. First we open with the “Grandmother smuggling meds”- likely a grandmother smuggling illegal emergency contraception over the border from Northern Ireland to the Republic - “past were the god-child soldier Setanta stood dead”- Setanta, in the myth, tied himself with his breast belt to a pillar-stone as he was dying so that he could would not meet his death lying down, would meet it standing. This pillar-stone is thought to be one found near the border between the North and the Republic, so this is where the grandmother passes through with the emergency contraception. Hozier also chooses to refer to Setanta by the name his mother gave him and not by his other name Cú Chulainn, which meant “Culann’s hound” as he killed a hound that attacked him belonging to Culann and agreed to take its place as his protector. So Hozier references Setanta by his given name as a way to humanize him and maintain his identity separate from his service, which ties in the reference to the next line “someone’s frightened boy waves her on” likely referring to a soldier at the border. Like Setanta, he is a fighter and has pledged his allegiance and service, but he is still just a boy, someone’s son, still young and his own person, not just another nameless, faceless soldier. To die standing (like Setanta) is also a symbol of Irish Nationalism. This imagery of a young, nervous soldier ties into the themes of this patriarchal society along with the line “one more sweet boy to be butchered by men” as we see young boys raised with toxic ideals of masculinity and attitudes towards women, as well as this society is shaping them into “agents of the structures that hurt them”. So even though these men hold this power in society, one that emboldens them to treat women as their inferiors and as objects to be conquered, they are also victims of the system themselves and are not truly free. So the song is very much a commentary on society, it’s treatment of both women and men and the roles assigned to them, as well as the treatment of Ireland itself and how the country can be compared to Leda in the way that she was something sacred that was conquered and had so much stolen from her. -another nod to this is its comparison to the annexation of Jerusalem in the line “empire upon Jerusalem” and “occupier upon ancient land” as well as various other examples of mankind’s seizure of “holy land” in the name of faith, while laying waste to something already sacred and holy just to expand their empire.
Common Tongue A somewhat common set of themes in Hozier’s discography, sex, love, and the Catholic Church is the main subject of this one. Hozier really likes to compare worshiping a lover’s body to the kind of faith and worship seen in religion, particularly Catholicism. Here is yet another critique of the Catholic Church’s attitude towards sex and condemnation of anything deemed sexually devious or immoral, such as the song’s referenced oral sex. “Comes on the tongue” is quite literal and explicit in referencing oral sex as well as “when my baby puts the mouth on me” and “summon on the pearl rosary”. Hozier talks about oral sex as something beautiful and comforting at a time when there is so much ugliness in the world (ugliness that the church could focus more of their attention on than other grown people’s sex lives). He references political unrest and rising tensions, the looming consequences of climate change and even sexual misconduct rampant in the church itself, calling into question their own ethics and morality with the lines “What yields the need for those who lead us oh so morally? Those that would view the same we do through their deformity Who view the deed as power's creed as pure authority” It’s basically a big “don’t throw stones in a glass house”.. but a lot more Horny, in true Hozier fashion
Through Me (The Flood) Hozier wrote this song during the pandemic and I’ve read a lot that suggest this song could very well be referencing the pandemic and the “wave” of sickness that came over the world and took many lives. There are themes of both feeling detached but connected, overwhelmingly isolated and yet belonging to a bigger picture. A lot of the imagery seems to suggest the experience of perhaps an astronaut turning back to look at the speck that is Earth and feeling a “wave” of emotion, both feeling the world as distant, removed, disconnected from him, while also feeling an overwhelming sense of belonging to that world and clarity that he is part of one shared experience of life. The wave that he cannot weather is the change in his perspective that has transformed him forever. For me, personally, I feel like the song is about struggling with life’s challenges and the reality of mortality. “Seen like a speck out from the shore” - recognizing his seeming insignificance in the grand scheme of things. “He feels a coming of a squall Will drag him out a greater length But knows his strength and tries to gather it” feeling apprehensive, anticipating hardship or even death but trying to muster the courage to continue on working, taking care of responsibilities, living. “And looking down to his new home He feels the rising of a wave and knows at once he will not weather it” -anxiety. A wave of anxiety, a panic attack, the feeling of not being able to handle this obstacle life has thrown his way, an impossible hardship, the overwhelming feeling of being lost or aimless, the dread of oblivion approaching and the powerlessness associated with any of these things. Then also comparing that powerlessness to his relationship- “Like that man I lookеd down into the depths when I mеt you I couldn't measure it” (He couldn’t measure the depths of his love, maybe?) Possibly, he could be recalling the loss of someone dear, their passing, their department into oblivion and this new world, “new home” is one that this person does not exist in and therefore feels wrong and foreign to him. “But try measure loss Measure the silence of a house The unheard footsteps at the doorway The unemployment of the mouth The waking up, having forgotten And remembering again the full extent of what forever is With each grave I think of loss and I can only think of you And I couldn't measure it“ This seems to be quite literally describing the struggle to wake each day and remember the loss of this person they loved so much, walking through an empty house and feeling their absence and being overwhelmed by this void the now live with. As for the chorus, it seems he has fought against the will of the world and found that the world only fights back harder “Every time I'd burn through the world, I'd see That the world, it burns through me” Then when he finds acceptance and peace within himself and stops being angry at the world, the world then meets him with the same sense of peace and acceptance “But when I'd let go My struggling form, my willing soul Every time I would flow through the world, I'd see That the world, it flows through me” I feel like this interpretation could work with the astronaut imagery, as his grieving could cause him to feel emotionally detached and isolated from the world. Also, experiencing the loss could be compared to an astronaut watching the Earth flood from high above, powerless to prevent it, also flooded with emotions, now left adrift all alone, his life and home and everything he knew and loved lost from him forever. Also, the imagery of him being swept out to sea, trying to fight the current and then ultimately giving into the will of the sea reminds me so much of Never Let me Go by Florence + the Machine, specifically the lines “the arms of the ocean are carrying me as all this devotion is rushing out of me” and “and it’s over and I’m going under, but I’m not giving up, I’m just giving in”
couldn’t have explained it any better. also worth mentioning that hozier put out Swan upon Leda shortly after Roe v. Wade (landmark US supreme court case protecting abortion rights) was struck down this past summer. it always makes me so emotional hearing this song. hozier has earned so much respect from me for his continued outspoken support for marginalized people everywhere, always.
@@pohia absolutely. Songs like Nina Cried Power, Cherry Wine, obviously Take Me To Church all just make me respect him so much as an artist using his beautiful voice (literally) to speak out on important subjects. You can tell how much human rights activism means to him as a person.
Moments silence: "kissing" im laughing so much, help. I loved this video! Through Me The Flood is also my favourite! It's the closest depiction of my way of experiencing grief that I've ever heard
NFWMB is absolutely one of my top Hozier Songs. Blood Upon the Snow is my favorite side quest of his. I wish he and Bear McCreary would work together again in the future. They're pretty much a powerhouse.
It's hard to me to choose a fave in here but I think if I could pick one it would be blood upon the snow, close second NFWMB because it's giving me 'I support women's rights but most importantly women's wrongs' and I'm all about that.
"I support not only women's rights but also women's wrongs" is never going to leave my head now when I listen to that song omfg hahaha. I remember first listening to NFWMB and being like ooo how domineering and then I took a deep breath and realised - no, it sounds like he's terrified of her and he likes it that way. equally as exhilarating imo.
it's funny, my ALL-time favorites of Hozier's music are all bonus-tracks or extra releases (don't know what it is, they just feel more raw and real to me), so picking just one is like picking a favourite child, BUT if I had to pick it would probably be arsonists lullaby (or maybe swan upon leda). i'll also have to disagree with you on run, somewhere in the woods somewhere and arsonist's lullaby - i LOVE the sort of slow, guttural production and feel/structure. to me it doesn’t feel unfulfilled, it feels like pulling something out of your chest that you didn't know was keeping you from breathing. (also also; through me (the flood) should've made it onto unreal, unearth. argue with the wall).
Run, In the Woods Somewhere, and Arsonists Lullaby are some of my favorite Hozier songs. They all have a similar vibe so if someone dislikes them it's probably just not their style of music (which is unfortunate but people are allowed to be wrong lol). 😊
I saw Hozier's shows in Chicago and Vegas this year, and he and his band sound just as good live. It was mind-blowing to hear his remarkable voice soaring over the choral soundscape live. There's something so satisfying about his songs...he finds exactly the right words with exactly the right notes.
Right! i saw him live a few days ago here in Berlin, and I was taken aback by the power of his voice. Mind you, I have been listening to Hozier for years, and I have spent many many hours listening to his unreal unearth album in preparation for the concert. I knew his voice was absolutely incredible, but there is just something so impactful about having him sing live and have his stunning voice fill an entire show hall and echo through the walls. I was genuinely shocked
You could also have another video of Hozier reacting to his covers, they're masterpieces, Say My Name, Problem/resolution, Do I wanna Know?, Lay Me Down, Time and some other spectacular things that he's done plus his band is always amazing
True in terms of quality and vibe, but what circle of Hell would you put it in? And what song would you kick off the album to get it there, a song that would otherwise probably never have heard the light of day, just to have a repeat on the album.
@@mayaenglish5424I think De Selby 1 & 2 and First Light are not part of the circles of hell. If he really wanted to, I’m confident he could find a place for it and have an explanation for its placement. Also, he was able to cramp 16 songs in the album, would 1 more be too much already? In one interview (I think very early in 2023) when the list of songs was not finalized yet, I think he said they’re looking at maybe including 16 or 17 songs. I know many people like it that’s why I’m sad it’s not there, but I haven’t really looked into its lyrics that much yet.
I think the instrument you asked "is that a bagpipe" at 21:00 is probably a hurdy gurdy. Its a medieval instrument that is super cool. If you want to see/hear more of it take a look at Patty Gurdy who is an amazing hurdy gurdy player..
27:36 Agree to disagree! Sometimes contrast is nice sometimes if you have a good vibe going, do you really need a fancy key change in the middle or something? Silence and absence are also tools in an artists toolbelt. Sometimes "Getting to the point faster" is detrimental to the overall piece, like how movies nowadays never have any slow "Boring" establishing moments where characters just meander and talk to each other (and establish their personalities and relationships) and now movies kind of suck because they've cut all the empty space for "efficiency." Or in some paintings, the negative space can tell you just as much as what the artist did draw. Same kind of idea. I don't want to turn this into a rant about our ever decreasing attention spans and lack of ability to just sink into a moment and enjoy it as a culture but... ya know.
THANK YOU!!!!! now you gotta react to all the other ones and the duets haha- jackbot jump, blood, love of, i could be yours, the wages, in your own sweet time, the bones :)
Swan Upon Leda has such a special place in my heart as it was released as a response to Roe Vs Wade being overturned. Whilst it has maaany layers to it, a part of it is just telling a story about women losing our rights in this way. Also you haaaaave to do a part 2 of this that includes Northern Attitude with Noah Kahan, and Hozier's new "Unheard" EP!! Too Sweet and Empire Now are incredible. Such amazing songs but clearly just didn't fit the journey of Unreal Unearth so they wouldn't have made it onto the album. Wildflower and Barley is also just amazing because of how his voice and Allison's voice melt together and it's so unexpectedly jazzy.
swan upon leda is genuinely one of my fav songs of all time (literally played 1838 times this year) its just so magical sounding. for context, it's about womens rights, and the same is derived from the ancient greek myth of leda and the swan which is truly one of the most horrible myths out there (very summarised: zeus transforms into a swan and rapes the spartan queen leda)
I think your interpretation of run is spot on. It's about feeling like he wants to join his partner in death but realizing that he isn't ready for that when he actually sees his life in danger. I love the slow sonorous pace, i think it works with the theme but I understand that it doesn't do this big bombastic thing that sometimes his songs erupt into and wanting a bit of that. It can be very satisfying, but I don't think the song aims to be satisfying, it is aiming to survive, like the protagonist. Through me (the flood) is also my favorite and I was so sad it wasn't on the album. The production and astounding lyrics really push it to the top. It was my top song on spotify this year.
Gosh. I know feeling like you could be friends with somebody is kinda the whole reason reaction channels are a thing, but I enjoy your Hozier videos so much! Thank you for this bonus video! I was initially going to comment my interpretation of Through Me(The Flood), but then you said it all so perfectly! It's vibes! It's energy! Fighting negativity with negativity just results in more of the same. But projecting positivity and light, allowing yourself to relax and float and trust that the river of life knows where to bring you, will make the journey sweeter and the waters gentler for the people flowing alongside you. Swan Upon Leda is my favorite Hozier song. I really recommend watching the official music video animation. You gleaned so much without context, I'm truly impressed! In my opinion, listening to it after I learned his intention behind it was like feeling all the puzzle pieces snap in place revealing a masterpiece as the soundbath of the instrumental washes over you. Cosmic Love is my favorite by Florence, too! That clip is a treasure. I won't tease you about Moment's Silence, but you should definitely watch the clip of him talking about it! I used to do swing dancing and also agree it'd be a great piece for it! I was picturing the turns and dramatic pauses. So fun. A Twitter user(can't find the original sorry) asked Hozier if any of his songs were inspired by dreams, and he responded, "In the Woods Somewhere! Someone asked me here also would I rather fight a horse or a wolf. Once dreamt I had to fight a horse in a nearby field as it was kicking and maiming a group of tiny school children. I found an axe but as I ran through the trees I found my hands were empty". I felt that "Into the Woods!" in my soul. Thanks for enduring my rant and for making these videos!
NFWMB puts me into a trance that rivals medication. Calms, empowers, interpret as needed to fix a broken mood. But Blood Upon The Snow is a close second.
Honestly I love Hozier mainly for his lyrical genius, so even though the first album maybe wasn't as musically developed, the lyrics in Arsonist's Lullaby (and most of that album, and really just all his work) are gorgeous
It just shows how our interpretations vary with life experiences. As a woman brought up in a religiously oppressing country (quite similar to Ireland in that regard) I got almost immediate visceral reaction to a lot of his lyrics while my (non traumatised by growing up Catholic) friends just thought his songs were pretty. From this selection Swan Upon Leda is probably my favourite. I do have a soft spot for In the Woods Somewhere though because of how beautifully it was used on Netflix's Dark. I now only associate it with that show tbh I've seen him live 5 times over the past 10 years (latest being last Friday) and he's always breathtaking. I can't recommend his concerts enough.
20:22 So a fun fact, Scotland and Ireland had a huge norse presence due to being invaded and colonized sometime in the 8th-9th century. This is probably why you're getting celtic vibes from Blood Upon the Snow. The Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and the Shetland Islands in Scotland all have a lot of remnants of Viking Settlements, and have been used as a basis for Viking villages in movies such as Berk in How to Train Your Dragon (which is based off an island in the outer hebrides).
a little bit about moments's silence (common tongue)- it was written after he saw someone say that take me to church is abt oral sex. (ps- it's not) So he was like, hey, lemme write a song about that, bc why not. Also, "common tongue" is meant to sound like "come on tongue"
NFWMB and The Flood are definitely my favorites, however all of these songs are some of my top songs from him. In fact four of the songs you reacted to today were on my top 100 most listened to songs this year (the flood at no.2, swan upon leda at no.7, blood upon the snow at no.18, and run at no.75) but I believe all of these songs have made it on my top 100 sometime in the last 4/5 years.
I'm a bit late to comment here (somehow missed this notification!) but I don't think I've seen anyone point this out: Run is basically a poem about Ireland :) At the beginning of the song he references a famous James Joyce quote about how Ireland is the sow that eats its farrow (pig that eats her babies). Hozier is saying Irish people grow up in the bitter cold and hearing about the tragic past of their country ("to slowly learn of her ancient misery"). I think the "shame without a sin" refers to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, whose influence Hozier likens to what happens to a dead body in an Irish bog. The second half of the song is about Ireland's relationship with the sea, another cold force of nature. It's formidable but it shatters on her earth, the cause of every tear she'd ever weep (rain). Rushing ashore to meet her, both fondling and beating her, etc. Overall this song is a brutal love story, and I can see why it made you think of a goddess!
The NFWMB version where he sings it with acoustic and piano i think is the best version of this song. One of my favorite songs from Hozier. Anyway, I hope you check out a band called Sleep Token! They have more of a metal influence but their lyrics slaps and I think are quite fun to analyze. 'The Summoning' is the song that launched them into relevance, if you want somewhere to start. ❤
Dan have you ever tried reading about the song origins / meaning before doing the listen? I don't know if that would sort of ruin the pure reaction aspect of it but I'd have LOVED to see your reaction to Common Tongue if you'd known what it was about. :D
I swear I have a false memory that in the woods somewhere was part of the walking dead early seasons soundtrack? If not istg it should've been. Edit: someone already said it was arsonist's lullaby. Thanks!
If you ever heard a fox (the wounded animal in the song,) screaming you will understand why it is (one) of the inspiration(s) for "In the woods somewhere"... A fox screaming for a mate truely sounds like a woman beeing murdered😂
Based on Bear McCreary's other work, I'd bet the thing that sounds like bagpipes is a hurdy-gurdy. Check out this video about his theme for Black Sails (TV show about pirates, so fairly similar musical aesthetics): th-cam.com/video/PBmzzrU3gR8/w-d-xo.html
29:56 Genuine question, If you like where you are why do you need to go somewhere else? Also Time limits for songs are arbitrary standards imposed by money people who want content in easily digestible packages to sell for specific markets, it has nothing to do with artistic merit. If you enjoy something, it doesn't matter whether it's 1 minute or 20 minutes long. I feel like listening to Station to Station would give you an Aneurysm lol.
Oh, "Swan Upon Leda" is very faerietale indeed--the traditional kind, the kind that includes necrophilia and torture. Homeless child rape victims and shit like that.
Hiya! You can watch this with NO CUTS on Patreon! www.patreon.com/luscent
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ah yes ... kissing. moment's silence is definitely about kissing. nothing else. nothing else the mouth does.
yeah no toootally…
@@philgreen736 dan is our lil innocent baby haha
@@Ayah.Papaya indeed indeed
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36:20 No, Better! Nothing F#@&% with his baby because SHE'S terrifying. It has nothing to do with him! He just loves a terrifying entity and is singing about how cool and scary she is and how much he wants to support her endeavors, whatever they may be. (World ending, world saving, who knows? who cares? Hozier's ride or die like that.)
ohhhhhhhhhh yes that makes sense!
NFWMB is one of the best Hozier songs imo - and the fun in it is that you can interpret it as you did, about possessiveness and protectiveness over your lover, BUT you can interpret it as Hozier being an absolute simp, a sub, and in awe of their loved one - the end of the world fears them, he wants to give himself completely to help destroy those who wronged them, and nothing fcks with my baby turns into a cautious "run if you want to live cause my beloved WILL crush you" 😌
oooooooooooo I love that
To me it definitely reads more like a warning that his baby is the dangerous one. When he says "I want to be felled by you / Held by you / Fuel the pyre of your enemies" it's has sort of "hold my flower" vibes like he's standing ready to support her as she lays absolute waste to all who stand in her way. :D
Man... hearing you talk about Swan Upon Leda, and your first reading of 'a child pushes a child into the night' as a fun, playful scene... I just had this thought strike me: what a world it would be to live in, where I could hear that lyric and not have the context to interpret it how it was written. I could never hear that lyric and think anything other than 'god, how horrific'. It's a kind of fear some of us even grow up with, whether in good homes or bad.
Just kinda rocked me to imagine that it would need interpreting. It would be a good world where that needed explaining as a fictional concept.
Right?! Him describing it as having a "folktale/mythical" feeling was heartbreaking - whereas when I first heard it, I felt like finally someone was putting a voice to the invisible/ignored reality of women
This may be a good example of different experiences in live fueling different first interpretations between us humans.
I am very much along the lines of his first reading of this. I thought that this sounds like a tale of two children that starts of as harmless fun and could maybe get one of them into trouble unkowingly^^
@@christophhanke6627 Oh yeah, for sure, no judgement. It just kinda came outta leftfield for me, because of my own life experiences it genuinely never occurred to me that there was room for alternate interpretation of that line. It is interesting how everything is viewed through context no matter how obvious or generic we may think something is.
@@icequeen9 100% agreed. How boring would the World be, if everyone had the exact same experience and would interpret everything the same way :)
I absolutely think of teenage mothers who can't keep their children, if not worse.
Fun fact from your local history nerd: Swan Upon Leda refers to a story of Zeus who turns into a swan in order to seduce Leda, a girl. So it is a folk tale but a pretty violent one. I‘m pretty sure the song is about colonialism as well which is really fitting when you connect it with the story of Zeus forcing himself onto a woman as the colonists force themselves on their colonies. Edit: After some research it seems to be more about women being oppressed through anti-abortion movements etc. which also makes a lot of sense.
Also Moment‘s Silence (Common Tongue) is about bl*wjobs lmao. He said that people misinterpreted a line from Take Me To Church so he took that and went ‚That wasn‘t what i meant but here‘s what it would sound like if I did‘
My favourite of these has to be Blood Upon The Snow. Love God of War and the drama of it all. Its incredible.
Its about both anti-abortion and colonialism and how intertwined they are. Swan upon Leda, occupier of ancient land.
Yeah, I recognized the name Leda instantly. Strange what people learn and don't.
ok wow did not realise that! itll be so cool to listen back now I know that about swan! also I am lolling sm over all the comments about moments silence 🤣
@@Luscent You have to listen to Moment's Silence again now that you know.
Listening to Hozier is like reading old poetry, when suddenly it clicks and you realize this flowery prose about the ocean is actually _Filthy._ 🤣 I still hear things when re-listening and then go OH! THAT'S what he meant?!?!?! Man's got me blushing like a Victorian seeing some ankle.
Swan Upon Leda
Like many of Hozier’s songs, there are multiple meanings to be taken from this one. The title itself refers to the myth of Leda and the Swan in which Zeus transforms into a swan and, depending on the interpretation, seduces or sexually assaults Leda. Many lines of the song point towards sexual assault and the ways in which men have attempted to conquer the female body and control women when they should be revered as precious and sacred. A woman’s womb and the power she holds to create/grant life is referred to as “the gateway to the world” and when he says that it never belonged to angels or men, he means that a woman’s body cannot be owned/controlled by men or any faith that suggests otherwise. The first line, in my opinion, is the most tragic when Hozier writes “A husband waits outside, a crying child pushes a child into the night” painting the picture of a woman who was assaulted and giving birth to her attacker’s child while her husband waits outside, and of a young girl, still a child herself, crying in pain and confusion as she literally pushes a child out of her body- forced pregnancy and childbirth after being assaulted. “Was told he would come this time without leaving so much as a feather behind” most likely means that the person giving birth was told that the man would not impregnate her or leave any evidence, while also pulling imagery of the swan (Zeus) with the “feather”.
The second subject of the song is Ireland and an Irish myth that I will do my best to explain what I have read on the subject as I am not Irish or very familiar with the tale. First we open with the “Grandmother smuggling meds”- likely a grandmother smuggling illegal emergency contraception over the border from Northern Ireland to the Republic - “past were the god-child soldier Setanta stood dead”- Setanta, in the myth, tied himself with his breast belt to a pillar-stone as he was dying so that he could would not meet his death lying down, would meet it standing. This pillar-stone is thought to be one found near the border between the North and the Republic, so this is where the grandmother passes through with the emergency contraception. Hozier also chooses to refer to Setanta by the name his mother gave him and not by his other name Cú Chulainn, which meant “Culann’s hound” as he killed a hound that attacked him belonging to Culann and agreed to take its place as his protector. So Hozier references Setanta by his given name as a way to humanize him and maintain his identity separate from his service, which ties in the reference to the next line “someone’s frightened boy waves her on” likely referring to a soldier at the border. Like Setanta, he is a fighter and has pledged his allegiance and service, but he is still just a boy, someone’s son, still young and his own person, not just another nameless, faceless soldier. To die standing (like Setanta) is also a symbol of Irish Nationalism.
This imagery of a young, nervous soldier ties into the themes of this patriarchal society along with the line “one more sweet boy to be butchered by men” as we see young boys raised with toxic ideals of masculinity and attitudes towards women, as well as this society is shaping them into “agents of the structures that hurt them”. So even though these men hold this power in society, one that emboldens them to treat women as their inferiors and as objects to be conquered, they are also victims of the system themselves and are not truly free.
So the song is very much a commentary on society, it’s treatment of both women and men and the roles assigned to them, as well as the treatment of Ireland itself and how the country can be compared to Leda in the way that she was something sacred that was conquered and had so much stolen from her. -another nod to this is its comparison to the annexation of Jerusalem in the line “empire upon Jerusalem” and “occupier upon ancient land” as well as various other examples of mankind’s seizure of “holy land” in the name of faith, while laying waste to something already sacred and holy just to expand their empire.
Common Tongue
A somewhat common set of themes in Hozier’s discography, sex, love, and the Catholic Church is the main subject of this one. Hozier really likes to compare worshiping a lover’s body to the kind of faith and worship seen in religion, particularly Catholicism. Here is yet another critique of the Catholic Church’s attitude towards sex and condemnation of anything deemed sexually devious or immoral, such as the song’s referenced oral sex. “Comes on the tongue” is quite literal and explicit in referencing oral sex as well as “when my baby puts the mouth on me” and “summon on the pearl rosary”. Hozier talks about oral sex as something beautiful and comforting at a time when there is so much ugliness in the world (ugliness that the church could focus more of their attention on than other grown people’s sex lives). He references political unrest and rising tensions, the looming consequences of climate change and even sexual misconduct rampant in the church itself, calling into question their own ethics and morality with the lines “What yields the need for those who lead us oh so morally? Those that would view the same we do through their deformity
Who view the deed as power's creed as pure authority”
It’s basically a big “don’t throw stones in a glass house”.. but a lot more Horny, in true Hozier fashion
Through Me (The Flood)
Hozier wrote this song during the pandemic and I’ve read a lot that suggest this song could very well be referencing the pandemic and the “wave” of sickness that came over the world and took many lives.
There are themes of both feeling detached but connected, overwhelmingly isolated and yet belonging to a bigger picture.
A lot of the imagery seems to suggest the experience of perhaps an astronaut turning back to look at the speck that is Earth and feeling a “wave” of emotion, both feeling the world as distant, removed, disconnected from him, while also feeling an overwhelming sense of belonging to that world and clarity that he is part of one shared experience of life. The wave that he cannot weather is the change in his perspective that has transformed him forever.
For me, personally, I feel like the song is about struggling with life’s challenges and the reality of mortality.
“Seen like a speck out from the shore” - recognizing his seeming insignificance in the grand scheme of things. “He feels a coming of a squall
Will drag him out a greater length
But knows his strength and tries to gather it” feeling apprehensive, anticipating hardship or even death but trying to muster the courage to continue on working, taking care of responsibilities, living.
“And looking down to his new home
He feels the rising of a wave and knows at once he will not weather it” -anxiety. A wave of anxiety, a panic attack, the feeling of not being able to handle this obstacle life has thrown his way, an impossible hardship, the overwhelming feeling of being lost or aimless, the dread of oblivion approaching and the powerlessness associated with any of these things.
Then also comparing that powerlessness to his relationship-
“Like that man
I lookеd down into the depths when I mеt you
I couldn't measure it”
(He couldn’t measure the depths of his love, maybe?)
Possibly, he could be recalling the loss of someone dear, their passing, their department into oblivion and this new world, “new home” is one that this person does not exist in and therefore feels wrong and foreign to him.
“But try measure loss
Measure the silence of a house
The unheard footsteps at the doorway
The unemployment of the mouth
The waking up, having forgotten
And remembering again the full extent of what forever is
With each grave I think of loss and I can only think of you
And I couldn't measure it“
This seems to be quite literally describing the struggle to wake each day and remember the loss of this person they loved so much, walking through an empty house and feeling their absence and being overwhelmed by this void the now live with.
As for the chorus, it seems he has fought against the will of the world and found that the world only fights back harder
“Every time I'd burn through the world, I'd see That the world, it burns through me”
Then when he finds acceptance and peace within himself and stops being angry at the world, the world then meets him with the same sense of peace and acceptance
“But when I'd let go
My struggling form, my willing soul
Every time I would flow through the world, I'd see That the world, it flows through me”
I feel like this interpretation could work with the astronaut imagery, as his grieving could cause him to feel emotionally detached and isolated from the world. Also, experiencing the loss could be compared to an astronaut watching the Earth flood from high above, powerless to prevent it, also flooded with emotions, now left adrift all alone, his life and home and everything he knew and loved lost from him forever.
Also, the imagery of him being swept out to sea, trying to fight the current and then ultimately giving into the will of the sea reminds me so much of Never Let me Go by Florence + the Machine, specifically the lines “the arms of the ocean are carrying me as all this devotion is rushing out of me” and “and it’s over and I’m going under, but I’m not giving up, I’m just giving in”
You said everything exactly as I interpreted it. Thank you.
couldn’t have explained it any better. also worth mentioning that hozier put out Swan upon Leda shortly after Roe v. Wade (landmark US supreme court case protecting abortion rights) was struck down this past summer. it always makes me so emotional hearing this song. hozier has earned so much respect from me for his continued outspoken support for marginalized people everywhere, always.
@@pohia absolutely. Songs like Nina Cried Power, Cherry Wine, obviously Take Me To Church all just make me respect him so much as an artist using his beautiful voice (literally) to speak out on important subjects. You can tell how much human rights activism means to him as a person.
Moments silence: "kissing" im laughing so much, help. I loved this video! Through Me The Flood is also my favourite! It's the closest depiction of my way of experiencing grief that I've ever heard
🤣🤣🤣 im dying reading these comments hahahaha
I was hoping he would read the "try mesure loss" part
NFWMB is absolutely one of my top Hozier Songs. Blood Upon the Snow is my favorite side quest of his. I wish he and Bear McCreary would work together again in the future. They're pretty much a powerhouse.
side quest is the perfect term haha
It's hard to me to choose a fave in here but I think if I could pick one it would be blood upon the snow, close second NFWMB because it's giving me 'I support women's rights but most importantly women's wrongs' and I'm all about that.
"I support not only women's rights but also women's wrongs" is never going to leave my head now when I listen to that song omfg hahaha. I remember first listening to NFWMB and being like ooo how domineering and then I took a deep breath and realised - no, it sounds like he's terrified of her and he likes it that way. equally as exhilarating imo.
that is such a good way to put it ahhaa
My fave song since 2016 is "Better Love". One of the best his songs and very underrated. I wish he sang it live ❤
it's funny, my ALL-time favorites of Hozier's music are all bonus-tracks or extra releases (don't know what it is, they just feel more raw and real to me), so picking just one is like picking a favourite child, BUT if I had to pick it would probably be arsonists lullaby (or maybe swan upon leda).
i'll also have to disagree with you on run, somewhere in the woods somewhere and arsonist's lullaby - i LOVE the sort of slow, guttural production and feel/structure. to me it doesn’t feel unfulfilled, it feels like pulling something out of your chest that you didn't know was keeping you from breathing.
(also also; through me (the flood) should've made it onto unreal, unearth. argue with the wall).
Run, In the Woods Somewhere, and Arsonists Lullaby are some of my favorite Hozier songs. They all have a similar vibe so if someone dislikes them it's probably just not their style of music (which is unfortunate but people are allowed to be wrong lol). 😊
I saw Hozier's shows in Chicago and Vegas this year, and he and his band sound just as good live. It was mind-blowing to hear his remarkable voice soaring over the choral soundscape live. There's something so satisfying about his songs...he finds exactly the right words with exactly the right notes.
Right! i saw him live a few days ago here in Berlin, and I was taken aback by the power of his voice. Mind you, I have been listening to Hozier for years, and I have spent many many hours listening to his unreal unearth album in preparation for the concert. I knew his voice was absolutely incredible, but there is just something so impactful about having him sing live and have his stunning voice fill an entire show hall and echo through the walls. I was genuinely shocked
@@liaspooked4980 That's how I felt as well. I want all of his fans to have that experience... it touches your soul.
Im seeing him in London in July!! im sooooooo excited
@@Luscent i’m seeing him in texas in april!!! (again i got in on the 2023 us run)
@Luscent Lucky! Please post your thoughts about the show afterward. We would all enjoy hearing your impression of him live. Have a great time!!!
You could also have another video of Hozier reacting to his covers, they're masterpieces, Say My Name, Problem/resolution, Do I wanna Know?, Lay Me Down, Time and some other spectacular things that he's done plus his band is always amazing
Say My Name is just absolute instant joy for me every time. SO fun! And his backup vocalist who hits those absolutely INSANE high notes!
Taste for saying through me (the flood)!!! I think it totally deserved to have a place on unreal unearth 🤔
I was so sad it wasn't on the full album.
True in terms of quality and vibe, but what circle of Hell would you put it in? And what song would you kick off the album to get it there, a song that would otherwise probably never have heard the light of day, just to have a repeat on the album.
yeah maybe maya is right like it could be because it doesnt fit with the concept
@@mayaenglish5424I think De Selby 1 & 2 and First Light are not part of the circles of hell. If he really wanted to, I’m confident he could find a place for it and have an explanation for its placement. Also, he was able to cramp 16 songs in the album, would 1 more be too much already? In one interview (I think very early in 2023) when the list of songs was not finalized yet, I think he said they’re looking at maybe including 16 or 17 songs. I know many people like it that’s why I’m sad it’s not there, but I haven’t really looked into its lyrics that much yet.
Totally agree. Missed this on the album.
I think the instrument you asked "is that a bagpipe" at 21:00 is probably a hurdy gurdy. Its a medieval instrument that is super cool. If you want to see/hear more of it take a look at Patty Gurdy who is an amazing hurdy gurdy player..
ok cool! thanks!
27:36 Agree to disagree! Sometimes contrast is nice sometimes if you have a good vibe going, do you really need a fancy key change in the middle or something? Silence and absence are also tools in an artists toolbelt. Sometimes "Getting to the point faster" is detrimental to the overall piece, like how movies nowadays never have any slow "Boring" establishing moments where characters just meander and talk to each other (and establish their personalities and relationships) and now movies kind of suck because they've cut all the empty space for "efficiency." Or in some paintings, the negative space can tell you just as much as what the artist did draw. Same kind of idea. I don't want to turn this into a rant about our ever decreasing attention spans and lack of ability to just sink into a moment and enjoy it as a culture but... ya know.
it pains me whenever people make those comments. we can't enjoy things for what they are.
Arsonists Lullaby and Through Me are so underrated
This comes at the perfect time, I saw him live on Tuesday and it was SUCH an unforgettable experience. He is just as magical in person.
im seeing him in july!!
“I don’t know what it’s about!” “Dan, it’s about sex!” Story of your life 😂😂
FLORENCE and HOZIER collab stans here? I hope one day they will!
PLZ
THANK YOU!!!!! now you gotta react to all the other ones and the duets haha- jackbot jump, blood, love of, i could be yours, the wages, in your own sweet time, the bones :)
need you to listwn to the new ep!! wildflower and barley is definitely my fav
8:03 Yeah...a kiss... That's what he meant... sure. 👍
😂
🤣🤣🤣🤣
through me (the flood) is def my fave
Swan Upon Leda has such a special place in my heart as it was released as a response to Roe Vs Wade being overturned. Whilst it has maaany layers to it, a part of it is just telling a story about women losing our rights in this way.
Also you haaaaave to do a part 2 of this that includes Northern Attitude with Noah Kahan, and Hozier's new "Unheard" EP!! Too Sweet and Empire Now are incredible. Such amazing songs but clearly just didn't fit the journey of Unreal Unearth so they wouldn't have made it onto the album. Wildflower and Barley is also just amazing because of how his voice and Allison's voice melt together and it's so unexpectedly jazzy.
In The Woods Somewhere was in a soundtrack!! I found it through the series « Dark », it fits ✨perfectly ✨
Also Tell it to my heart and Better Love!! Say my name by Destiny's Child and Problem by Ariana Grande. And The Bones with Maren Morris!!
swan upon leda is genuinely one of my fav songs of all time (literally played 1838 times this year) its just so magical sounding. for context, it's about womens rights, and the same is derived from the ancient greek myth of leda and the swan which is truly one of the most horrible myths out there (very summarised: zeus transforms into a swan and rapes the spartan queen leda)
I think your interpretation of run is spot on. It's about feeling like he wants to join his partner in death but realizing that he isn't ready for that when he actually sees his life in danger. I love the slow sonorous pace, i think it works with the theme but I understand that it doesn't do this big bombastic thing that sometimes his songs erupt into and wanting a bit of that. It can be very satisfying, but I don't think the song aims to be satisfying, it is aiming to survive, like the protagonist.
Through me (the flood) is also my favorite and I was so sad it wasn't on the album. The production and astounding lyrics really push it to the top. It was my top song on spotify this year.
I know it seems crazy that it wasnt there! someone else was sayng that they think its because it wouldnt fit into the overall dantes inferno concept
Fun Fact: In The Woods Somewhere was in Dark, so yes, in a way, it is part of a soundtrack
Oooh, you should listen to all of his covers! Say My Name was amaaaaaaazing the way he rearranged it. 😍
Gosh. I know feeling like you could be friends with somebody is kinda the whole reason reaction channels are a thing, but I enjoy your Hozier videos so much! Thank you for this bonus video!
I was initially going to comment my interpretation of Through Me(The Flood), but then you said it all so perfectly! It's vibes! It's energy! Fighting negativity with negativity just results in more of the same. But projecting positivity and light, allowing yourself to relax and float and trust that the river of life knows where to bring you, will make the journey sweeter and the waters gentler for the people flowing alongside you.
Swan Upon Leda is my favorite Hozier song. I really recommend watching the official music video animation. You gleaned so much without context, I'm truly impressed! In my opinion, listening to it after I learned his intention behind it was like feeling all the puzzle pieces snap in place revealing a masterpiece as the soundbath of the instrumental washes over you.
Cosmic Love is my favorite by Florence, too! That clip is a treasure.
I won't tease you about Moment's Silence, but you should definitely watch the clip of him talking about it! I used to do swing dancing and also agree it'd be a great piece for it! I was picturing the turns and dramatic pauses. So fun.
A Twitter user(can't find the original sorry) asked Hozier if any of his songs were inspired by dreams, and he responded, "In the Woods Somewhere! Someone asked me here also would I rather fight a horse or a wolf. Once dreamt I had to fight a horse in a nearby field as it was kicking and maiming a group of tiny school children. I found an axe but as I ran through the trees I found my hands were empty".
I felt that "Into the Woods!" in my soul.
Thanks for enduring my rant and for making these videos!
glad you enjoyed!! and thanks for not teasing me on moments silnce... ive been ripped to shreds elsewhere ahahahah 😇
NFWMB puts me into a trance that rivals medication. Calms, empowers, interpret as needed to fix a broken mood. But Blood Upon The Snow is a close second.
Through me (the flood) has such beautiful powerful imagery
Honestly I love Hozier mainly for his lyrical genius, so even though the first album maybe wasn't as musically developed, the lyrics in Arsonist's Lullaby (and most of that album, and really just all his work) are gorgeous
yeah i totally agree with you there
You made something click for me when you talked about Through Me. He had a similar vibe in Abstract. So cool! I love seeing how things all connect.
Moments silence (common tongue) is about oral... Js
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
It just shows how our interpretations vary with life experiences. As a woman brought up in a religiously oppressing country (quite similar to Ireland in that regard) I got almost immediate visceral reaction to a lot of his lyrics while my (non traumatised by growing up Catholic) friends just thought his songs were pretty. From this selection Swan Upon Leda is probably my favourite. I do have a soft spot for In the Woods Somewhere though because of how beautifully it was used on Netflix's Dark. I now only associate it with that show tbh
I've seen him live 5 times over the past 10 years (latest being last Friday) and he's always breathtaking. I can't recommend his concerts enough.
The end of Blood Upon The Snow sounds straight out of Prince of Egypt to me.
20:22 So a fun fact, Scotland and Ireland had a huge norse presence due to being invaded and colonized sometime in the 8th-9th century. This is probably why you're getting celtic vibes from Blood Upon the Snow. The Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and the Shetland Islands in Scotland all have a lot of remnants of Viking Settlements, and have been used as a basis for Viking villages in movies such as Berk in How to Train Your Dragon (which is based off an island in the outer hebrides).
a little bit about moments's silence (common tongue)- it was written after he saw someone say that take me to church is abt oral sex. (ps- it's not) So he was like, hey, lemme write a song about that, bc why not. Also, "common tongue" is meant to sound like "come on tongue"
omfggggg amazing haha
Late to the party on this vid and all these songs are great but I am forever club Through Me (The Flood).
Also, now it's time to react to the latest EP, Unheard 💜
Another song he's done is with MEDUZA Tell It To My Heart.
NFWMB and The Flood are definitely my favorites, however all of these songs are some of my top songs from him. In fact four of the songs you reacted to today were on my top 100 most listened to songs this year (the flood at no.2, swan upon leda at no.7, blood upon the snow at no.18, and run at no.75) but I believe all of these songs have made it on my top 100 sometime in the last 4/5 years.
You need to hear blood e even on your own. Is so goddamn good!
I find Hozier's earlier stuff more interesting than his newer work lol
This is just blowing my mind by showing me how many of my favorites are not on the albums
I'm a bit late to comment here (somehow missed this notification!) but I don't think I've seen anyone point this out:
Run is basically a poem about Ireland :)
At the beginning of the song he references a famous James Joyce quote about how Ireland is the sow that eats its farrow (pig that eats her babies). Hozier is saying Irish people grow up in the bitter cold and hearing about the tragic past of their country ("to slowly learn of her ancient misery").
I think the "shame without a sin" refers to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, whose influence Hozier likens to what happens to a dead body in an Irish bog.
The second half of the song is about Ireland's relationship with the sea, another cold force of nature. It's formidable but it shatters on her earth, the cause of every tear she'd ever weep (rain). Rushing ashore to meet her, both fondling and beating her, etc.
Overall this song is a brutal love story, and I can see why it made you think of a goddess!
The NFWMB version where he sings it with acoustic and piano i think is the best version of this song. One of my favorite songs from Hozier.
Anyway, I hope you check out a band called Sleep Token! They have more of a metal influence but their lyrics slaps and I think are quite fun to analyze. 'The Summoning' is the song that launched them into relevance, if you want somewhere to start. ❤
Dan have you ever tried reading about the song origins / meaning before doing the listen? I don't know if that would sort of ruin the pure reaction aspect of it but I'd have LOVED to see your reaction to Common Tongue if you'd known what it was about. :D
The universal hozier fan experience to pretend tell it to my heart doesn’t exist
Lol shush! It's not my genre either but that song is a bop and you must admit it!
I swear I have a false memory that in the woods somewhere was part of the walking dead early seasons soundtrack? If not istg it should've been.
Edit: someone already said it was arsonist's lullaby. Thanks!
in the woods somewhere was only featured in the netflix show 'dark' as far as i know, it was arsonist's lullaby that was on 'the walking dead'
@@violent.sunset THANK YOU! I was certain hozier was featured in it!
You may be thinking of Arsonist's Lullaby. It was used for a Walking Dead trailer!
If you ever heard a fox (the wounded animal in the song,) screaming you will understand why it is (one) of the inspiration(s) for "In the woods somewhere"...
A fox screaming for a mate truely sounds like a woman beeing murdered😂
Based on Bear McCreary's other work, I'd bet the thing that sounds like bagpipes is a hurdy-gurdy. Check out this video about his theme for Black Sails (TV show about pirates, so fairly similar musical aesthetics): th-cam.com/video/PBmzzrU3gR8/w-d-xo.html
swan upon the leda is about abortion rights.... love and light
oh shiiiiiiiiiiiii
I’m just noticing the Rina shirt! I have the same one 💕
🙌🙌🙌
Other hozier songs Better love(from tarzan) .. arsonist lullaby. ... tell it to my heart
29:56 Genuine question, If you like where you are why do you need to go somewhere else?
Also Time limits for songs are arbitrary standards imposed by money people who want content in easily digestible packages to sell for specific markets, it has nothing to do with artistic merit. If you enjoy something, it doesn't matter whether it's 1 minute or 20 minutes long. I feel like listening to Station to Station would give you an Aneurysm lol.
Miss Anthropocene by Grimes???????
have u listened to ethel cain ?
👀 th-cam.com/video/Cse6w760LBc/w-d-xo.html
Johnson Margaret Lewis Jose Williams Melissa
PLEASE LISTEN TO TATE MCRAE HER NEW ALBUM THINK LATER
Oh, "Swan Upon Leda" is very faerietale indeed--the traditional kind, the kind that includes necrophilia and torture. Homeless child rape victims and shit like that.
kissing…. definitely. 😅👍
hahahahah im so naiive
@@Luscent it’s okay man you understood it in an emotionally deep way and i have a lot of respect for that! still a little funny tho 😂
Close. But think more along the lines of kissing......somewhere other than the lips on the face. :)
Talking about Moment's Silence
NSFW 😂
Cutting out bits of a song= deal breaker. Reacting to a song isn't like reacting to a movie.