Chelsea Joy Wolfe was born in Roseville, California, and grew up in Sacramento. She is of Norwegian and German descent. Her father was in a country band and owned a home studio. By the age of 7, she had written her first poem and by the age of 9, she had written and recorded songs which she later described as "basically Casio-based gothy R&B songs."
Inspired by the dark state of the world and the strange connection between all things, she creates a unique musical blend of goth-folk, experimental rock and spiritual realm funeral songs. With influences ranging from the great minds of Ingmar Bergman and David Lynch to Soviet and end-times literature, her songs conjure visions of other dimensions, claustrophobic echo-rooms and parking garage cathedrals.
Wolfe has recorded seven full length studio albums: The Grime and the Glow, which was released on December 28th, 2010 on limited vinyl through Brooklyn’s Pendu Sound Recordings; Ἀποκάλυψις (pronounced “Apokalypsis”), which was released as a 12” LP on August 23rd, 2011; Unknown Rooms: a Collection of Acoustic Songs, which was released on October, 2012 through Sargent House; Pain Is Beauty, out September 3rd, 2013; Abyss, which was released August 7th, 2015; and Hiss Spun, out September 22nd, 2017; Birth of Violence[7i] which was released on September 13th, 2019.
Carrion Flowers
Chelsea Wolfe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
NEVER NEEDING HELP FROM YOU
REACHING OUT WITH EYES CLOSED
WE FELT THE LIGHT, IT TAUGHT US TO GROW
(HOLD, HOLD, HOLD ON)
CREATURES OF HABIT, CARRION FLOWERS
GROWING FROM REPEATED CRIMES
THE AFTERGLOW IN FULL BLOOM
SLOW AND RELENTLESS, WE’RE AFTER YOU
HOLD ON TO THE PAIN
OF LOVE TAKEN FROM YOU –
A PLAGUE
(HOLD, HOLD, HOLD ON)
In the opening lines of the song "Carrion Flowers", Chelsea Wolfe is asserting her independence - "we learned how on our own, never needing help from you" - and describes a journey of self-discovery that defies traditional notions of guidance or instruction. She suggests that the way forward is to "reach out with eyes closed" and allow oneself to be guided by an inner light, a force that "taught us to grow". This light and this growth are accompanied by a sense of determination, embodied in the repeated refrain "hold on, hold on, hold on".
However, the metaphor that Wolfe chooses to describe this process is a dark one - that of "creatures of habit" who are like "carrion flowers, growing from repeated crimes". The suggestion is that perhaps the growth and the light that she is describing are not entirely wholesome or healthy, but derive from a place of suffering and pain. The "afterglow in full bloom" and the relentlessness of the pursuit of the subject of the song suggest that this is not a love song, but rather a song about obsession and the desire for revenge or retribution.
Line by Line Meaning
WE LEARNED HOW ON OUR OWN
We gained knowledge independently, without any assistance from you.
NEVER NEEDING HELP FROM YOU
We never required any aid from you to learn and grow.
REACHING OUT WITH EYES CLOSED
We explored the unknown and unfamiliar with closed eyes.
WE FELT THE LIGHT, IT TAUGHT US TO GROW
We sensed the light and it served as a teacher for our growth and development.
(HOLD, HOLD, HOLD ON)
Reminder to hold on and be resilient.
CREATURES OF HABIT, CARRION FLOWERS
We are habitual beings, like carrion flowers that bloom from repeated actions.
GROWING FROM REPEATED CRIMES
We grow from making the same mistakes repeatedly.
THE AFTERGLOW IN FULL BLOOM
The result of our actions is fully visible and apparent.
SLOW AND RELENTLESS, WE’RE AFTER YOU
We are persistent and unyielding in our pursuit.
HOLD ON TO THE PAIN
The pain of losing love is being clung to.
OF LOVE TAKEN FROM YOU –
The love that was taken away from you.
A PLAGUE
This loss can feel like a devastating illness.
(HOLD, HOLD, HOLD ON)
Reminder to be resolute and steadfast.
Contributed by Kylie H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.