Baker's stark and soulful music is said to evoke names like Bon Iver, Daughter, and Natalie Prass. Her first album, Sprained Ankle, was released in 2015, followed by the 2017 release of Turn Out The Lights. Her third album, Little Oblivions, was released in 2021.
Baker honed her music skills while playing in her high school band, Forrister, with whom she continued to perform while attending college. After writing a batch of songs that didn't seem to fit the group's more rock-oriented vibe, Baker headed to Matthew E. White's Spacebomb Studios in Richmond, Virginia to begin recording what would eventually become her solo debut, 2015's Sprained Ankle. Originally released by Smith 7 in 2014, it was reissued by 6131 Records in 2015, it reached number 23 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and led to an invitation to join the Matador Records roster. With a more expansive sound and equally intimate lyrics, the self-produced follow-up, 2017's Turn Out the Lights, was recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis. It landed on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 78.
She then joined fellow indie singer/songwriters Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus in the trio Boygenius. Together they issued their eponymous EP in late 2018, also on Matador. Bridgers and Dacus appear on the track, "Favor," from Baker's third solo set, 2021's Little Oblivions that was self-produced and recorded in Memphis.
In 2023, boygenius announced their reformation and their upcoming debut album, ‘the record,’ which Baker and the band wrote and co-produced.
Faith Healer
Julien Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How it dulled the terror and the beauty
And now I see everything in startling intensity
Oh, what I wouldn't give
If it would take away the sting a minute
Everything I love, I trade it in
To feel it rush into my chest
The smoke alarm's been going off for weeks
No one showed up
And half the time it isn't what you think of
Faith healer come put your hands on me
A snake oil dealer
I'll believe you if you make me feel something
Oh, faith healer come put your hands all over me
A snake oil dealer
I'll believe you if you make me feel something
In Julien Baker's song "Faith Healer," the lyrics explore the themes of addiction, numbness, and the desire to feel something again. The opening line, "Ooh, I miss it high," highlights the singer's yearning for the feeling of being high, which dulled both the terror and the beauty in life. The next line, "And now I see everything in startling intensity," suggests that the singer is now experiencing things more acutely than ever before, as a result of being sober.
The chorus of the song, "Faith healer come put your hands on me / A snake oil dealer / I'll believe you if you make me feel something," further emphasizes the singer's craving to feel something again. The metaphor of the faith healer and the snake oil dealer both symbolize the singer's desperation to believe in something, no matter how fake or unreliable it may be, as long as it offers some sort of relief.
The bridge in the song, "The smoke alarm's been going off for weeks / No one showed up / And half the time it isn't what you think of," could be interpreted in multiple ways. It could represent the singer's own struggles with addiction and the lack of support they may have received. Alternatively, it could be a metaphor for the idea that sometimes we hear warning signs in our own lives, but we choose to ignore them until it's too late.
Overall, "Faith Healer" is a powerful exploration of addiction and the desire to numb oneself from the intensity of life. The lyrics suggest that while addiction and faith may offer some temporary relief, the only way to truly deal with the intensity of life is to face it head-on.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, I miss it high
I miss the feeling of being high.
How it dulled the terror and the beauty
Being high reduced both the pain and pleasure of life.
And now I see everything in startling intensity
Without drugs, life seems more intense and overwhelming.
Oh, what I wouldn't give
I would give anything.
If it would take away the sting a minute
To briefly escape the pain and stress of life.
Everything I love, I trade it in
I would sacrifice everything I value for this feeling.
To feel it rush into my chest
The high creates a physical sensation of pleasure.
The smoke alarm's been going off for weeks
There is an ongoing problem or stress that needs attention.
No one showed up
No one has responded or taken action to help.
And half the time it isn't what you think of
Things are not always what they seem.
Faith healer come put your hands on me
I am open to trying anything to feel better.
A snake oil dealer
Someone who claims to have a cure but is likely a fraud.
I'll believe you if you make me feel something
I am desperate for relief and will believe anything that might work.
Oh, faith healer come put your hands all over me
I am urging the faith healer to take action and help me feel better.
A snake oil dealer
I am skeptical of those who claim to have a cure.
I'll believe you if you make me feel something
I am willing to give anyone a chance if they can help me escape my pain.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Julien Rose Baker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind