Khan graduated Brighton University, in music and visual arts, where her experimental multi-media / installation / animation / performance art's influences spanned tape loop / effects pioneer Steve Reich and installation / performance artist Susan Hiller. Afterwards, when working as a nursery school teacher, she began writing for her début. "Whenever I'm writing music it's a very visual place in my mind," she said, "It has a location full of characters and colours and landscapes, so those two things really complement each other, and they help the other one to blossom and support the other. They are like brother and sister." Bat for Lashes music has been likened to that of Björk (who herself attended Khan's early gigs), Kate Bush, PJ Harvey, Annie Lennox, Tori Amos and Fiona Apple.
"The Wizard" was primarily released on 7-inch from Khan's own She Bear label and subsequently Fur and Gold on Echo. In 2007, she was honoured with a ASCAP Vanguard Award and selected to open the prestigious ASCAP Presents… 2007, 14 Mar in Austin, TX, USA (an industry showcase, within SXSW 2007). Later, via a small Manimal Vinyl Fur and Gold pressing (May 2007), Bat for Lashes transferred to Parlophone. She appeared at Glastonbury 2007 (23 June).
In July 2007, Fur and Gold, Joe's Pub, NYC, on 1 May 2007 recordings and a Plaid remix, yielded EP What's A Girl To Do? (7 Jul 2007, EMI). Then on the 17th, the album's 2007 Mercury Prize nomination was announced - despite being a UK media favourite to win, it lost to Klaxons' Myths of the Near Future. 25 Jul 2007, at Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY was the fist gig of a three month North American tour, interrupted only by European festival appearances.
In 2008, Bat for Lashes was nominated for Brit Awards ('Best British Breakthrough Act' and 'Best British Female'), her distinctive What's a Girl to Do? video brought her to prominence and, starting with Malahide Castle, Dublin, IE, on 6 Jun 2008, she toured with Radiohead for a month, opening more than a dozen European shows. Perfect As Cats: A Tribute to the Cure (Oct 2008, Manimal Vinyl), included her cover of A Forest.
The lead single for her second album was "Daniel" and released in March. On 23 February, Khan revealed in an interview on radio station XFM that the cover for the single had been shot on Brighton beach, near her home. She also designed a limited edition cover for Fact Magazine which coincided with an interview she did for them. Bat for Lashes released her second album Two Suns in April 2009, which received comparisons to the work of Stevie Nicks, Dolores O'Riordan and Fleetwood Mac.
Bat for Lashes live backing during the Two Suns tours, as March 2009, included among others: Ben Christophers, Charlotte Hatherley and Sarah Jones (drums - of New Young Pony Club). She appeared on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. She performed an acoustic version of the single, "Daniel," and also covered "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon. Her first appearance on US broadcast television was 1 May 2009 on The Late Show with David Letterman, performing the song "Daniel". On May 15, 2009 she appeared on NPR (World Cafe) where she performed "Daniel", "Moon and Moon (piano only) and Prescilla".
On June 13, 2012 Bat for Lashes announced the title of her upcoming third studio album "The Haunted Man" to be released in October. The album was produced, as with Fur And Gold and Two Suns, by Faultline. While not performing as well in Europe as Two Suns, The Haunted Man was her highest charting album in the US to date, at #64. Singles "Laura", "All Your Gold", "A Wall", and "Lilies" followed.
Daniel
Bat for Lashes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I knew that you had a flame in your heart
And under our blue skies
Marble movie skies
I found a home in your eyes
We'll never be apart
And when the fires came
The smell of cinders and rain
Perfumed almost everything
We laughed and laughed and laughed
And in the golden blue
Crying took me to the darkest place
And you have set fire to my heart
When I run in the dark, Daniel
To a place that's vast, Daniel
Under a sheet of rain in my heart
Daniel, I dream of home
But in a goodbye bed
With my arms around your neck
Into our love the tears crept
Just catch in the eye of the storm
And as my heart ran round
My dreams pulled me from the ground
Forever to search for the flame
For home again, for home again
When I run in the dark, Daniel
To a place that's vast, Daniel
Under a sheet of rain in my heart
Daniel, I dream of home
When I run in the dark, Daniel
To a place that's vast, Daniel
Under a sheet of rain in my heart
Daniel, I dream of home
The song "Daniel" by Bat for Lashes is a hauntingly beautiful representation of the intense feelings that arise when you first meet someone who you feel an unexplainable connection with. The opening lines paint a picture of a person standing in front of someone new, sensing that there is something special about them. The blue skies serve as a backdrop to the marble-like idealization of the moment. The singer perceives a home in the eyes of Daniel, suggesting that there is a sense of comfort and belonging in his presence.
However, despite the potential for comfort and security, the fires come, and it becomes clear that all the beauty they had once known would turn to ash. The dark clouds and rain highlight the gloomy tone of separation and loss. Nonetheless, their laughter burns like a flame, a light in the darkness. The singer goes on to describe the pain of saying goodbye to Daniel and the tears they share.
The emotions described are intense and raw, and the song's portrayal of love and longing is incredibly relatable. It evokes a sense of bittersweet melancholy that can be hard to shake off. "Daniel" is a profound reminder of the power and beauty of emotions and the human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Daniel when I first saw you
The moment I met you, Daniel, I noticed your passionate and intense personality
I knew that you had a flame in your heart
I could sense that there was a strong and intense emotion burning inside of you
And under our blue skies
During our moments of pure happiness and joy together
Marble movie skies
A beautiful and picturesque setting, like in a movie
I found a home in your eyes
The way you looked at me made me feel safe and at home
We'll never be apart
We will always be together, Daniel
And when the fires came
When disaster struck and everything was falling apart
The smell of cinders and rain
The scent of smoke mixed with the rain, which made everything surreal
Perfumed almost everything
This experience left a lasting impression on everything around us
We laughed and laughed and laughed
We found joy in the midst of the chaos
And in the golden blue
During a moment of peace and tranquility
Crying took me to the darkest place
The sadness and despair I was experiencing took me to a dark and lonely place
And you have set fire to my heart
You've brought out the intensity of my emotions, Daniel, and made me feel alive
When I run in the dark, Daniel
When I'm feeling lost and alone, Daniel
To a place that's vast, Daniel
To a place that feels overwhelming and unknown, Daniel
Under a sheet of rain in my heart
The heavy rain in my heart represents the sadness and despair I feel
Daniel, I dream of home
Thinking of you, Daniel, makes me long for a place where I feel safe and comfortable
But in a goodbye bed
During the painful moment of saying goodbye
With my arms around your neck
Clutching onto you tightly, unwilling to let go
Into our love the tears crept
Both of us were crying, overwhelmed with emotion as we parted ways
Just catch in the eye of the storm
Trying to find a moment of calm amidst the chaos and heartache
And as my heart ran round
Feeling lost and disconnected from myself and my emotions
My dreams pulled me from the ground
My hopes and aspirations lifted me up and gave me a sense of purpose
Forever to search for the flame
Always searching for that intense and passionate feeling again
For home again, for home again
Longing to feel safe and at home once more
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Natasha Khan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind