Leith Ross’s debut EP Motherwell is an incredibly honest and intimate collection of songs. The music was inspired by their own coming of age story, and written in hopes of providing the soundtrack to a shaping moment for someone else. Motherwell was humbly recorded live off the floor in one afternoon with college mates, and released in October 2020 on Birthday Cake.
Songs from Ross’s debut EP have been played on CBC Radio 2 as well as editorial playlists on Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music. The EP received critical acclaim from Exclaim!, Stylus Magazine, Red Guitar Music, and indie blog If It’s Too Loud.
“The phrase "wise beyond their years" implies that young people don't experience the world as deeply or intellectually as older people, but the wisdom that Ross applies to their music pierces on each song.” - Exclaim!
As they transition into the next phase of life, Leith Ross is using their new music to dive deeper into themes of identity, finding a sense of self, and growing into understanding one’s relationship with the world around them. With plans to share more with the world in the second half of 2021. Leith Ross will embark on their debut international tour in spring of 2022, supporting management and label mates The Bros. Landreth across the UK and Europe.
we'll never have sex
Leith Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Suck the rot right out of my bloodstream
Oh, dilute me, gentle angel
Water down what I call being grateful
Oh, you kissed me just to kiss me
Not to take me home
It was simple, it was sweetness
It was good to know
You look perfect, you look different
I don't wonder about your indifference
If I said you could never touch me
You'd come over and say I looked lovely
Oh, you kissed me just to kiss me
Not to make me cry
It was simple, you are sweetness
Let's just sit awhile
Depollute me, gentle angel
And I'll feel the sickness less and less
Come and kiss me, pretty baby
Like we'll never have sex
The song "We'll Never Have Sex" by Leith Ross seems to be about a romantic encounter that is not consummated. The first two lines of the song introduce the theme of purification, with the singer asking their partner to "depollute" them and "suck the rot right out" of their bloodstream. This could be interpreted both literally or metaphorically as asking for a kind of emotional or spiritual cleansing. The next lines continue in this vein with the singer asking to be "diluted" and for their gratitude to be "watered down," which might suggest that the singer does not fully trust or believe in their own positive emotions.
The second stanza is perhaps the most revealing, as the singer seems to be describing a situation where they were kissed by their partner with no further intention. It is unclear whether the singer was looking for more, but the lines "It was simple, it was sweetness / It was good to know" suggest that the encounter was satisfying in its own right. Lines like "You look perfect, you look different / I don't wonder about your indifference" underscore the fact that the encounter was brief and that the singer does not expect anything more.
The final stanza begins with the same plea for purification, and it seems that the singer sees kissing as a kind of salve or antidote to the sickness they feel. The final line "Like we'll never have sex" is interesting, as it suggests that the singer both wants and doesn't want sex with their partner. Perhaps, for the singer, the experience of being intimate with someone is so fraught and difficult that kissing is the only safe option.
Overall, "We'll Never Have Sex" is a song about the complexities of intimacy and the ways in which people use physical closeness to try to purify or heal themselves. The lyrics are open-ended and leave a lot of room for interpretation, but the song's gentle melody and soothing vocals suggest that, whatever the outcome, the singer has found some measure of peace in their encounter with their partner.
Line by Line Meaning
Depollute me, pretty baby
Cleanse me of all impurities, my dear
Suck the rot right out of my bloodstream
Remove all the decay from within me
Oh, dilute me, gentle angel
Weaken my emotions, my sweet
Water down what I call being grateful
Lessen the intensity of my gratitude
Oh, you kissed me just to kiss me
Your kiss was for the sake of it
Not to take me home
You didn't have ulterior motives
It was simple, it was sweetness
The moment was pure and delightful
It was good to know
The experience was satisfying
You look perfect, you look different
You appear flawless and changed
I don't wonder about your indifference
I don't ponder on your lack of interest
If I said you could never touch me
If I imposed a restriction on our physical interaction
You'd come over and say I looked lovely
You'd still express your admiration for me
Oh, you kissed me just to kiss me
Your kiss had no hidden motives
Not to make me cry
You didn't aim to hurt me
It was simple, you are sweetness
Your approach was innocent and charming
Let's just sit awhile
Let's enjoy each other's presence in peace
Depollute me, gentle angel
Purify me further, my darling
And I'll feel the sickness less and less
I'll gradually recover from my sickness
Come and kiss me, pretty baby
Grant me your pleasant kiss
Like we'll never have sex
Without any expectations beyond intimacy
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: Leith Ross
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MINA
on I'd Have to Think About It
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