Deadcrush
alt-J Lyrics
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Beauty lingers out of reach
You're my DC oh Lee, oh
Man Ray went cray cray over you
Capturing but never captured
You're my DC oh Lee, oh
Swim low
In the back dry in the night
Sample
Put it there, get the money (watch me now)
In the back of a Volvo car
Sample
Holdover
Pay up, sign up, L.A.
Anna Bolina
Maid of honour
Not your sister, fearful temper
You're my DC oh Anna, oh
Unknown artist
Took your likeness
Henry Tudor left you lifeless, yeah
You're my DC oh Anna, oh
Keepa, keepa, keepa, keep me damn down
Let it low
Let me know where you go (watch me now)
Papa, papa, papa
Get me down
Deep, deep down
How low? Let me know
If you don't have the ace of hearts
My dear, you're a lost man (oh)
Falcon for you, Anna, from the left arm of the falconer
Anna, Anna, Anna, Anna L'Arlésienne
Swim low
In the back dry in the night
Sample
Put it there, get the money (watch me now)
In the back of a Volvo car
Sample
Holdover
Pay up, sign up, L.A.
Swim low
In the back dry in the night
Sample
Put it there, get the money (watch me now)
In the back of a Volvo car
Sample
Holdover
Pay up, sign up, L.A.
Watch me now
The lyrics of alt-J's Deadcrush are enigmatic but evoke images of capturing beauty out of reach, love affairs, historical figures, and the music industry's dark side. The song talks about complex relationships with the women they idolize or desire, focusing on their beauty, personalities, and unfortunate endings. The lyrics describe two women, Lee Miller and Anna Bolina, who captured the hearts of men, but were never fully held captive, and their lives ended tragically. Lee Miller was a model, muse, and artist who won the heart of surrealist artist Man Ray, who went "cray cray over her." Anna Bolina, on the other hand, was reputed for her beauty and temper, and as the lyrics suggest, was beheaded by Henry Tudor.
The song also refers to the music industry through phrases like "sample," "LA," and "pay up, sign up," hinting at the challenges independent artists face when negotiating contracts with record labels. The lyrics convey a sense of power dynamics, with the refrain "watch me now" repeated throughout the song, suggesting that despite the challenges or the attraction one feels, they are always in control.
Line by Line Meaning
Extraordinarily pretty teeth
Your physical appearance is both striking and beautiful
Beauty lingers out of reach
Your beauty is unattainable and distant
You're my DC oh Lee, oh
You are my Deadcrush, Lee
Man Ray went cray cray over you
The famous artist Man Ray was incredibly intrigued by you
Capturing but never captured
While others try to capture your image, they are never able to capture your true essence
Swim low
Keep a low profile
In the back dry in the night
Do what you need to do behind the scenes in secret
Sample
Take a small amount of something for testing or analysis
Put it there, get the money (watch me now)
Use your knowledge or skills to make money
In the back of a Volvo car
Do it in a discreet manner
Hold over
Wait a moment
Pay up, sign up, LA
Make a payment or commitment to achieve success in Los Angeles
Anna Bolina
Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII's second wife
Maid of honour
A woman attending a queen or princess
Not your sister, fearful temper
Despite being related, you have a difficult and easily frightened personality
You're my DC oh Anna, oh
You are my Deadcrush, Anna
Unknown artist
An artist who remains unknown
Took your likeness
Used your image as a model for their artwork
Henry Tudor left you lifeless, yeah
King Henry VIII ordered your execution
Keepa, keepa, keepa, keep me damn down
Keep me grounded, level-headed
Let it low
Keep the situation low-key
Let me know where you go (watch me now)
Keep me informed of your whereabouts
Papa, papa, papa
A term of affection or endearment
Get me down
Bring me back down to reality
Deep, deep down
Somewhere within your true self
If you don't have the ace of hearts
If you lack sincerity or genuine emotion
My dear, you're a lost man (oh)
You are lost or misguided, my dear
Falcon for you, Anna, from the left arm of the falconer
A falcon is delivered to you from the falconer's left arm, Anna
Anna, Anna, Anna, Anna L'Arlésienne
Anna, assumed to be from the play L'Arlésienne
Watch me now
Observe my actions and learn from them
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED
Written by: Augustus Figaro Niso Unger-Hamilton, Joe Jerome Newman, Thomas Stuart Green
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Aeolus_ca
Extraordinarily pretty teeth
Beauty lingers out of reach
You're my DC oh Lee, oh
Man Ray went cray cray over you
Capturing but never captured
You're my DC oh Lee, oh
Swim low
In a backyard in the night
Sample
Put it there, get the money
In the back of a Volvo car
Sample
Hold up
Pay up, sign up LA
Anna Bolina
Maid of honour
Not your sister, fearful temper
You're my DC oh Anna, oh
Unknown artist
Took your likeness
Henry Tudor left you lifeless
You're my DC oh Anna, oh
Keepa, keepa, keepa, keep me damn down
Let it low
Let me know where you go
Papa, papa, papa
Get me down
Deep deep down
Pablo let me know
If you don't have the ace of hearts
My dear, you're a lost man
Falcon for you Anna from the left arm of the falconer
Anna, Anna, Anna, Anna L'Arlésienne
Swim low
In the backyard in the night
Sample
Put it there, get the money
In the back of a Volvo car
Sample
Hold over
Pay up, sign up LA
@chloescat
This song is beyond awesome; adore it!
Will forever remind me of one of my old classes I used to teach in China around 2018/2019.
Super cool kids and I could see some of them making music like this in a few years.
Thankfully have this CD and keep in touch with some of the kids.
Joyous memory and a masterpiece of music. ❤
@bestplaylists9803
Lyrics:
Extraordinarily pretty teeth
Beauty lingers out of reach
You're my DC oh Lee, oh
Man Ray went cray cray over you
Capturing but never captured
You're my DC oh Lee, oh
Swim low
In a backyard in the night
Sample
Put it there, get the money
In the back of a Volvo car
Sample
Hold up
Pay up, sign up LA
Anna Bolina
Maid of honour
Not your sister, fearful temper
You're my DC oh Anna, oh
Unknown artist
Took your likeness
Henry Tudor left you lifeless
You're my DC oh Anna, oh
Keepa, keepa, keepa, keep me damn down
Let it low
Let me know where you go
Papa, papa, papa
Get me down
Deep deep down
Pablo let me know
If you don't have the ace of hearts
My dear, you're a lost man
Falcon for you Anna from the left arm of the falconer
Anna, Anna, Anna, Anna L'Arlésienne
Swim low
In the backyard in the night
Sample
Put it there, get the money
In the back of a Volvo car
Sample
Hold over
Pay up, sign up LA
@Alan7moore
Lee Miller, Anne Boleyn and Sylvia Plath - the deadcrushes of each of the band members - conjured up by a supercomputer in a post-apocalyptic world. Absolutely beautiful
@narutoandanimefa
Alan7moore thanks for sharing! It adds more depth to an already deeply disturbing video.
@isab2912
Alan7moore i bet sylvia plath is thom's choice
@Brainiac453
"Vocalist Joe Newman chose photographer Lee Miller, drummer Thom Green picked poet and writer Sylvia Plath, and keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton went with Anne Boleyn, a former Queen of England who was ordered beheaded by her husband, King Henry VIII." Splendid.
@GabrielKnightz
Didn't know it was Sylvia Plath thank you.
@tallhannah98
Daniel Minighiti That was her nickname, Anne Boleyn was her proper name
@mlapamusic
Pure piece of art. Deadcrush is the sickest name for a song
@jotasopetejp4401
Pure piece of art no doubt...👍that make s me feel with many type of diferent personalitys😂
@saintessa
Have you seen Danny Brown's version?
@Onaks21
no