Porn Piece or the Scars of Cold Kisses
Ulver Lyrics
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Alone one night in January, or February
It's like in an old movie from some other land
It lasted for hours
Only streetlights
And the grating of gravel in pedestrian subways
I remember some trees which stood black and naked
Weather beaten hollows of snow
With sparse lumps of ice,
Been scraped off by the wind alone
And on the stairs before I left
One of the girls had surprisingly given me a kiss
Stung in the cold long after
The lyrics of Ulver's "Porn Piece or the Scars of Cold Kisses" describe a solitary walk through a dark, wintry landscape, filled with bleak imagery of bare trees, ice, and snow. The sense of isolation is heightened by the absence of people, except for a fleeting encounter with a girl who inexplicably kisses the singer before disappearing. The song creates a mood of desolate beauty, with the slow, mournful melody and atmospheric instrumentation reinforcing the sense of melancholy.
The lyrics also suggest a deeper meaning to the song. The idea of pornography as a kind of emotional violence or coldness is hinted at in the title, and the images of black, distorted trees and scraped ice suggest a world that has been mutilated or corrupted in some way. The kiss from the girl may also be seen as a kind of violation, given the coldness of the surroundings and the singer's evident sense of displacement and loneliness.
Overall, Ulver's "Porn Piece or the Scars of Cold Kisses" is a haunting and evocative song that rewards close listening and reflection. Its imagery and themes invite interpretation and analysis, and its somber beauty is sure to resonate with many listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember walking, one side of town to the other
I recall travelling from one end of the town to other alone on foot
Alone one night in January, or February
It was a cold night in the months of January or February when I embarked on this journey
It's like in an old movie from some other land
The experience was akin to that of an old movie from a distant land
It lasted for hours
It took several hours to traverse that distance on foot
Only streetlights
The only sources of light were the streetlights
And the grating of gravel in pedestrian subways
Along with the streetlights, the only other sound heard was that of gravel grinding underfoot in pedestrian subways
I remember some trees which stood black and naked
During my journey, I can recall observing some dark, bare trees
Weather beaten hollows of snow
The trees had hollows filled with snow that looked as though they were battered by the weather
With sparse lumps of ice, been scraped off by the wind alone
The wind had scraped away any snow or ice that had clung to the trees, leaving only small residual icy lumps
And on the stairs before I left
Before leaving that place, I remember being on a set of stairs
One of the girls had surprisingly given me a kiss
A girl whom I was unaware of, came to me and gave me a kiss unexpectedly
Stung in the cold long after
Even long after the kiss, the cold still lingered and stung me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ADIDJA PALMER, DAVID JAMES TAYLOR, NICK DEWALT, THOMAS WESLEY PENTZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@VampireAkis
I remember walking, one side of town to the other
Alone one night in January... or February
It's like in an old movie from some other land
It lasted for hours
Only streelights
And the grating of gravel in pedestrian subways
I remember some trees which stood black and naked
Weatherbeaten hollows of snow
With sparse lumps of ice,
Been scraped off by the wind alone
And on the stairs before I left
One of the girls had surprisingly given me a kiss
Stung in the cold long after
@rmunozaltea
One of the best songs ever recorded.
@aleksandrakaczmarska
This song, and the album as a whole, is meant to be listened to while roaming around the city in the middle of a January or February night. Simply spectacular.
@LordLanthros1
Very true. And the messed up thing on that for me, I lived in the deep south most of my life and it was already my favorite album from my favorite band. Then I moved to Colorado and wyoming and would wander around town listening to this in headphones and it made it so much better of an experience.
@LilSeizures
I walked home late at night to this song many a time. Never got that kiss tho...
@NintendoW11
ooof. Same, same :(
@antonimaciag1259
good, because otherwise it would have stung in the cold long after.
@WeegeeFromSpace
Was it in January or February?
@aporia82
probably i listened this song 1000 times last week. It still sounds so fresh !
@lolPaperclip
i wish the part with vocals was longer tho! but it still kicks SOOO much ass
@VampireAkis
I remember walking, one side of town to the other
Alone one night in January... or February
It's like in an old movie from some other land
It lasted for hours
Only streelights
And the grating of gravel in pedestrian subways
I remember some trees which stood black and naked
Weatherbeaten hollows of snow
With sparse lumps of ice,
Been scraped off by the wind alone
And on the stairs before I left
One of the girls had surprisingly given me a kiss
Stung in the cold long after