Her work includes Aldous Harding from 2014, Party from 2017, Designer from 2019, and her most recent album Warm Chris from 2022.
The Barrel
Aldous Harding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel time is up
When I was a child, I never knew enough
What'd that do to me?
The wave of love is a transient hurt
Water's the shell and we are the nut
But I saw a hand arch out of the barrel
How do you celebrate?
Can't appear inside of nowhere
It's already dead
I know you have the dove
I'm not gettin' wet
Looks like a date is set
Show the ferret to the egg
I'm not gettin' led along
I rushed in to hold down your page
And now I sleep 'side words you do not read with me
I hear a song from inside the maze, the very one you made
You shook at the ivory mantle
As a poet, I knew to be gentle
When you have a child, so begins the braiding
And in that braid you stay
Look at all the peaches
I want to celebrate
I can appear inside of nowhere
Look at all the peaches
It's already dead
I know you have the dove
I'm not gettin' wet
Looks like a date is set
Show the ferret to the egg
I'm not gettin' led along
The wave of love is a transient hurt
Water's the shell and we are the nut
But I saw a match struck outside the barrel
(The barrel)
It's already dead
I know you have the dove
I'm not gettin' wet
(The barrel)
(The barrel)
Looks like a date is set
Show the ferret to the egg
I'm not gettin' led along
(The barrel)
(The barrel)
It's already dead
I know you have the dove
I'm not gettin' wet
(The barrel)
(Barrel)
Looks like a date is set
Show the ferret to the egg
I'm not gettin' led along
(Barrel)
(The barrel)
(The barrel)
(The barrel)
(The barrel)
(Barrel)
(The barrel)
(The barrel)
(Barrel)
(The barrel)
(The barrel)
(Barrel)
(Barrel)
(The barrel)
(The barrel)
(The barrel)
The lyrics of Aldous Harding's song The Barrel are filled with poetic imagery and abstract concepts. At first glance, the song seems to be about love, with the singer referencing waves of love and the feeling of being led along. However, the lyrics are also filled with surreal and nonsensical images, such as hands arching out of barrels and ferrets being shown to eggs.
One interpretation of the song is that it is about the fleeting nature of love and the human experience. The wave of love may be a temporary feeling, lasting only as long as the moment when the water crashes against the shore. The image of the shell and the nut could represent the fragility of human existence, with us being vulnerable beings enclosed in a protective outer layer. The line about the match being struck could symbolize the beginning of something new or the ignition of passion.
The repeated lines about celebrating and looking at all the peaches are perhaps the most ambiguous, but could be interpreted as a reminder to appreciate the small moments in life, even if they are fleeting or seemingly insignificant.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel your love
I am aware of your love for me
I feel time is up
I sense that our time together is coming to an end
When I was a child, I never knew enough
As a child, I was not aware of many things that I now understand
What'd that do to me?
How did my lack of knowledge as a child affect me?
The wave of love is a transient hurt
Love is a feeling that can be painful and fleeting
Water's the shell and we are the nut
Life is a vessel, and we are the core
But I saw a hand arch out of the barrel
Despite the difficulty, I saw a glimmer of hope
Look at all the peaches
Take a moment to appreciate the abundance of life
How do you celebrate?
What do you do to recognize the joy and good fortune in everyday life?
Can't appear inside of nowhere
You cannot create something from nothing
It's already dead
This thing is over, it has no life left
I know you have the dove
I know you have the answer (a reference to the story of Noah's Ark in the Bible)
I'm not gettin' wet
I will not be affected by the situation
Looks like a date is set
It seems like a specific time has been chosen
Show the ferret to the egg
Reveal the hidden factor in the situation
I'm not gettin' led along
I am in control of my own path
I rushed in to hold down your page
I tried to establish a connection with you
And now I sleep 'side words you do not read with me
Now I am beside you, but we are not communicating
I hear a song from inside the maze, the very one you made
I hear a song that you created, but cannot find my way to you
You shook at the ivory mantle
You were nervous and unsure
As a poet, I knew to be gentle
As an artist, I know the importance of delicacy
When you have a child, so begins the braiding
When you have a child, a new, intertwined relationship begins
And in that braid you stay
You are forever linked, like the strands in a braid
The wave of love is a transient hurt
Love is a feeling that can be painful and fleeting (repeated for emphasis)
But I saw a match struck outside the barrel
Despite the difficult times, I saw a sign of hope and a new beginning
(The barrel)
Repeating the song's title for emphasis
Lyrics ยฉ DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Hannah Sian Topp
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@wildthornrose
When Aldous dances like Aldous, she is "enigmatic" and "ethereal", but when I dance like Aldous I'm "perplexing" and "scaring the customers"
@emmanouil9
Hahahahah
@AshleyPomeroy
When I tried dancing like Aldous Harding some of the passengers complained that it made the safety briefing hard to follow.
@sarahquinlan4730
When I dance like Aldous Harding my kids get uncomfortable. I think it's working!
@ManlyOBeeferton
@@sarahquinlan4730 Pro parenting right there :).
@Candlewick14
Brilliant hahaha
@juanjuri6127
she's like a witch who has spent an inordinate number of lifetimes studying the arcane arts and has forgotten what it's like to be human but woke up in a very good mood today
@RyanS_Himself
That's hilarious
@user-cg9ry5id5v
๐๐๐๐๐ญ
@VendErre
...oddly specific.