Her work includes Aldous Harding from 2014, Party from 2017, Designer from 2019, and her most recent album Warm Chris from 2022.
What If Birds Aren't Singing They're Screaming
Aldous Harding Lyrics
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I got high, I thought I saw an angel
But he was just a ghost
He was making wooden posts out of my family
What if birds aren't singing they're screaming
What if birds aren't singing they're screaming
Trapped under a sky left blacker than the eyes of my visitors
What if birds aren't singing they're screaming
What if birds aren't singing they're screaming
I got high, I thought I saw an angel
But it was just a ghost heaving under his cloak
What if birds aren't singing they're screaming
What if birds aren't singing they're screaming
The opening line of Aldous Harding's song "What If Birds Aren't Singing They're Screaming" sets the tone for the haunting and introspective lyrics that follow. The singer questions our perception of the natural world around us, wondering if the beautiful sounds of birdsong might actually be something more sinister.
As the song continues, we hear about the singer's drug use and the hallucinations it brings about. She thought she saw an angel, but it turned out to be a ghost engaged in a disturbing activity - making wooden posts out of her family. This nightmarish image speaks to the fear and anxiety that can accompany drug use and the way it distorts our sense of reality.
The line, "What if my moon gets caught up in my waning," further reflects the singer's preoccupation with the natural world and its potential to cause fear. The idea that something as beautiful and constant as the moon could be "caught up" in a process of diminishing or dying speaks to the fragility of existence.
Throughout "What If Birds Aren't Singing They're Screaming," Aldous Harding strikes a delicate balance between beauty and horror, creating a mesmerizing and thought-provoking piece of music.
Line by Line Meaning
What if birds aren't singing they're screaming
What if the beauty we associate with birds' songs is just a cover for something far more unsettling?
I got high, I thought I saw an angel
In my altered state, I thought I had a moment of divine revelation or inspiration.
But he was just a ghost
However, upon reflection, I realized that my vision was not divine but rather connected to death or the supernatural.
He was making wooden posts out of my family
This ghostly figure seemed to be connected to my family's history, particularly something ominous or violent.
What if my moon gets caught up in my waning
In addition to the unsettling nature of birds' songs, there is a fear that even the natural elements we rely on may betray us or go awry.
Trapped under a sky left blacker than the eyes of my visitors
This fear is further compounded by the feeling of being trapped or isolated, with even the sky itself dark and foreboding.
But it was just a ghost heaving under his cloak
The idea that what we perceive as divine or supernatural may actually be rooted in something far more human or mortal.
What if birds aren't singing they're screaming
The repetition of this line throughout the song emphasizes the persistent fear that there is something sinister lurking beneath the surface of our world and reality.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: HANNAH SIAN TOPP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind