Known for honest, self-reflective songs as well as captivating lyrical works of fiction and an intimate live show, Shauf is considered one of the most intriguing emerging songwriters around.
His release, The Bearer of Bad News, explores themes of uncertainty, curiosity and spirituality. “I think spirituality is a part of life whether you are religious or not, even if you’re just superstitious. You can’t really get away from the fact that we don’t know everything.” The unsettling stories told on The Bearer of Bad News came as Shauf wrote both at home and on the road. Musically, the record took shape in a modest home studio in his parents’ basement in Regina, Canada, where Shauf spent 4 years recording and producing each song himself. “Spending all this time allowed me a lot of freedom in the ways I arranged the songs. I could work on a drum part for a whole day, or play piano for 2 hours without figuring anything out and be okay with that.”
Bearer is 11 songs built from the sounds of a weathered piano, the warm tone of his guitar’s aged strings, and a clarinet. Shauf is one-of-a-kind voice and dark, literate storytelling.
Martha Sways
Andy Shauf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pretty just like you
I held her close
Like I held you
Martha sways
And I follow suit
She fills my glass
Into the space that once held you
And dance dance to the radio
While the devil takes control
Dance dance to the radio
While the devil takes control
There's a weight
Holding me down
Martha says
It's all in my head
I look at the lights
Dancing in her eyes
And I wanna die
Dancing in her eyes
Dance dance to the radio
While the devil takes control
Dance dance to the radio
While the devil takes control
Dance dance to the radio
While the devil takes control
Dance dance to the radio
While the devil takes control
Martha spins
And I catch her hand
She smiles and laughs
Bringing me back
The lyrics of Andy Shauf's song Martha Sways depict the complicated emotions of the singer after a breakup. Martha appears to be a new romantic interest, who is physically similar to the person the singer had been with before. The singer is clinging to Martha and holding her close, and as she sways, the singer is following her lead. He fills his glass and tosses it back, trying to forget the emotions and memories that haunt him from his previous relationship.
Despite trying to escape his pain, the singer cannot shake the weight that is holding him down. Martha tells him that it is all in his head, but the singer cannot help looking into her eyes and seeing his own reflection, feeling like he wants to die. As they dance to the radio, the devil takes control, suggesting that the singer is struggling to hold onto his sense of morality and decency in the face of his emotional turmoil.
In the final moments of the song, Martha spins and the singer catches her hand. She smiles and laughs, bringing him back to the present moment. It is uncertain whether the singer will be able to move on from his past traumas, but for a moment, there is a glimmer of hope in the connection he shares with Martha.
Line by Line Meaning
Martha's thin
Martha is slender
Pretty just like you
Martha is pretty, just like the person being addressed
I held her close
The person being addressed held Martha close
Like I held you
The person being addressed held Martha the same way they held the addressee
Martha sways
Martha sways rhythmically
And I follow suit
The person being addressed follows Martha's lead in swaying
She fills my glass
Martha pours the person being addressed a drink
And I toss it back
The person being addressed drinks the entire glass
Into the space that once held you
The person being addressed empties the glass into a space that was once occupied by the addressee
And dance dance to the radio
The person being addressed dances to the radio
While the devil takes control
While the person being addressed gives in to temptation
There's a weight
The person being addressed feels emotionally burdened
Holding me down
This weight is holding them back
Martha says
Martha speaks
It's all in my head
Martha believes the person being addressed's problems are mental and not physical
I look at the lights
The person being addressed looks at the lights
Dancing in her eyes
There's a lively spirit in Martha's eyes
And I wanna die
The person being addressed is overwhelmed by their emotions
Martha spins
Martha twirls around
And I catch her hand
The person being addressed takes hold of Martha's hand
She smiles and laughs
Martha is joyful
Bringing me back
Martha's carefree nature brings the person being addressed back to a positive state
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Andy Shauf
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marthat2624
I am so honoured to be called Martha
@spoocyguy
I'm sorry I can't get over this song and this performance. Andy became shortly over the summer one of the new musicians I can't wait to follow for hopefully years to come.
@donniebobb74
spoocyguy can't wait to hear him in 5-10 yrs. He's already incomparable.
@owenprice4072
Such a great storyteller. It was Wendell Walker (Live at The Drake Hotel) that got me hooked.
@vanessanost
he's an incredible musician, a storyteller
@dylanriesenbeck846
God this song cuts me in two... every time. Miss you Sam.
@miya1285
Who’s Sam?
@Ccccccccccsssssssssss
This song breaks my heart. I almost can’t listen to it, it makes me cry every time I hear it
@juandura3186
I found out this wonderful guy by accident, and I’m really impressed. Its music is amazing. Congratulations Andy. Hope to see you one day in Spain
@guille81
El mejor cantautor que conozco, me obsesiona desde hace años. Desgraciadamente nunca ha venido a España, suele pasar por París pero nada más :(