Angel Olsen (born January 22, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter and mu… Read Full Bio ↴Angel Olsen (born January 22, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter and musician from St. Louis, Missouri[4][5] who currently lives in Asheville, North Carolina. She has recorded and toured as a backing singer with Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & The Cairo Gang, before embarking on her own career.

To date, Olsen has released six studio albums: Half Way Home (2012), Burn Your Fire for No Witness (2014), My Woman (2016), All Mirrors (2019), Whole New Mess (2020) and Big Time (2022).

Iota
Angel Olsen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If only all our memories were one
We only had to blink and it was done
If all the world could see it with one eye
In perfect color to the perfect sky

If only we could turn ourselves around
And all the things we're looking for were found
If only we grew wiser with each breath

If only we could dance our way to death

If only all our dreams were coming true
Maybe there'd be some time for me and you
If only all the world could sing along
In perfect rhythm to the perfect song

If only all our hopes were to be here
We'd just close our eyes when we want to disappear
If only all the love we needed was gained
If only we could always stay the same
If only we could always stay the same

We'd close our doors and then we'd go to bed
We'd never have to do it all again
There wouldn't be one thing to fight about

And time would turn our bodies inside out
And time would turn our bodies inside out

Overall Meaning

In Angel Olsen's song Iota, the lyrics speak to a universal longing for simplicity and the absence of pain or difficulty. Olsen imagines a world where memories, dreams, and hopes are shared by all and all are perfectly attuned to each other - a world where there is no need for conflict or struggle. She speaks of the desire to turn around and find all the things that we are searching for, and to gain wisdom with every breath. The notion of dancing our way to death suggests a sort of celebratory acceptance of death as an equal part of life. However, at the heart of this imagined world is the hope for love and connection, and for a relationship that is constant and unchanging. In the end, the song speaks to the human need to make sense of a complex and often painful world, and to the desire for a sense of stability and safety.

Line by Line Meaning

If only all our memories were one
If our collective memories were unified

We only had to blink and it was done
Things would happen in the blink of an eye

If all the world could see it with one eye
If everyone had the same perspective

In perfect color to the perfect sky
Seeing the world in harmony

If only we could turn ourselves around
If we could change our ways

And all the things we're looking for were found
If our problems went away

If only we grew wiser with each breath
If we learned from every experience

If only we could dance our way to death
If life were a celebration

If only all our dreams were coming true
If our aspirations were being fulfilled

Maybe there'd be some time for me and you
We would have more time for each other

If only all the world could sing along
If everyone were in harmony