The lead singer and songwriter from Antony and the Johnsons has collaborated with Oneohtrix Point Never and Hudson Mohawke on her latest work. With her official name changed to ANOHNI, the album HOPELESSNESS is set to an electronic dance soundtrack with soulful vocals and direct lyrics addressing surveillance, drone warfare, and ecocide. HOPELESSNESS is a departure from the singer's recent symphonic collaborations. The album seeks to disrupt assumptions about popular music by embedding vigorously political lyrics within dance/pop tracks.
4 Degrees
Anohni Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's only four degrees, it's only four degrees
It's only four degrees, it's only four degrees
It's only four degrees, it's only four degrees
I wanna see this world, I wanna see it boil
I wanna see this world, I wanna see it boil
It's only four degrees, it's only four degrees
I wanna hear the dogs crying for water
I wanna see fish go belly-up in the sea
And all those lemurs and all those tiny creatures
I wanna see them burn, it's only four degrees
And all those rhinos and all those big mammals
I wanna see them lying, crying in the fields
(I want to see them, I want to see them burn, I want to see them)
I wanna see them burn, it's only four degrees
I wanna see them burn, it's only four degrees
I wanna see them burn, it's only four degrees
I wanna burn them, I wanna burn them
I wanna burn them, I wanna burn them
I wanna burn the sky, I wanna burn the breeze
I wanna see the animals die in the trees
Oh, let's go, let's go, it's only four degrees
Oh, let's go, let's go, it's only four degrees
Oh, let's go, let's go, it's only four degrees
Oh, let's go, let's go, it's only four degrees
I wanna burn them, I wanna burn them
I wanna burn them
The lyrics to Anohni's song 4 Degrees are deeply disturbing and reveal a strong sense of despair and a desire for destruction of the planet. The repeated phrase "it's only four degrees" is reminiscent of the minimal impact that a small increase in temperature may seem to have, but the lyrics suggest a much larger and catastrophic impact. Anohni wants to see the world boil, the dogs cry for water, the fish die in the sea, and the lemurs and other tiny creatures burning.
The singer also wants to see rhinos and other big mammals lying and crying in the fields, expressing a desire for the destruction of all living species. The lyrics reveal a person who has lost all hope and has given up on humanity, feeling that we are all to blame for what is happening to the planet. The singer wants to burn the sky, the breeze, and everything that exists, suggesting that there is no longer any reason to preserve what is left of the world.
The lyrics may be a commentary on climate change and the devastation it has caused to the planet, but also may be an expression of frustration with humanity's lack of action to stop it. The repeated use of "I wanna" and the phrase "let's go" suggest a call to action, urging people to take notice and make changes before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
It's only four degrees, it's only four degrees
The temperature increase seems small, but it will have devastating effects on the planet.
I wanna see this world, I wanna see it boil
The singer desires to witness the catastrophic effects of global warming on the planet.
I wanna hear the dogs crying for water
The singer anticipates a future where water scarcity results in the suffering of domestic animals.
I wanna see fish go belly-up in the sea
The artist desires to witness the damage done to marine ecosystems by rising ocean temperatures and acidification.
All those lemurs and all those tiny creatures
The artist laments the innocent and vulnerable creatures that will be harmed by global warming.
I wanna see them burn, it's only four degrees
The singer wants to see the consequences of global warming in the form of harm to animals.
And all those rhinos and all those big mammals
The singer recognizes the danger posed to large, iconic species due to climate change.
I wanna see them lying, crying in the fields
The artist envisions a future where large animals suffer and die due to environmental degradation.
I wanna burn them, I wanna burn them
The artist's desires for destruction and devastation reveal their deep anxiety about the future of the planet.
I wanna burn the sky, I wanna burn the breeze
The artist dreams of environmental destruction on an unimaginable scale.
I wanna see the animals die in the trees
The singer imagines the trees and other natural environments as sites for the deaths and suffering of animals due to climate change.
Oh let's go, let's go it's only four degrees
The artist is impatient for the consequences of global warming to become more visible and urgent to the public.
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Anohni Hegarty, Daniel Lopatin, Ross Matthew Birchard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sfdungeon
It's only four degrees, it's only four degrees
It's only four degrees, it's only four degrees
It's only four degrees, it's only four degrees
I wanna see this world, I wanna see it boil
I wanna see this world, I wanna see it boil
It's only four degrees, it's only four degrees
It's only four degrees, it's only four degrees
I wanna hear the dogs crying for water
I wanna see fish go belly-up in the sea
All those lemurs and all those tiny creatures
I wanna see them burn, it's only four degrees
And all those rhinos and all those big mammals
I wanna see them lying, crying in the fields
I wanna see them burn, it's only four degrees
I wanna see them burn, it's only four degrees
I wanna see them burn, it's only four degrees
I wanna burn them, I wanna burn them
I wanna burn them, I wanna burn them
I wanna burn the sky, I wanna burn the breeze
I wanna see the animals die in the trees
Oh let's go, let's go it's only four degrees
Oh let's go, let's go it's only four degrees
Oh let's go, let's go it's only four degrees
Oh let's go, let's go it's only four degrees
I wanna burn them, I wanna burn them
I wanna burn them
@Jack-nd7gw
devastating. this song still haunts me
@RobertShippey
Five years later and we're still heading for 4º with no signs of stopping 😢
@PiscesandTrumpet
desperately beautiful.
she is real artist and does what real artist does.
@tyslogcon
I don't often get on here to make comments, but this is easily one of the best, and most important songs I have ever heard. So much hubris, acknowledgement, beauty, hope, surrender, everything all in one. This song is all of us.
@millenium_underground3391
True;)
@FrankD3an
I might cry, love you Anohni! Please tour.
@gabormolnar2208
still one of the best songs i have ever heard in my life!
@aeonremix
I can see video for this! Anohni is walkin through world singing while everything is dying but she is smiling and continue to sing even louder.
@Mutant_Renegade
what the fuck this is so amazing i cannot handle it. I want to thank whoever reminded hudson mohawke that he was a trap producer.
@navigatingmadness180
+chchucks Right!? Lantern had so many weak tracks. He needs to embrace that TNGHT sound again more