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.
Watch Me
Anohni Lyrics
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Daddy, daddy
Watch me in my hotel room
Watch my outline as I move from city to city
Watch me watching pornography
Watch my talking to my friends and my family
'Cause you're always watching me (daddy)
I know you love me (daddy)
'Cause you're always watching me (daddy)
Protecting me from evil
Protecting me from terrorism
Protecting me from child molesters
Protecting me from evil
Watch me
Watch me, watch me
Watch me
Watch me, watch me
Watch me in my hotel room
Watch my iris as I move from city to city
Watch me watching pornography
Watch my medical history
Daddy, daddy
Daddy, daddy
Daddy, daddy
Daddy, daddy
I know you love me
'Cause you're always watching me
I know you love me
'Cause you're always watching me
'Case I'm involved in evil
'Case I'm involved in terrorism
'Case I'm involved in child molesters
'Case I'm involved in evil (daddy)
Daddy, daddy
In Anohni's song Watch Me, she addresses the idea of surveillance, control, and the unequal power dynamic in relationships. The repeated call for "Daddy" can be interpreted as a reference to a paternal figure who is constantly monitoring her movements and actions, supposedly out of love and protection. However, there is an underlying sinister tone to the lyrics, suggesting that this monitoring is not entirely motivated by care, but also by a desire for control and domination.
The first verse describes the various ways in which the singer is being watched - in her hotel room, as she moves from city to city, watching pornography or talking to her friends and family. The second verse continues this theme, emphasizing the specificity of the monitoring - watching the singer's iris and medical history. The repeated refrain of "I know you love me/ 'Cause you're always watching me" reinforces the idea that this surveillance is seen as an expression of love, despite its invasive and controlling nature.
The phrase "Protecting me from evil/ Protecting me from terrorism/ Protecting me from child molesters" can be seen as a critique of the ways in which surveillance and the rhetoric of "national security" are often used to justify the violation of individual privacy and civil liberties. The closing verses, "Case I'm involved in evil/ Case I'm involved in terrorism/ Case I'm involved in child molesters/ Case I'm involved in evil" hint at the idea that the constant watching is not just a preventative measure, but also a way of monitoring and punishing any potential transgressions.
Overall, Watch Me is an unsettling commentary on the ways in which surveillance and control can be presented as acts of care and love, while simultaneously perpetuating imbalances of power and limiting individual agency.
Line by Line Meaning
Daddy
Addressing an absent father figure
Daddy
Repeating the addressing of the absent father figure
Watch me in my hotel room
Please watch over me, even when I am in a private and personal space
Watch my outline as I move from city to city
Even when I am traveling, please keep an eye on me
Watch me watching pornography
I am not doing this to hurt myself or others, it is merely a part of my life and I want you to understand that
Watch my talking to my friends and my family
I want you to see and hear my conversations to ensure my safety and well-being
I know you love me
I am aware that my father figure cares for me deeply
'Cause you're always watching me
I feel your love through your constant monitoring and protection of me
Protecting me from evil
You are shielding me from harm and danger
Protecting me from terrorism
You are safeguarding me from acts of terror
Protecting me from child molesters
You are keeping me safe from potential predators
Protecting me from evil
Repeating the previous line to emphasize the importance of being protected
Watch me
Continuing to ask the father figure for their watchful eye on my life
Watch me, watch me
Repeating the previous line for added emphasis
Watch me, watch me
Continuing to ask for vigilance from the father figure
Watch me in my hotel room
Repeating the earlier line as it is a central theme of the song
Watch my iris as I move from city to city
Allowing the father figure to track my movements via my eyes so that they can always ensure my safety
Watch me watching pornography
Repeating this earlier line to further drive home the point that this is something I want you to accept and understand
Watch my medical history
As with my other personal information, please keep track of my medical conditions and history in case of emergencies
Daddy
Closing the song with a last address to the absent father figure
Daddy
Repeating the previous line to add emphasis to the final address
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Anohni Hegarty, Ross Matthew Birchard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind