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.
Why Did You Separate Me from the Earth?
Anohni Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh my god
Why did you separate me from the earth?
My father
You drew lines miles high in steel or nuclear
The forests of Borneo and white water in your mouth
I don't want your future and I'll never return
Why did you separate me, me from the earth?
What did you stand to gain?
Why did you separate me from the earth? (From the earth)
The rotten bodies threaded gold
The pitch of hair and sticky meat
The sea life cut with plastic
A white cross gilded gold
A case of white doves
Laying in the boiling snow
A sharp knife of concrete
The blue line of tuna's throat
I don't want your future
I'm never, never coming home
I don't want your future
I'll be born before you're born
Why did you separate me, me from the earth?
What did you have to gain?
Why did you separate me from the earth?
What did you have to gain?
Why did you separate me from the earth?
(From the earth, from the earth, from the earth)
What did you have to gain?
The song "Why Did You Separate Me from the Earth?" by Anohni laments the destruction of nature and asks why humans continue to separate themselves from the earth. The first verse describes how humans have drawn lines and boundaries, using steel and nuclear power, that separate them from nature. The chorus then questions this separation, asking why it was necessary and what was gained from it. The second verse continues to describe the destruction of nature, with references to the logging of Borneo and the pollution of the seas with plastic. The final lines of the song reject the idea of a future that continues down this destructive path, and instead embraces a return to the past and a rejection of the present society.
The lyrics of this song are thoughtful and introspective, urging us to consider our impact on the world around us. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the urgency of this message, and the use of specific imagery highlights the devastation that humans have wrought. The question of why we continue to prioritize profit and progress over the preservation of the natural world is a vital one in our current era of climate change and environmental degradation.
Line by Line Meaning
Why did you separate me from the earth?
Anohni is questioning the reason for being separated from the earth.
Oh my god
An exclamation conveying frustration over the separation.
My father
Anohni is possibly referring to a spiritual or metaphorical father figure who she feels has betrayed her.
You drew lines miles high
Referring to the creation of man-made structures such as skyscrapers or fences which separate her from the natural world.
In steel or nuclear
The materials used to create the man-made structures are often harmful to the environment.
The forests of Borneo
An allusion to the destruction of the natural world through deforestation and the impact on indigenous species.
White water in your mouth
Describes pollution that contaminates natural sources of water and is harmful to consume.
I don't want your future
Anohni expresses a lack of interest in a future that involves continued environmental destruction and separation from the earth.
I'll never return
She will not return to a future that involves further separation from the earth.
I'll be born into the past
Anohni would rather be a part of a past where the earth was seen as sacred and respected, rather than a present where it is being destroyed.
I'm never coming home
Anohni feels she belongs with the earth rather than in a world that is actively destroying it.
What did you stand to gain?
Anohni questions the motive behind the separation between humanity and the earth. What did they achieve by harming and separating themselves from the environment?
The rotten bodies threaded gold
Metaphorically refers to the glorification of those who engage in harmful activities to the environment, despite the damage caused.
The pitch of hair and sticky meat
A reference to the negative impact of the meat industry on the environment and animals.
The sea life cut with plastic
Refers to the issue of pollution with plastic waste in oceans and the detrimental impact it has on marine life.
A white cross gilded gold
Describes the destructive impact of religion on the environment and how people prioritize religious beliefs over respecting nature.
A case of white doves
Refers to how the destruction of the environment affects all life, including gentle creatures like doves.
Laying in the boiling snow
An image used to powerfully illustrate how climate change is affecting the natural world.
A sharp knife of concrete
Concrete is used to destroy the natural environment, and the imagery of a sharp knife is a metaphor for this type of destruction.
The blue line of tuna's throat
Another reference to the harmful impact on sea life, and how overfishing is leading to an alarming decrease in the population of tuna.
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Anohni Hegarty, Ross Matthew Birchard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind