Where so many songwriters stretch for their highest notes, hoping to impress and astound, Duvekot bravely mines her deep reaches, where the dark feelings lurk. It softens her phrasing, leading us in with whispers, letting us know she believes every word she sings.
Her melodies seem like suddenly occurring thoughts, matching the hushed, conversational allure of her singing. They feel so immediate, so in synch with her lyrics; and yet also snugly rooted, oddly familiar, like memories you can't quite recall.
She sings, and writes, as if she thinks songs are important; not means to an end, but tools of survival. And for her, that's just what they are.
In 2006 Antje was a featured guest performer at the ten-year reunion concert of the contemporary Celtic band Solas, who performed two of her songs.
Pearls
Antje Duvekot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In Suicide Town
I was only fifteen
When it burned to the ground
I tore up all my memories
By the side of the road
With a tip of a needle
I carved my story in stone
When you gonna come for me, Lord?
When you gonna come for me?
Cause I've been expecting you forever
Waiting here for you
Will you send a little grace?
It's the least that you could do
It's the least that you could do
I was not much of a poet
Guess I was missing the anguish
Not a very good lover
Could never capture the language
I was an adequate painter
But it just left me tired
Did a stint as a hitman
In those days at least I was inspired
Oh, but when you gonna come for me, Lord?
When you gonna come for me?
Cause I've been expecting you forever
Waiting here for you
Will you send a little grace?
It's the least that you could do
It's the least that you could do
I hooked up a hick down in the church
I took a walk down Big Dream Boulevard
With all the sand that gets into this world
We should all be motherfucking pearls
When you gonna come for me, Lord?
When you gonna come for me?
Cause I've been expecting you forever
Waiting here for you
Will you send a little grace?
It's the least that you could do
It's the least that you could do
I'm never gonna be one of God's favorites
Never gonna cheerlead with the angels
Tried to find a church that I could walk in
They tried to nail me on original sin
Oh, when you gonna come for me, Lord?
When you gonna come for me?
I've been expecting you forever
Waiting here for you
Will you send a little grace?
It's the least that you could do
Been expecting you forever
Waiting here for you
Will you send a little grace?
It's the least that you could do
It's the least that you could do
The least that you could do
The song "Pearls" by Antje Duvekot is a reflective piece that delves into the singer's life experiences and contemplations. It begins with a description of the singer's Southern roots, and specifically the tragedy of Suicide Town burning down when they were just fifteen years old. The singer recalls tearing up their memories and carving their story in stone, perhaps as a way to immortalize their past experiences.
The singer then turns their attention to their own artistic and personal pursuits. They admit to being "not much of a poet" and "not a very good lover" but somewhat talented in painting and even doing a "stint as a hitman." Throughout the song, the singer reflects on their relationship with God, wondering when He will come for them and send a little grace. The singer recognizes that they may never be one of God's favorites, but holds out hope that He will send some kind of redemption.
As the song progresses, the singer seems to shift their focus from their own struggles to a broader view of the world. They mention hooking up with someone in church and walking down Big Dream Boulevard, and suggest that despite all of the sand in the world, everyone should be like "motherfucking pearls." The message here seems to be one of resilience and hope – even though the world can be rough, people should strive to be pearls, shining brightly through the grit.
Overall, "Pearls" is a song about perseverance through difficult times, and holding out for some kind of grace or redemption. The singer reflects on their own experiences and their relationship with God, and ultimately seems to find solace in the idea that people can be like pearls, shining through the sand.
Line by Line Meaning
Was born and raised in the South
I have lived in the Southern part of the United States from birth.
In Suicide Town
I was raised in a town that became known for its high suicide rates.
I was only fifteen
I was still very young when the town burned to the ground.
When it burned to the ground
The town I grew up in was destroyed by fire.
I tore up all my memories
I got rid of all the things that reminded me of my past life in Suicide Town.
By the side of the road
I discarded my memories by throwing them on the side of the road.
With a tip of a needle
I used a needle to carve my story into a stone.
I carved my story in stone
I permanently etched my life's story on a stone using a needle.
When you gonna come for me, Lord?
I am eagerly waiting for the divine presence to come to me.
Cause I've been expecting you forever
I have been waiting for the divine presence for a long time.
Waiting here for you
I am patiently waiting for divine guidance and a sign of grace from the Lord.
Will you send a little grace?
I am requesting a small act of kindness from the divine presence.
It's the least that you could do
I am hoping that the divine presence will provide any assistance if possible.
I was not much of a poet
I was not a skilled writer of poetry.
Guess I was missing the anguish
I lacked the emotional pain and suffering that often leads to great poetry.
Not a very good lover
I was not a proficient lover in my past relationships.
Could never capture the language
I struggled to express my feelings in a way that resonated with my partners.
I was an adequate painter
I was capable of creating decent works of art with a paintbrush.
But it just left me tired
However, painting eventually drained me of energy.
Did a stint as a hitman
At one point, I worked as a contract killer for a short period of time.
In those days at least I was inspired
Killing people, while morally wrong, made me feel alive.
I hooked up a hick down in the church
I had a romantic affair with a simple and unsophisticated person in a church.
I took a walk down Big Dream Boulevard
I aspired to fulfill my big dreams and ambitions in life.
With all the sand that gets into this world
There is a lot of hardship and difficulties in this world.
We should all be motherfucking pearls
Despite the hardships, we should strive to lead beautiful and precious lives like pearls in the ocean.
I'm never gonna be one of God's favorites
I doubt that I will ever be considered to be a favored or chosen individual by the divine presence.
Never gonna cheerlead with the angels
I do not believe that I will be granted a place in heaven like the angels.
Tried to find a church that I could walk in
I attempted to find a religious establishment where I could seek solace and guidance.
They tried to nail me on original sin
However, I was criticized for my innate sinfulness as a human being.
Been expecting you forever
I have waited for the divine presence for a very long time.
Contributed by Oliver I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.