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.
Vértigo
Antje Duvekot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I feel the danger as I steal a kiss from your mouth
And I will try to hold steady
Wanna make you believe
That the height of this tightrope is just second nature to me
But I will break
All my bones
And I have
Never been up this high
There'll be no safety net
When I fall right our of the sky
There will be no ambulance waiting
And I have no wings to fly
So we will meet on the borders,
Barefoot and blessed
In colorful graveyards with flower bouquets for the dead
And I don't ask you to promise
That I will not come to harm
But when the wind tugs my courage will you be my brother in arm
'Cause I will break
All my bones
'Cause I lied about the vertigo
And I have
Never been up this high
There'll be no safety net
When I fall right our of the sky
There will be no ambulance waiting
And I have no wings to fly
Oh the view from this height
High above the ferriswheel lights
Might cause me to sway
But I am teaching myself to be brave
And I may break all my bones
'Cause I lied about the vertigo
And I have
Never been up this high
There'll be no safety net
When I fall right our of the sky
There will be no ambulance waiting
And I have no wings to fly
The lyrics of Antje Duvekot's song Vertigo are deep and powerful, with a heavy emphasis on vulnerability and trust. The song tells a story of being in a precarious position, both literally and metaphorically, and asking for someone else to help provide support and stability. The opening lines, "You're on a highwire and I'm climbing out / And I feel the danger as I steal a kiss from your mouth" introduce a sense of danger and tension right away, with the singer acknowledging that they are not exactly comfortable in this situation but are willing to take a risk.
Throughout the rest of the song, the singer continues to express their fear and uncertainty, but also their determination to be brave and face their fears head-on. The idea of vertigo serves as a metaphor for this feeling of being out of one's depth and not being able to rely on one's usual coping mechanisms. However, the singer is also asking for help and support, both in the form of the other person's presence and reassurance, and in the form of the other person acknowledging their own vulnerability and making an effort to be there for the singer when they are feeling scared.
Overall, Antje Duvekot's Vertigo is a powerful song about the complexities of trust, vulnerability, and bravery in the face of uncertainty and danger.
Line by Line Meaning
You're on a highwire and I'm climbing out
You are in a difficult, risky situation and I am trying to escape it.
And I feel the danger as I steal a kiss from your mouth
Although I feel the danger, I am still taking a risky move by kissing you.
And I will try to hold steady
I will try my best to remain stable and not falter.
Wanna make you believe
I want to convince you of something.
That the height of this tightrope is just second nature to me
I want to convince you that I am very experienced in these kinds of situations and that heights are not a problem for me.
But I will break
All my bones
'Cause I lied about the vertigo
However, I am lying about having no fear, and as a result, I will most likely take a fall and sustain injuries.
And I have
Never been up this high
There'll be no safety net
When I fall right out of the sky
There will be no ambulance waiting
And I have no wings to fly
In reality, I have never been in such a high-risk situation, and there will not be anyone or anything to help me when I fall and get hurt because I am not equipped with anything to make my landing safe.
So we will meet on the borders,
Barefoot and blessed
In colorful graveyards with flower bouquets for the dead
If we both make it out alive, we will meet at a cemetery where colorful bouquets of flowers will be laid to rest with the dead.
And I don't ask you to promise
That I will not come to harm
But when the wind tugs my courage will you be my brother in arm
I am not asking you to guarantee my safety, but if I need support when my fears get the better of me, will you be there to help me?
Oh the view from this height
High above the ferriswheel lights
Might cause me to sway
But I am teaching myself to be brave
The sights from this high altitude might make me sway or lose courage, but I am trying to teach myself to be brave.
And I may break all my bones
'Cause I lied about the vertigo
And I have
Never been up this high
There'll be no safety net
When I fall right out of the sky
There will be no ambulance waiting
And I have no wings to fly
Again, I might sustain severe injury because I lied about having no fears and because I have never been up this high before. There won't be anyone around to offer any help or a safe landing because I am not equipped with any protection or method to fly.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANTJE DUVEKOT, MARK ERELLI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind