Anohni was one of the artists who performed Leonard Cohen's music in the 2005 documentary Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man. Antony offered her rendition of the song "If It Be Your Will".
What Can I Do
Antony Lyrics
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When the bird's got to die
What can I do
When she's too weak to fly
What can I do
When she's calling my name
She's crying
Mama, help me to live
Mama, help me to live
To live, to live, to live
What can I do
What can I do
What can I do
At its core, Antony and the Johnsons's song "What Can I Do" is an emotional, heart-wrenching plea for help. The lyrics poignantly describe a scenario where a bird is on the brink of death and cannot fend for herself, and a helpless narrator is struggling with how to intervene. Instead of feeling empowered or hopeful, the singer is desperate and frustrated, calling out to their mother for support and guidance. The repetition of "What can I do" emphasizes the sense of powerlessness and the inability to find any way to save the bird's life.
The song can be interpreted in a number of ways, but it ultimately speaks to the universal experience of helplessness in the face of tragedy. The lyrics tap into our primal fear of death and our innate desire to protect the vulnerable. The bird becomes a symbol for any living being in need of compassion and assistance, and the singer's cries for help become a rallying cry for anyone who has ever felt powerless in the face of injustice or suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
What can I do
Expressing a feeling of helplessness and desperation in the face of an impending tragedy.
When the bird's got to die
Acknowledging the inevitability of death for all living beings.
When she's too weak to fly
Witnessing the frailty and vulnerability of life and the inability to do anything about it.
When she's calling my name
Feeling a personal responsibility to intervene and help, despite the impossibility of doing so.
She's crying
Showing the emotional anguish and pain of the situation.
Mama, help me to live
Directly appealing to a maternal figure for aid and support in a moment of distress.
To live, to live, to live
Emphasizing the fundamental importance of life and the desire to preserve it at all costs.
What can I do
Repeating the earlier sentiment of powerlessness and the absence of any viable course of action.
What can I do
Continuing to search for a solution or a way to alleviate the suffering, despite the impossibility of doing so.
What can I do
Asking a rhetorical question that highlights the inherent futility and frustration of the situation.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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